The centenary of the foundation of the Irish Citizen Army was marked in Liberty Hall on Saturday, (22nd March) with a musical and cultural event. The commemoration included a reading by Sabina Higgins of an excerpt from the Story of the Irish Citizen Army by Sean O’Casey.

The event was held 100 years to the day of a public meeting in Liberty Hall where the constitution of the Irish Citizen Army was agreed from a draft prepared by Seán O'Casey.

Opening the commemoration, which was attended by a large crowd, SIPTU General President, Jack O’Connor, requested a minute’s silence to remember the late historian Shane MacThomáis.

Dr Ann Matthews, the author of a history of the Irish Citizen Army which will be published in August, outlined the establishment of the organisation which emerged from a defence force formed to protect the Fintan Lalor Pipe Band from police attacks.

Jimmy Jordan, Jimmy Kelly and Des Geraghty performed a number of trade union and Citizen Army ballads with Sabina Higgins, wife of President Michael D. Higgins, following with her reading from the Story of the Irish Citizen Army. The commemoration closed with a dramatic piece by ANÚ productions inspired the by the creation of the workers’ militia.

Speaking after the event SIPTU President Jack O’ Connor praised the “excellent turnout” saying “there is a real interest in the events that occurred in the aftermath of the Lockout.”

He added: “What we are celebrating is the manner in which the most advanced elements of the organised working class, notwithstanding the defeat of the Lockout, were organising themselves with a view to transforming the nature of our society. They were focused on liberating Ireland, liberating working people, ending poverty and preparing to change things so that the politics of the New Ireland would be informed by the egalitarian values of social solidarity rather than merely changing one flag for another.”