IFJ Congress event celebrates role of women in trade union movement

The contribution of the women who took part in the 1913 Lockout was celebrated at the IFJ World Congress Sisters in Union event tonight, an informal reception hosted by the Irish Executive Council.

This year is the centenary of the 1913 Lockout, a seminal event in the history of the Irish and international labour movement, and the reception, held in the unique setting of the Teachers' Club in Dublin, marked the important role played by women in the event which sowed the seeds for the Irish trade union movement.

Speaking at the event, IFJ General Secretary, Beth Costa, "said: "This was a great event to mark the important role of women in the trade union movement in Ireland and across the world."

Mary Maher of the NUJ was joined by leading women activists to recall the work of women such as Delia Larkin, herself a journalist and a true hero of 1913. Delegates enjoyed music, song and poetry and the opportunity to gather with old colleagues before the hard work of World Congress 2013 gets underway.

Speaking about the history of the 1913 Lockout, NUJ Ireland Secretary Seamus Dooley, said: "The strike is often depicted as a battle between two giants, James Larkin, leader of the workers and William Martin Murphy, a press baron and entrepreneur with extensive business interests, including the city trams," said NUJ General Secretary Seamus Dooley.

''Larkin however would be the first to acknowledge the contribution of brothers and sisters who stood with him in defence of the downtrodden workers and families condemned to a life of misery and degradation in what was then a slum city."

You can view all the pictures of the above event HERE.

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The IFJ represents more than 600.000 journalists in 134 countries