Lyr Add: Dunne's Store Strike (Sandra Kerr)

Subject: RE: Chord Req: The Dunnes Stores Girl (John Spillane)
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 08 Apr 13 - 08:59 AM

My favourite 'Dunne's' girl song.
If you take the road from Leenaune (location for the film 'The Field') and head for Louisburg alongside Killary Harbour (Ireland's only fjord), arguably the most beautiful road in Ireland, along the way, with spectacular views, you will come to a monument to the Dunne's strike.
Jim Carroll

TEN YOUNG WOMEN AND ONE YOUNG MAN
Ewan MacColl (1986) – to the tune Spanish Lady
Lis Deasy, Dorothy Dooley, Michelle Gavin, Karen .Gearon, Sandra Griffin, Mary Manning, Theresa Mooney, Veronica Monroe, Catherine O'Reilly, Alma Russell and Tommy Davis were all employees of the Henry Street branch of Dunnes Stores, a chain
of supermarket and clothing shops in Eire. When they came out on strike, all the odds were against them. They were young and inexperienced and the other branches of Dunnes steadfastly refused to come out in support. Nonetheless, their enthusiasm and
dedication caught the imagination of the British public—and of the African National Congress, who invited several of the eleven to visit South Africa. When the strike ended, its main point had been won: the Irish government introduced a ban on the importation of all South African fruit and vegetables.

Now pause awhile, my friends, and listen to what I'm going to tell to you
About the events in Dublin City and the girls of the I.D.A.T.U.
Dunnes Store, the branch in Henry Street, is where the trouble all began
That led to the strike, the famous strike, of ten young women and one young man.

That year at the union conference they said we should not compromise
With apartheid and they voted to boycott all South African merchandise;
When Karen Gearon, the Dunnes shop-steward, told her mates about the ban,
They said, "We'll stand by the resolution." Ten young women and one young man.

Now Mary Manning of Kilmainham, a twenty-one-year-old cashier
Was put to the test the very next morning when she spoke up loud and clear:
"No, I'm afraid I cannot serve you, that grapefruit's South African!
And some of us here are opposed to apartheid." Ten young women and one young man.

Well, what a hell of a hullabaloo, the threats and groans and the angry cries,
The management foaming at the mouth and the suits buzzing round like blue-arse flies;
"You'll sell those goods or be suspended, we'll tolerate no union ban!"
Little did they understand the will of ten young women and one young man

So Mary Manning got the push, this lass of independent mind,
And ten of her workmates came out and joined her there on the picket line.
For days and weeks and months they stood there, persevered and stood their ground,
Proclaiming the will and determination of ten young women and one young man.

Then here's to the girls of Dublin City who stretched their hands across the sea,
Their action surely is a lesson in workers' solidarity.
And here's to the folk who heeded the boycott, who won't buy Cape and spurn Outspan,
And also the lad who joined the lasses—ten young women and one young man.

Music note: This is the same tune as "The Day of the Fight. "

Subject: Lyr Add: Dunne's Store Strike
From: GUEST,Emma Runswick
Date: 08 Aug 21 - 06:33 PM

The Dunne's Store Strike

Written by Sandra Kerr
Performed by:
- Sandra Kerr on Yellow, Red and Gold;
- Rebel Voices on Warning: Women at Work (American duo, my favourite version)
- Christy Moore (https://www.christymoore.com/christy-chat/the-flowers-that-bloom-in-the-spring-tra-la/) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TER_M3KNVCE)

Details about the Strike here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunnes_Stores_strike
https://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/anti-apartheid-in-ireland-the-dunnes-stores-strike-1984-87/

It was in the month of sweet July in 1984
The scene was set in Dublin, in Dunne's Department Store
The supermarket's busy, the registers make a din
The groceries go rolling out, the cash comes rolling in!

