Friends of Country Standard - Belfast Demo Against The Cuts

Our Friends in the North

TUC Demo, October 20 Demo in Belfast are (Left to Right): Unite activist Paul Kelly, Senior Organiser Jim Quinn, Education tutor Greg Sachno, Geraldine Kelly (Unite Education) and deputy Senior shop steward at Wincanton, Noel Court.

The Friends of Tolpuddle banner is based on a design of the old Agricultural Labourers & Rural Workers Union and was prominently displayed at this years Tolpuddle festival.

Northern Ireland Keeps Agricultural Wages Board

O’Neill announces retention of the Agricultural Wages Board in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA has announced that, following a public consultation, she has decided to retain the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) structure.

The AWB sets minimum rates of pay and conditions for workers in the agriculture and horticulture sectors, including a large proportion of migrant workers.

Making her announcement, the Minister said: “In November last year I launched a public consultation on a Review of the Agricultural Wages Board structure and following its conclusion I gave careful consideration to the responses received. I believe the decision I have now reached is in the best interests of agricultural workers here.

“As I have said previously, I firmly believe that the AWB structure is a valuable forum for wage negotiations and importantly is used as a benchmark for the wider agri-food industry.

“The AWB guarantees fair pay and conditions for agricultural workers. It will now continue to protect the rights of low paid agricultural workers, including migrant workers, here by ensuring enforceable employment conditions which I believe can only have a positive impact on the sustainability of the rural economy. "

In conclusion she added: “As we try to grow the economic potential of the agri-food sector in these difficult times, it is essential that workers in this industry are both protected and have the skills, not only to help the sector flourish but to encourage others to consider a career within it.”

Scotland and Wales also looks set to keep the Agricultural Wages Board, meanwhile Unite (Farm & rural workers union) continue with their campaign to maintain the Agricultural Wages Board in England.

The AWB not only sets the rate for farm workers but often acts as a bench mark for other rural workers. Presently rural workers earn on average £4,000 a year less than their urban work colleagues.

The Irish Donkey - Rural icon or recent arrival

On a recent Country Standard education tour of rural Ireland, participates were interested to discover the history of one of Ireland’s most iconic farm animals, the humble Donkey, surely nothing can portray rural Ireland in bygone days as the “turf” donkey. 

While Donkey’s are now very few in number in Ireland and working donkeys even fewer still, they are still held in high affection. 

However, the image we have of the working donkey's in Ireland maybe a little more recent than people may possibly imagine, for while Donkeys are believed to have been introduced to Britain by the Roman’s, only a few references refer to Donkey’s in Ireland and those date from the sixteen hundreds onwards. 

It was in fact not until the Peninsula wars. The Peninsula war (1808-1814) was a war between France (Napoleon) and the allied powers of Spain , Great Britain and Portugal for control of the Iberian peninsula. (As anyone who watched the TV series Sharpe or Goya’s painting The Third of May 1808 would know.

During this War, The British army was commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Arthur Wellesley (Later famous as the Duke of Wellington, who had been born in Ireland (24 Upper Merrion Street, Dublin now the "Merrion Hotel"). 

This Irish connection may also explain the staggering high statistic quoted with regard to the Irish contingent within the British Army fighting in the Peninsula war, an incredible 40% of the Army were Irish men. 

A little less known fact was that huge numbers of the horses and ponies for the War also came from Ireland, indeed such was the shortage of horses in Ireland that it was forced to import large numbers of Donkey’s to replace the loss of horse power in rural areas. 

This rather recent arrival of the donkey, would seem to conflict with the iconic image of the donkey in Irish life. 

Until recent times, no overseas holidaymaker to in Ireland would have left without securing a post card of a donkey next to a Irish Colleen with her beautiful shawl. likewise a prized souvenir model of gold plated donkey on a plinth of Connemara Marble to go with your miniature Guinness bottle. 

Today, most donkeys, even those on Irish farms are kept as reminders of bygone days.

Pic at top by kaysare Ken Rippengale

One Irish man who  fought under Wellington in the Peninsula War was David Bloomfield from
Clogher , County Tyrone, who was a Sergeant in the Cornish 32^nd Foot Regiment

Boloomfield was a descendant of the Bromfields sometimes spelt Brumfield and lived on a farm on the Gledstanes family

He  died aged 100 and is buried in Clogher Church of Ireland Graveyard


headstone. View from the south of the Cathedral. The inscription reads:

"Erected by Sergt. David Bloomfield, 32nd Foot, who served in the Peninsula under the Duke of Wellington. And was present at Rolera 17th Aug. 1808, Vimiero 21st Aug. 1808, Talavera 27th and 28th July 1809, Salamanca 22nd July 1812, Vittoria 21st June 1813 Pyrenees 28th 29th and 30th July 1813, Nivella 10th Nov. 1813 at which date he was severely wounded. And has now been 82 years in Her Majesty's Service. Underneath are the remains of Anne Bloomfield, his wife, who departed this life 3rd June 1870 aged 88 years. Also Sergt. David Bloomfield of Slatmore who departed this life 21st May 1882 aged 100 years."

see also

The Zion Muleteers of Gallipoli

March 1915- May 1916

see link

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/gallipoli.html

Leitrim’s Rural Socialist Hero - Jim Gralton

Leitrim’s - Jim Gralton

On August 13, 1933 Jim Gralton was forced to board a Trans-Atlantic Liner in Cork which was to set sail for the USA. Jim had been arrested on August 10 at a friend’s house in Gorvagh, County Leitrim and brought to Ballinamore Barracks where he was detained before being brought to Cork for his deportation. He had been living on the run since February of that year following the issuing of a deportation order by the courts who ruled that he had to leave Ireland by March 5. His deportation 77 years ago makes him the only native Irishman to be deported from this state.

