Special Collections Exhibit: Centenary of 1913 Dublin Lock-Out

The Dublin Lock-Out was a serious industrial dispute that began in the summer of 1913 when workers from the Irish Tram Company in Dublin, who were seeking a pay rise, were locked out of work because they refused to sign a pledge to leave their union, the Irish Transport & General Workers Union (ITG&WU). Other lockouts followed which caused widespread hardship and increased poverty, with over 300 employers and nearly 20,000 workers affected. The lockouts lasted until January 1914 when most workers were forced to return to work. Photos of the main trade union leaders Jim Larkin, James Connolly and William O'Brien are on display alongside the photo of the riots of 31 August 1913 also known as 'Bloody Sunday 1913' (Special Collections, exhibition cabinet no.2).