Donation of ‘Labour History in Irish History’ to the Marx Memorial Library in memoriam Jack McGinley
Last Thursday night, 12th Decembe 2024, Dr Mike Mecham presented the Marx Memorial Library with a copy of the Society publication ‘Labour History in Irish History’ at an event on the Clerkenwell Prison Bombing of 1867 by the Irish Republican Brotherhood as part of the Library’s ‘Reds on the Green’ series. Poignantly, the iamge below includes an image of the late Jack McGinley in the background, who had posted this copy for the formal donation immediately prior to his sudden passing in recent weeks. The photograph also poignantly includes to the left a photograph of Fidel Castro which is a poignant reminder of all Jacks’ hard work fostering Irish-Cuban friendship over many years.
The photograph below is of the presentation, with Mark Aston (speaker), Dr Mike Mecham (ILHS representative) and Matt Dunne from the Marx Memorial Library who chaired the session.
In his remarks Dr Mike Mecham noted “For James Connolly, in his landmark Labour in Irish History, “Irish history has ever been written by the master class – in the interests of the master class.” For the last half century, the Irish Labour History Society has sought to redress that imbalance. And this impressive collection, a copy of which I am presenting to the Marx Memorial Library this evening, pays homage to Connolly in its title, Labour History in Irish History.”
Our thanks to Dr Mike Mecham and the Marx Memorial Library.
