Iris an Chumainn le Stair Lucht Saothair na hEireann Journal of the ...

4 SAOTHAR 7
the labour movement are writing labour history - and as in the case of Charles Callan, they
may bring a very distinctive feeling for the material to bear on their work as well as
demonstrating that there is no good reason why labour history should be the exclusive
preserve of professional historians, An imaginative approach by the larger trade unions in
commissioning 'official' histories from impartial historians with full access to archives might
go some way to filling the large gaps in institutional labour history, And, of course, the vitally
important archival work carried out by the ILHS a,nd other bodies relies on fostering the
confidence and historical awareness of labour organisations.
Finally. one or two reflections present themselves on the overall development of labour
history in Ireland. Recent comments: not least in Saothar and its editorials, have suggested
the need to apply new techniques, approaches and even definitions ge.nerated by labour
history elsewhere to the subject here. This undoubtedly is necessary. as the current issue of
Saothar demonstrates in two respects, one negative, the other positive. On the negative side.
it has not proved possible to continue. for this year at least. the Oral History section; there is.
quite simply. very little being done in the field. More positively, the 'first steps' in women's
history in Ireland noted by Anna Davin in Saothar 6 (p.72) have been extended in the area of
lahour history by Mary Daly. who usesthe essay section to suggest a sketch of women's role in
the labour force since the 18th century.
Yet however vital the new questions. they should perhaps not deflect attention from the
need sim:tltaneo:tsly for the more traditional themes of labour history to be researched, given
the dearth of work on them in the past. Irish labour history. in other words. has its own
distinct history and cannot simply borrow wholesale the approaches of its near neighbours.
where the experiences of the discipline have been quite different. It must inevitably define its
own strategies of development - which as a first priority would seem to include basic
statistical series on wages. strikes: unemployment etc .. the history of the state's relations with
trade unions ('corporate liberalism' north and south). the crucial effects of nationalism of
different kinds in restricting the growth of a labour political culture(s) (with the application to
the south of the approaches adopted by historians of popular orange ism in the north). and the
histories of the principal organisations and individuals of the labour movement. "
Whatever the balance of approaches to emerge, theoretical self-awareness is esseritial. and
Saothar remains committed to keeping in touch with some of the major debates occurring
elsewhere. For this reason, it is particularly happy to present George Rude's assessment
(which few are in better position to make) of the controversy surrounding E. P. Thompson's
attack on the influence of the 'Althusserians' on British Marxist theory and intellectual
practice.
Many readers may have different views on what is relevant in. and necessary for. the
development of labour history in Ireland. The correspondence page and other sections of
Saothar are open to them; it is. after all. their journal.
Francis Devine and John Home
Errata
David Fitzpatrick - 'Strikes in Ireland, 1914-21', Saothar 6, p.29.
The last three lines should read: 'Even Irish Labour faced formidable difficulties in
accommodating nearly 150,000 returned fighters, a great proportion of whom had been :trban
labo:trers and trade :tnionists. British :tnion organisers hastened to take strike offensives
before the threat of disastrous unemployment was realised.' (italicised section omitted).
On p.38. in Table VI. the lower halfright hand column 'Ireland' (for 1914-1918) should read:
Wood - 2.407; Food- 2.388: Pub. Auth. -2.104; Other - 11.440