donal-fallon

11 Articles by:

Donal Fallon

Donal Fallon is a historian and author of Three Castles Burning: A History of Dublin in Twelve Streets (New Island, 2022).

Man and Showman

Dubliner Brendan Behan was born one hundred years ago. Despite his demons, he became one of the twentieth century’s great working-class writers.

Brendan Behan at 100

Dublin writer Brendan Behan was born 100 years ago today. From his earliest days, his radical politics combined with a literary flair to make him one of the great working-class storytellers.

Remembering the Dublin Lockout

On this day in 1913, police attacked a crowd that had gathered to hear James Larkin speak during the Dublin Lockout – a pivotal moment of the war declared by employers on 20,000 workers and their right to unionise.

The Radical Politics of Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde is known today for his satirical wit, but he maintained a lifelong interest in political affairs – one which would lead him to Irish nationalism, women’s suffrage and the fight against capitalism.

The Political James Joyce

Today marks the 80th anniversary of James Joyce’s death. His writing was impacted by the great political intrigues of his time – from nationalism to religion, and his own sympathies for socialism.

Remembering Kevin Barry

101 years ago today, Irish revolutionary Kevin Barry was hanged at just eighteen years of age. Immortalised in song, his execution became an international cause – and fanned the flames of rebellion.

Up Went Nelson

Post-independence Ireland saw a wave of monuments to the British empire being removed, but none more dramatically than Nelson’s Pillar in Dublin – blown up on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising.

Ireland’s Greatest Strike

In April 1920 a general strike demanding the release of prisoners rocked Ireland and brought the country to a standstill – one hundred years later, it remains the pinnacle of Irish labour history.

The Typist with the Webley

This week Belfast City Council blocked plans for a statue to Winnie Carney, a pioneering socialist, feminist and trade unionist. We remember her extraordinary life.