Commemorating Labour in Ireland

The Jim Larkin Memorial on O’Connell Street, Dublin, honours the Irish trade union leader James Larkin. Designed by the Irish sculptor Oisin Kelly, the statue was officially unveiled on 15 June 1979. The initiative for the statue came from the Workers Union of Ireland (WUI), which had decided in 1974 to commemorate Larkin with a memorial. The statue is based on a famous photograph taken by Joe Cashman in 1923, depicting Larkin in a powerful stance. This representation captures his impressive oratorical strength and commanding presence. Kelly’s bronze sculpture portrays Larkin with raised arms, symbolising his passionate speeches and tireless dedication to workers. The large limbs and strong hands emphasise his strength and determination, while the flowing coat conveys movement and vitality.

The location of the monument on Lower O’Connell Street was deliberately chosen. It was here, on 31 August 1913, that Larkin delivered a significant speech, which led to the events of “Bloody Sunday”, a pivotal moment in the Irish labour movement. This historical connection imbues the statue with added depth and meaning. The granite pedestal of the statue bears three important inscriptions that honour Larkin’s ideals and his influence on the labour movement. At the base, the famous slogan by James Connolly is inscribed: “The great only appear great because we are on our knees. Let us rise!” This phrase, often quoted in Larkin’s speeches and attributed to the French revolutionary Camille Desmoulins, is engraved in English, French, and Irish, underscoring its universal message.

On the eastern side of the pedestal, a quote from Seán O’Casey highlights Larkin’s ability to inspire workers and call for resistance against injustice: "He talked to the workers, spoke as only Jim Larkin could speak, not for an assignation with peace, dark obedience, or placid resignation, but trumpet-tongued of resistance to wrong, discontent with leering poverty, and defiance of any power strutting out to stand in the way of their march onward."

The western side features lines from Patrick Kavanagh’s poem Jim Larkin, which emphasise Larkin’s role in freeing the oppressed and promoting liberty: "And Tyranny trampled them in Dublin's gutter until Jim Larkin came along and cried the call of Freedom and the call of Pride and Slavery crept to its hands and knees and Nineteen Thirteen cheered from out the utter Degradation of their miseries."

Today, the Jim Larkin Memorial serves as an important gathering place, as was the case on 31 August 2013, when it was used for the centenary commemoration of the Dublin Lockout. It stands as a living symbol of the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights and social justice in Irish history.

Contributed by Nico Kaschitzki (Ruhr-Universität Bochum)