Irish Citizen Army

The Irish Citizen Army, or ICA, was a small band of trained volunteers established in Dublin for the defense of worker?s rights. The army rose out of the great strike of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union in 1913. Called the Lockout of 1913, the strike fought for the recognition of this labor union founded by James Larkin. It began when William Martin Murphy, an industrialist, locked out some trade unionists on August 19, 1913. The conflict came to involve 400 employers and 25,000 workers. This strike caused most of Dublin to come to an economic standstill. After a six-month standoff, the workers returned hungry and defeated. This defeat and the harsh treatment given to the strikers by the Dublin Metropolitan Police, convinced James Connolly and others that it was necessary to organize the workers to defend themselves. The Irish Citizen Army became James Connolly?s personal army of highly trained socialists. Captain Jack White, responsible for the training of this army, offered 50 pounds towards the cost of shoes to workers so they could train. This organisation was one of the first to offer equal membership to both men and women and trained them both in the use of weapons. The army based themselves around the union building, Liberty Hall. The founders of this army were: Jack White, an ex-British army captain, James Larkin, a labor leader, and the socialist James Connolly, who believed in achieving political change through physical force, in the tradition of the Fenians. Other active members included Sean O'Casey, Countess Markievicz and Michael Mallin.

Related Topics:
Dublin - Irish Transport and General Workers Union - 1913 - Lockout of 1913 - Labor union - James Larkin - William Martin Murphy - August 19 - Dublin Metropolitan Police - James Connolly - Socialists - Jack White - Liberty Hall - British army - Fenians - Sean O'Casey - Countess Markievicz - Michael Mallin

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The army never numbered more than 250 men. On Monday April 24, 1916, only 220 men took part in the Easter Rising, alongside a much larger body of the Irish Volunteers. They helped occupy the General Post Office on O'Connell Street (then Sackville Street), Dublin's main thoroughfare. Connolly was executed by British army firing squad some weeks later. Many of its members joined the new Irish Republican Army from 1917 on, but the Citizen Army remained in existence until the 1930s.

Related Topics:
April 24 - 1916 - Easter Rising - Irish Volunteers - General Post Office - O'Connell Street - Irish Republican Army - 1917

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Uniforms: The uniform was dark green with a slouched hat. As many members could not afford a uniform, they wore a blue armband, with officers wearing red ones.

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Their banner was the Plough and the Stars.

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This was flown by the Irish Citizens Army during the 1916 rising.

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The design changed during the 1930s to that of the blue banner above.

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