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James
Larkin
(21
January
1876
–
30
January
1947),
sometimes
known
as
Jim
Larkin,
was
an
Irish
republican,
socialist
and
trade
union
leader.
He
was
one
of
the
founders
of
the
Irish
Labour
Party,
Irish
Transport
and
General
Workers'
Union,
Workers'
Union
of
Ireland
(the
two
unions
later
merged
to
become
SIPTU,
Ireland's
largest
trade
union)
and
the
Irish
Citizen
Army
(a
paramilitary
group
which
was
integral
to
both
the
Dublin
Lockout
and
the
Easter
Rising).
Larkin
was
born
to
Irish
parents
in
Liverpool,
England.
He
and
his
family
later
moved
to
a
small
cottage
in
Burren,
southern
County
Down.
Growing
up
in
poverty,
he
received
little
formal
education
and
began
working
in
a
variety
of
jobs
while
still
a
child.
He
became
a
full-time
trade
union
organiser
in
1905.
Larkin
moved
to
Belfast
in
1907,
but
is
perhaps
best
known
for
his
role
in
the
1913
Dublin
Lockout.
Not
long
after
the
lockout,
Larkin
assumed
direct
command
of
the
Irish
Citizen
Army
(ICA),
and
would
later
travel
to
America
to
raise
funds
for
the
Irish
Transport
and
General
Workers'
Union
(ITGWU).
During
his
time
in
America,
Larkin
became
involved
in
the
socialist
movement
there,
becoming
a
member
of
the
Socialist
Party
of
America.
After
being
jailed
in
1920
in
the
US
for
'criminal
anarchy',
he
was
pardoned
in
1923
and
later
deported,
and
returned
to
Ireland
where
he
again
became
involved
in
Irish
socialism
and
politics
both
in
the
Labour
Party
and
the
Irish
Worker
League.
Larkin
served
as
a
Teachta
Dála
on
three
occasions
and
died
in
1947.
The
ICA
escorted
his
funeral
procession
through
Dublin
in
its
last
public
appearance.
Larkin
was
respected
by
some
commentators
during
and
after
his
lifetime,
with
George
Bernard
Shaw
describing
him
as
the
"greatest
Irishman
since
Parnell",
and
his
friend
and
colleague
in
the
labour
movement
James
Connolly
describing
him
as
a
"man
of
genius,
of
splendid
vitality,
great
in
his
conceptions,
magnificent
in
his
courage".
"Big
Jim"
Larkin
continues
to
occupy
a
position
in
Dublin's
collective
memory
and
streetscape,
with
a
statue
of
him
unveiled
on
O'Connell