Mary manning was sitting at the till not thinking any harm
When a customer comes up to her with a basket on her arm
The content of that basket, Mary's destiny will shape
For it bears the dreaded label: Produce of The Cape

"Oh I can't check out your oranges missus, won't you take them back,
For they come from South Africa where white oppresses black,
Our Union says don't handle them it's the least that we can do,
You'll know what opression is if you are Irish too"

For I'd have it on me conscience and I couldn't sleep at night
If I helped support a system that denied to blacks their rights"
The managers were called, the ones that wear the suits
And Mary was suspended 'cause she wouldn't touch the fruits

But her friends were all behind her and the union gave support
They struck, they picketed the boss was overwrought
He said "I'll not be dictated to on what is bought and sold!
These women are only workers they should do as they are told"

"That's typical", said the strikers, "of apartheid's cruel law,
It's not just in South Africa where rich oppresses poor.
Ben Dunne won't have a boycott, he'd sooner have the curse.
He couldn't care less how he fills his shelves as long as he lines his purse"

Now Clery's in O'Connell Street they won't sell racist shoes
Best Man returned their clothes and Roches sent back all their booze
"'Til all South African goods are taken off the shelves at Dunne's,
You'll find us down in Henry Street, sticking to our guns!"

"Apartheid", said the strikers, "is the law of slavery,
A cruel and immoral crime against humanity.
We've learnt about our system too and now we know the score
If we go back we'll never take the sh*t we took before"

The praises they came rolling in from all around the world
For such concern and sacrifice and courage brave and bold
When 14 months were over 10 women and a man
Had changed had changes the minds and consciences and hearts of Ireland

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Dunne's Store Strike
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Aug 21 - 11:06 PM

Here are the lyrics from the Christy Moore Recording:

The Dunnes Stores Strike
(Sandra Kerr)

Close your eyes and come with me back to 1984
We’ll take a walk down Henry Street to Dunnes Department store
The supermarket’s busy, the registers make a din
The groceries go rollin’ out and the cash comes rollin’ in

Mary Manning is at the checkout trying to keep warm,
A customer comes up to her a basket on her arm
The contents of that basket Mary’s future was to shape
The label clearly stated, produce of The Cape

I can’t check out your oranges Mam, you’ll have to put them back
They come from South Africa where The White oppress The Black
I’d have it on my conscience I couldn’t sleep at night
If I helped support a system that denies Black People’s Rights
CHORUS

The managers descended in an avalanche of suits
Mary was suspended cos she wouldn’t touch the fruits
No one was goin’ to tell Ben Dunne what he bought or sold
These women are only workers they must do as they are told

Isn’t that just typical of the way Apartheid works
It’s not just in South Africa that the Boss man calls the shots
Dunne’s wouldn’t have a boycott, couldn’t give a tinkers curse
Don’t matter how they filled the shelves so long as they lined his purse
CHORUS

Goodwill and solidarity came from all around the world
Such concern and sacrifice, such courage brave and bold
When 14 months were over 10 women and a man
Had helped to raise black consciousness all around the land

Clerys in O’Connell St stopped sellin’ South African shoes
Best Man sent all their clothes back, Roches stores their booze
Til all South African Goods were taken off the shelves in Dunnes
Mary Manning was down in Henry St and she was sticking to her guns
CHORUS

Lyrics source: https://www.christymoore.com/christy-chat/the-flowers-that-bloom-in-the-spring-tra-la/ (these lyrics are somewhat different from the Christy Moore recording)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TER_M3KNVCE

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Dunne's Store Strike
From: Joe Offer
Date: 08 Aug 21 - 11:18 PM

OK, one last one. These are the lyrics from the Christy Moore YouTube correction, with my corrections garnered from what I hear. Some sections are still unclear to me, so I won't make this as ready for harvesting.

DUNNES STORES
(Sandra Kerr, from the Christy Moore recording)

Close your eyes and come with me back to 1984
We'll take a walk down Henry Street to Dunnes Department store.
The supermarket's busy and the registers make a din'
The groceries go rolling out and the cash comes rolling in.

