Origins: Larkin

Subject: ADD: Larkin
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 May 20 - 06:29 PM

A powerful song that warrants some study and repetition. Anybody know anything about it?

8. Larkin

When Larkin came to Dublin town
When Larkin came to Dublin town
Said he the poor have mighty weapons
To fight and bring the tyrant down


We are the poor of Dublin town
We are the poor of Dublin town
Where will we find these mighty weapons
To fight and bring the tyrant down?


“Come follow me” said Larkin then
“Come follow” me said Larkin then
“I will show you a mighty army
To make you all free Irishmen”


“No ship must sail no wheel must turn
No crane must swing no furnace burn
And these are far, far greater weapons
Than gun or gaudy uniform”


“The sun goes down each weary day
The sun goes down each weary day
On slum and tenement and people
Who starve and yet will not give way”


“Come all ye noble Irish men
Come join with me for liberty!
We will make one mighty army
To break the bonds of slavery!”



A homage to ‘Big’ Jim Larkin, a Liverpool native syndicalist who organised the Irish Transport & General Workers Union. Larkin, with James Connolly, led the year-long dockworkers strike (which was joined by other groups of workers) in 1913. All the arms of the Irish capitalist state, then still a part of Great Britain, were ranged against them and eventually the long and bitter strike – known as the ‘Dublin Lockout’ – failed. The union lives on and Larkin remains a revered figure in Irish social history. Modern day Irish reformists claim both Larkin and Connolly as their own, conveniently overlooking the fact both men were ardent socialists.


Source: http://www.left-horizons.co.uk/index.php?section=7&archivesection=5&page=94

Subject: RE: Origins: Larkin
From: Jack Campin
Date: 01 May 20 - 06:38 PM

A large part of it is shared with Galvin's "James Connolly".

Subject: RE: Origins: Larkin
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 02 May 20 - 05:26 AM

That was my impression also. Heard it for the first time last night at the Goilin Covid-19 inline session.

Regards

Subject: RE: Origins: Larkin
From: GUEST,Martin Ryan
Date: 02 May 20 - 05:34 AM

... online session ...

Subject: RE: Origins: Larkin
From: GUEST,Starship
Date: 02 May 20 - 12:31 PM

There is some good information both before and after the page that opens.

https://books.google.ca/books?id=PvT4AwAAQBAJ&pg=PT268&lpg=PT268&dq=Said+he+the+poor+have+mighty+weapons+To+fight+and+bring+the+