Alicia Brady’s Death to be Marked on January 4th, 2014

The 1913 Lockout Centenaery is not over yet – thousands of workers and their families were still subjected to extreme suffering a state repression in the winter of 1913-1914. One of the last casualties of the struggle for union recognition was 16 year old Alicia Brady’s death on January 1st. Her funeral took place on January 4th, 1914. On Saturday, January 4th, the 1913 Committee is holding a commemoration at 2pm, the same time as her funeral one hundred years ago on that day. 

Alicia was a 16 year old worker in Jacob’s Biscuits factory who was locked out with over 300 other women, members of the Irish Women Workers Union and over 600 men, members of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union because of their stand in support of striking workers in William Martin Murphy’s Dublin United Tramway Company. Both organisations are now part of SIPTU, whose General President, Jack O’Connor will give the graveside oration.

They were the first large group of workers locked out in the summer of 1913 and most of them were never re-employed by the company.

Alicia Brady was on her way home from the Manchester Shed on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay on December 18^th, 1913, with a consignment of food for her family when she was hit by a ricochet from a revolver fired by a strike breaker, or ‘scab’, on Mark Street. She was struck in the hand, contracted tetanus and died on January 1^st.

She would probably not have died if Dublin’s hospitals at the time had given people suffering serious injuries anti-tetanus shots, as was routine procedure in most British hospitals.

She was buried at Glasnevin Cemetery on January 4^th, 1914. Thousands attended the funeral where graveside orations were given by Jim Larkin and James Connolly.

Another person was hit by a revolver shot from a strike breaker on December 18^th, 1913. It was John Hollwey, a shipping broker and Vice Chairman of the Dublin Port and Dock’s Board. He recovered fully.

All charges against the gunman who shot Alicia Brady were dropped. The gunman who shot Hollwey was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm but allowed to go home to Wales on condition he never returned to Dublin. Judge Dodd, who tried both cases, said strike breakers issued with guns deserved, ‘A little kindness. A little pity’. There were several other people shot in similar circumstances during the lockout but none of them were sent to prison.

The Commemoration will commence outside Glasnevin Cemetery Museum at 2pm. A Wreath will be laid at Alicia Brady’s grave on and, after the oration, a Commemorative Event will be held in the Museum.

The Commemoration will be chaired by Ethel Buckley, Head of Equality and Campaigning, SIPTU. Speakers include Brigid Taylor, Alicia Brady’s niece, Terese Caherty, Chairperson of the Irish Women Workers’ Union Committee and Padraig Yeates, 1913 Committee.

There will also be a performance by the acclaimed Theatre Company ANU Productions to celebrate Alicia’s life.

Contacts: Ethel Buckley, 087 617 2854 and Padraig Yeates, 087 260 5297