Mary Manning is at the checkout and she's trying to keep it warm,
When a customer comes up to her with a basket on her arm
The contents of the basket Mary's future is to shape
But the label clearly stated "Produce Of The Cape"

I can't check out your oranges Mrs, now won't you bring them back.
For they come from South Africa, where White oppresses Black
I'd have it on my conscience and I couldn't sleep at night
If I helped support the system that denies Black People's rights

Our union says "Don't Handle Them. It's the least that we can do.
We Fought oppression here for centuries, we'll help them fight it too"
The managers descended in an avalanche of suits
And Mary was suspended cos she wouldn't touch the fruits.

Dunnes Stores Dunnes Stores
Dunnes Stores in St Bernard Better Value Beats Them All

Well, her friends are all behind her and the union gave support
And they called a strike and the pickets brought all Dunnes' Stores to a halt
No one was going to tell the Boss what he bought or sold
These women are only workers, they must do as they are told.

Isn't it just typical of apartheid's cruel law?
It's not just in South Africa, the Rich Temple and the Poor (?).
He wouldn't have a boycott, he couldn't give a tinker's curse
Doesn't matter how he fills the shelves as long as he Lines his Purse

Chorus

The messages came rollin' in from all around the world
For such concern and sacrifice and for courage brave and bold.
When 14 months were over, 10 women and a man
Had helped to raise the consciousness all around the land.

Cleary's in O'Connell street wouldn't sell South African shoes.
Best Man sent all their clothes back, Roches Stores sent back their booze.
Until all South African goods were taken off the shelves in Dunnes.
And Mary Manning was down in Henry Street sticking to her guns

Also see https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=102678

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Dunne's Store Strike (Sandra Kerr)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 09 Aug 21 - 10:46 AM

Brief history of the strike from Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunnes_Stores_strike

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Dunne's Store Strike (Sandra Kerr)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 09 Aug 21 - 12:05 PM

My apologies. The link I posted duplicate one from GUEST,Emma Runswick
08 Aug 21 - 06:33 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Dunne's Store Strike
From: Felipa
Date: 12 Aug 21 - 11:21 AM

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/strike-online-recorded-play-reading-and-live-streamed-qa-with-the-strikers-tickets-165530095973

Thu, 16 September 2021 19:00 – 21:15 BST, free ticketed event

"DUBLIN 1984

A twenty-one year old shop worker, refuses to sell South African fruit to a Dunnes Stores customer and is suspended.

Ten colleagues follow her out on strike, thinking it will only last two weeks.

It goes on for nearly three years.

STRIKE! by Tracy Ryan is a powerful and moving account of the Dunnes Stores Anti-Apartheid Strike that took place in Dublin between 1984-87.

Filmed at the Irish Cultural Centre in July, this recorded play reading is directed by Kate Saxon and performed by 13 actors.

Following the reading, there will be a live-streamed Q&A with 3-4 of the original strikers from Dublin.

This is a FREE event. Booking is required."

Subject: RE: the Dunne's Store Girl (John Spillane)
From: Felipa
Date: 12 Aug 21 - 11:36 AM

the first message requests lyrics to the Dunnes Stores' Girl. That song doesn't appear to me to be about the strike; the words sound like a light-hearted love song. There may be a subtext as people still think of the anti-apartheid strike when those words, Dunnes Stores' Girl, are mentioned,so we think, maybe she was a striker and is back at work now. But if that is a subtext, it's a very subtle one. So I think lyrics for that song would deserve a separate thread.
Update - it does indeed have a Mudcat thread
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=131201#3500427

I also think the thread title for the present discussion should include both Sanda Kerr and Ewan MacColl's names as both of their lyrics are presented here. Indeed the first message, apparently imported from the Dunnes Stores Girl discussion, gives us MacColl's Ten Young Women and One Young Man.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Dunnes Store Strike (Sandra Kerr)
From: Felipa
Date: 16 Sep 21 - 05:16 PM

the recording of the reading of the play "Strike" by Tracy Ryan is presently available to watch at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwo6kBGW2H8