Pictures, Words and Music from Dockers commemoration – ‘No more on the Docks I’ll be seen’

Charlie Murphy, Dublin Port, Jack O’Connor, SIPTU, Sarah Lundbery, East Wall History Group and John ‘Miley’ Walsh, retired docker at start of Dockers commemorative event, Five Lamps, Dublin

Over three hundred and fifty people attended the service organised by the Dublin Dock Workers Preservation Society in St Laurence O’Toole’s Church on Saturday 20th April 2013. Included in the gathering were Emer Costello (MEP), Maureen O’Sullivan TD and Pascal Donoghue TD, Councillor Lucy McRoberts (representing the Lord Mayor), and Councillors Nial Ring, Christy Burke and Anna Quigley. Other participants included Jack O’Connor, General President of SIPTU and Charlie Murphy, representing the Dublin Port Company.

Dublin Port Communities celebrate those who have passed on

The arrival of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union (ITGWU) as a new force of organised Labour was welcomed no-where more enthusiastically than in the Dublin Docks. In those early days it was the casual labourers, warehousemen and carters who first swelled its ranks and many of its earliest victories occurred here. The Dockland communities were witness to the birth of the new Irish trade union movement, and were participants in its greatest battle in 1913. It is most fitting that in the centenary year of the Great Lockout, that the first ever Service of Remembrance for all deceased Dublin Dockworkers should be held.

Last weekend saw hundreds of people attend the first ever such Service to be held in the City, inspired by a similar event which some of us from Dublin were guests at in Belfast last year. A lone piper led a candle-lit procession from the five lamps down Seville Place to join an Ecumenical service in St Laurence O’Toole’s church.

Former Dockers Jimmy Carthy welcomed the political and trade union figures who attended, which included SIPTU’s Jack O’Connor, a number of local TD’s and Councillors, Charlie Murphy of the Dublin Port Company, and a representative of the Lord Mayor (whose official functions include “Admiral of the Port”). The biggest welcome was for “the people of North Wall and the other dockland communities who have come here tonight to remember all deceased dockworkers whether they were family, friends or neighbours.”

Jimmy spoke of how the “ Dublin Docks became the heart that pumped blood into the dockland communities, with the tradition that thousands of people from Sheriff Street, East Wall, Summerhill, Pearse Street and the Ringsend areas followed the work in the port. It is no coincidence that as the dock labour force declined so did the dockland communities.”

But he was clear that “Tonight is not a time for sadness or anger but a time to honour all those who worked in the docks who are no longer with us. Tonight we do this through prayer, music and memories with our heads held high and proud of our connections to the docks.”

What followed was an emotional event, conducted by a minister and two priests, and featuring as promised, a mixture of prayer, reminiscence, music and song.

Declan Byrne (of the Dublin Dockworkers Preservation Society) displayed three items of memorabilia, representing different aspects of life on the Dockside:

“Firstly, there are examples of cargo hooks which for me stand for the hard and dangerous work. Secondly, a collection of Dockers buttons which symbolised the link between families and communities. And thirdly, there are two hand written pages of dock workers nicknames which stands for all the craic that took place inside the dock gates.”

A beautiful rendition of “Fiddlers Green” led to an entire row of ex-dockers having to wipe tears from their eyes. A short silence followed, allowing all those present an opportunity to recall former workmates, family, friends and neighbours who had passed on.

Afterwards, an evening of celebration took place in the Sheriff Hall. The original exhibition of photos selected last year was again on display, alongside a new selection chosen and framed by students of Marino College. Memorabilia was also on display, and this combined with the photos inspired a great session of reminiscence, story- telling and the sharing of cherished memories.

Congratulations must be extended to the members of the Dublin Dockworkers Preservation Society for organising this important event, particularly John Walsh, Declan Byrne, Alan Martin and Jimmy Carthy.

It is proposed that this remembrance service becomes an annual event, alternating between the communities North and South of the River. It is expected that Ringsend will have the honour of hosting in 2014, and East Wall in 2015.

A selection of photos from the event can be found on the Dublin Dockers Facebook, along with thousands of images from throughout the generations, including some important trade union memorabilia. https://www.facebook.com/Dublindockers.