He was born in Effernagh close to Carrick on Shannon in County Leitrim on April 17 1886. His education, such as it was, was received in nearby Kiltoghert school. Like most young people at the time, he left school early, aged just 14. After working for a number of employers in the local area, fed up with the harsh treatment he and others suffered at their hands, Jim headed for Dublin where he enlisted in the British army.

His rebellious behaviour was not long coming through and he endured punishment of 84 days on “bread and water” for his refusal to shine the leggings and buttons of one of his officers. He was then posted to India, but refused to go in protest at British policies in Ireland. For his defiance and protest, Jim was jailed for a year and subsequently deserted the army, going to work for a time in the coal mines of Wales and in Liverpool docks.

He then got employment as a ship’s stoker and eventually settled in New York where he became a US citizen in 1909. In the midst of the great wealth in the USA, Jim was appalled at the harsh, slave-like conditions that workers endured, which led him to become a firm believer in supporting the rights of workers and in socialism.

From the time he arrived in the US, Jim was active in supporting and raising much needed funds for both the Irish republican struggle and for fellow workers in New York. He became a member of the US Communist Party and became heavily involved in trade union activity. In the wake of the 1916 Rising, and after studying of the writings of James Connolly, Jim became a founding member of the James Connolly Club in New York.

Almost a decade and a half after arriving in the US, Jim decided to return home to Ireland in June 1921, just a month before the truce in the Tan War commenced on the 11th of July. During the war, the notorious Black and Tans had burnt the local Temperance Hall beside Gowel Church to the ground. On his return, Jim promised local people he would replace it and set about, with his own money and with local support, building a new hall on his father’s land near Effernagh crossroads.

The new hall, named the Pearse-Connolly Hall, was eventually opened on December 31 1921 and became an integral part of the everyday lives of the local community. Amongst its many uses was the holding in classes of a wide range of subjects including Irish, English, music, dancing, civics and agricultural science. This was also a time of many land disputes and the Hall was also used to hold Land Courts to settle many of these disputes. Despite the good work Jim was doing for his community and despite the valuable educational service that was been provided, not everyone was happy.

The Catholic Church in particular were extremely unhappy. They denounced him at every opportunity, at the pulpit during mass and in letters, going as far as to describe him as an extremely dangerous socialist and even an “Anti-Christ”. They accused him of “leading a campaign of Land agitation”, of trying to take the youth of the area away from the Catholic Church and of teaching communism to them in his classes.

The Free State forces also were unhappy with his activities, and on May 24 1922, they raided the Hall in a failed attempt to arrest Jim. The following month, as Civil War loomed, he got out and returned to the US. He did not return to Ireland until 1932 following the death of his brother Charlie who looked after and ran the family farm and following the securing of power in the Twenty-Six Counties by Fianna Fáil. Like many other people at that time, Jim was of the mistaken belief that a Fianna Fáil government would allow for the development of progressive politics in his homeland.

Following his return to Ireland, Jim re-opened the Pearse-Connolly Hall which had been closed for many years while he was in the US. He also involved himself once again in left-wing agitation, joining the Revolutionary Workers’ Group [a forerunner of the Communist Party of Ireland]. As well as the hall being used for dances and other social activities, meetings were also held there highlighting issues such as unemployment and the rights of workers and tenants.

He spoke at many anti-eviction meetings and following the eviction of a worker from his home in Keadue, in Co Roscommon, Jim joined with a local IRA group in re-instating the worker and his family back into their family home. This radicalism and persistent campaigning on such issues was of major concern once again to conservatives in general and to the Catholic Church and Fianna Fáil in particular.

Once again, Jim was denounced as a massive campaign was launched by the clergy against him and the views he represented. Shamefully, many of his former comrades turned their backs on him, as the church demanded that the Hall, which they described as a “den of iniquity” be shut down.

The Hall came under physical attack on many occasions. Shots were fired into it during a dance and an attempt to blow it up with a bomb failed. Finally, on Christmas Eve 1932, the Hall was eventually destroyed when it was burned to the ground.

In February of 1933, at the behest of the Catholic Church, the Fianna Fáil government ordered the deportation of Jim from his homeland by March 5 on the spurious grounds of him being an “undesirable alien”. Instead of complying with the order, Jim went on the run, staying with friends and neighbours in the area. During his time on the run, the Revolutionary Workers’ Group organised a campaign in support of Jim. Public meetings were organised and addressed by Jim himself, and by other prominent republican socialists of the time such as George Gilmore and Peadar O’Donnell. Many of these meetings were attacked and broken up by reactionaries.

