James Connolly lived from 1903 to 1905 in the then thriving manufacturing city of Troy, New York, and he later organized in New Jersey before his return to Ireland. Connolly is remembered for his special ability to weave the threads of revolutionary socialism, trades unionism and Irish national liberation. Connolly’s years in the U.S. were spent as a leader of both the Industrial Workers of the World union and the Socialist Labor Party, then the dominant socialist organization in the United States.
Connolly scholars, Anne Neville, Michael Barrett and Denis Foley will discuss the varied contributions and influences of and on James Connolly while he lived and worked in Troy, before returning to Ireland, where he was executed for his participation in the 1916 Rising. Using primary sources, including some of his own letters, and with an accompanying exhibit, the panel will shed light on his inspiring work.