Sligo - Event Notice
Thursday January 01 1970

Public Meeting on Deported Leitrim Socialist Jim Gralton

sligo | worker & community struggles and protests | event notice

Thursday January 13, 2005 02:06

by D. Hevers - Connolly Forum

S.U.T.C. Castle Street, Sligo.

The writer and former RTE radio presenter Mr Pat Feeley, will speak at a Connolly Forum public meeting on ‘Jim Gralton – the Leitrim Socialist’, which will be held in the Trades Club, Castle Street, Sligo, on Wednesday the 19th of January at 8.30.p.m.

Jim Gralton, a native of Effernagh, Co. Leitrim, emigrated to America as a young man. It was in the U.S.A. that he became involved in the labour struggles of the time. Never breaking his links with Ireland he was active in the Connolly Club in New York, which also counted among its members Jim Larkin, Nora Connolly and Liam Mellows.

When he returned to Leitrim in 1932 to help his aged parents, he became immersed in political activity. He joined the Revolutionary Workers Group, spoke at numerous anti-eviction meetings and re-opened the Pearse-Connolly Hall in Gowel, Co. Leitrim. When a massive Red Scare enveloped the country in 1933, Gralton became the victim of a political witch-hunt and was deported from Ireland as “an undesirable alien”. He became the only Irishman ever to be deported from his native land.

The Leitrim socialist was never allowed to return to Ireland and spent the remaining days of his life in the American Labour movement. He again became involved in the Irish Workers Clubs in New York, reprinted Connolly’s pamphlets, raised funds for the International Brigades in Spain and participated in the many campaigns of the period. He died in New York on December 29th 1945 and was buried in Woodlawn cemetery.

Mr Pete Murtagh, Chairperson of the Connolly Forum, will preside at the meeting which is open to the public.

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Comments (5 of 5)

Gralton

by P. O'Hay

Thu Jun 23, 2005 04:33

I am doing a research paper on the role of the Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise in having James Gralton deported from Ireland.

If you have any information, please advise.

Many thanks.

P. O'Hay PhD.
University of Toronto, Canada

[email protected]

Gralton, Connolly and Mike Quill

by Gurley Flynn

Mon Jan 17, 2005 00:44

Gralton was a key figure in conveying the industrial unionism ideas of James Connolly to Mike Quill, founder of New York City's Transport Workers Union. Today NYC's TWU is a vibrant workers organization, a living embodiment of the ideas of James Connolly. The murder of Connolly by British imperialism is commemmorated every year by the TWU.

Even poor old "socialist" Bertie isn't familiar with the details ...

by another wee snippet

Sat Jan 15, 2005 21:06

http://www.gov.ie/debates-02/18Dec/Sect1.htm

Ms Burton: I wish to take the opportunity of this question to request the Taoiseach to ask his officials and those in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform if it is possible to release the files on the late Jim Gralton. A number of attempts have been made over the years to have the official papers on the late Jim Gralton, a labour activist from County Leitrim, released but that has not happened. I am not sure if the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has even been able to find files. Would it be possible to find them because his relatives and other people are interested?

An Ceann Comhairle: Deputy, you are well outside the scope of this question.

The Taoiseach: I will pass on the Deputy's request. I am not familiar with the detail.

re. Nothing on the Web

by a wee snippet

Sat Jan 15, 2005 20:59

Well not exactly nothing but next to nothing .....however even poor old much maligned RTE has this little snippet:
http://www.rte.ie/culture/millennia/people/graltonjim.html

A bit more would indeed be welcome ....

There is nothing on this fascinating character on the web

by eeekkkk

Sat Jan 15, 2005 19:01

Please ask the person giving the talk to consider publishing a version here to remedy this.

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Public Meeting on Deported Leitrim Socialist Jim Gralton

Comments (5 of 5)