Finally on August 10 1933, the Free State caught up with Jim, capturing him at a friend’s house in Gorvagh. He was taken to Ballinamore Barracks where he was detained before being transported to Cork where he was put on board a Trans-Atlantic Liner and deported to the US against his will. He was never again allowed to return to Ireland.

Undeterred, upon his arrival back in the US, Jim once again got involved in trade unionism and left wing politics. Along with Gerald O’Reilly, a close colleague of George Gilmore, Jim set up the Irish Workers’ Group in New York. He became a trade union organiser, encouraging the involvement of women within the unions, and set about promoting, republishing and distributing the works of James Connolly. During the Spanish Civil War, he raised funds for the International Brigades who were going to Spain to fight against fascism and in defence of the Republic.

A committed and unrepentant communist up to his last breath, Jim Gralton died in exile in New York on December 29 1945 and is buried in Woodlawn cemetery in the Bronx area of the City.

To conclude fittingly, the final words go to a comrade of Jim’s, Charlie Byrne. Speaking at Jim’s Graveside in the Bronx in 2005 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of his death, Charlie said:

“Let all of us who believe in the principles for which Gralton stood, pledge ourselves anew to the continuation of the fight for the complete political, cultural and economic rights of the working classes in all lands, no crying, no weeping over his grave at Woodlawn. There is work to be done, so let us carry on; Gralton would have it that way.”

Posted by Gabriel

Ireland - Big Gains For Labour

Labour, Ireland is set to be the largest political party in Dublin. Tallymen reports Labour on course to secure 18 seats in Dublin. Labour now on course to beat Dick Spring's 33 national Labour seats in 1992.

At the last election Labour secured 10% of the vote and 20 TD's. Looking at 20% in 2011.

Labour set to take back a traditional rural socialist seat in Kerry.

Fianna Fáil transfers will be vital in Labour securing further rural seats and securing possibly 38 seats.

ITGWU Agricultural Workers

Union organisation amongst agricultural workers in Ireland seems to have been very late in development, this could possibly have something to do with wage demands taking second place to the struggle for national liberation.

The Irish Land League was the main focus for agitation amongst rural population. The Land League was established at a meeting of the Tenants Defence Association was in Castlebar, County Mayo, on October 26, 1878.

The primary objective of the League was in helping small farmers resist rent increase and redistribution of the land from the mainly, British absentee Land Lords on the big estates. The League leaders included Charles Stewart Parnell, John Dillon and Michael Davitt.

In 1913 The agricultural workers of Lancashire had decided to launch a major campaign to improve pay and conditions. They demanded £1 a week and a half day off on Saturday (The present wage was just 18s). This campaign included flooding villages and towns with propaganda, in this endeavour the campaign was helped by the Socialist Clarion Cycling Club.

The Lancashire campaign also encouraged other workers in England and importantly in Ireland to take up the fight for better pay and conditions.

Agricultural workers in County Dublin were the first to respond and make similar demands

Peter Larkin, the brother of Jim Larkin urged Dublin workers to spend long summer evenings in the countryside spreading the word

Three weeks before the planned strikes in Lancashire, meetings of agricultural workers were held in Swords, Clundalkin, Lucani, Blanchardstown and soon members were joining the Irish Transport & General Workers Union (ITGWU) enmasse

The resulting campaign secured a 17s a week and 66 hour week

In March 1917 Blanchardstown Lang League came over to the ITGWU, one of the first to do



At Archill a Migratory Labourers Union was established to organise the seasonal workers who sailed aannually on dirty, crowed ships to work the Scottish potatoe crop. The organiser was Michael Masterson of Belmullet to organise the "Tattie Hokers". Michael Conway of the Workers Union who later transferred to the ITGWU travelled with the "Tattie Hokers from Donegal to Scotland to see the conditions they worked in.

Meanwhile Sligo ITGWU organiser, Mr W.J. Reilly wrote to the the Scottish Potato Merchant association stating that the "tattie hokers would not leave Ireland until they had been promised better pay and conditions"

Masterson had offices based at 28, East Clyde Street

It has been estimated that of the ITGWU membership in 1918 24% was in agriculture by 1920 the ITGWU had 102,823 members of which an estimated 40,000 were in agriculture

One reason given for increased membership in 1918, was the union's role in the General Strike against Conscription held on 23rd April 1918.


Unrest in North Kerry was extensive in late 1917 early 1918 and Lord Listowels land at Gurtenard, Kerry, disgruntled agricultural labourers backed by local Volunteers took the radical step of seizing land



In April 1919 a massive wages movement swept Ireland, agricultural workers struck at Carrigans and Manorcunningham in East Donegal and sporadic strikes occurred in Carlow, Kerry, Offaly and Dublin. At Bultevont in North Cork and Churchtown shots were fired

The 1919 strike set to start on 25th August 1919, was settled because the Farmers wanted to attend the Royal Dublin Show

ITGWU best organised areas being in Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny