James Connolly - 1916 Poster

Rare James Connolly 1916 commemorative poster.

James Connolly was  born on the 5th June 1868 . He was a signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic and a trail-blazing socialist and trade union leader who was well ahead of his time. Born to Irish parents in Cowgate, Edinburgh, Scotland, Connolly left school for working life at just  ten years of age, and he became active in socialist politics in the 1880's.  Primarily known for his activities in Irish socialisism and republicanism, he also played an influencing role in Scottish and American labour politics as a member of the Industrial Workers of the World and founder of the Irish Socialist Republican Party.

Along with James Larkin, he was heavily involved in the Dublin lock-out of 1913, as a result of which the two trade unionist founded the Irish Citizen Army (ICA) . The two men also founded the Irish Labour Party along with the support of William O'Brien. Connolly second in command to Larkin in the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU) until taking over leadership of both the union and its military wing the ICA upon Larkin's sudden departure for the United States. He vigoriously opposed British rule in Ireland and the resulting poor conditions of the working classes, and was a key leader of the Easter Rising of 1916, commanding the Irish Citizen Army throughout.

Following the Rising , Connolly was court-martialled and sentenced to death by firing squad. On 12th May he was taken by military ambulance to Royal Hospital Kilmainham, across the road from Kilmainham Gaol, and from there taken to the gaol, where he was to be executed. Connolly had been so badly injured from the fighting that a doctor had stated he had no more than a day or two to live, but the execution order still implemented. He was unable to stand before the firing squad so he was carried to a prison courtyard on a stretcher. A Capuchin priest, Father Aloysius Travers,  administered his last rites and when asked to pray for the soldiers about to shoot him, Connolly said: "I will say a prayer for all men who do their duty according to their lights." Rather than being marched to the spot where the other rebels had been executed at the far end of the yard in Kilmainham he was then tied to a chair and shot.

Printed and Published by O'Loughlin, Murphy and Boland, using a photo by Lafayette, the text below the photograph simply states:" JAMES CONNOLLY, Executed May 12th,1916". This is a very fine reproduction on 210 gsm satin art paper , beautifully mounted on a mottled green suede background and set behind glass in a handmade, aged dark mahogany finish frame with a gold gilt sightline.