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Jer O’Leary: a Dublin life
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The Irish Passport brings you an interview with Jer O’Leary: actor, activist, artist, orator of Jim Larkin speeches and Dublin legend who recorded these tapes before he died in 2018. Jer discusses growing up in the Irish capital and how it changed over his life, and how he ended up in the national art college despite leaving school at 14, and his work creating banners for Ireland’s union movement, a body of work that led writer Fintan O’Toole to once describe Irish protest marches as moving exhibitions of Jer O’Leary’s art. O’Leary describes his route into theatre and film through political activism, and we hear from childhood friend Richard Collins about how Jer ended up behind bars for his role in an IRA holdup in the political turmoil of the 1970s – and how it changed his life.
If you haven’t heard it, listen to our episode to the 1913 Dublin Lockout, a prequel to this interview: https://www.theirishpassport.com/podcast/the-irish-left-legacies-of-the-lockout/
Some images of Jer’s life and work can be seen here: https://comeheretome.com/2018/12/26/goodbye-to-jer-oleary-actor-and-larkinite/
Jer O’Leary can be seen in My Left Foot here: https://youtu.be/CNFrixpsOAg
And in Game of Thrones here: https://youtu.be/MXGPgNp719k
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Bonus episodes are published for our supporters over at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
Halfpints: The Catholic Middle Classes
Ireland and the labour movement with Niamh Puirséil
The Irish left: legacies of the Lockout
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A profound industrial dispute rocked Dublin in 1913, playing into a rising tide of nationalism and shaping the unique political landscape of Ireland of the following century. In this episode, Naomi and Tim tell the story of the 1913 Dublin Lockout led by firebrand trade unionist James Larkin. We hear from Jer O’Leary, an artist and actor who portrayed Larkin throughout his life, on what ‘Big Jim’ meant to ordinary Dubliners and his enduring legacy today. We reflect on the fate of the left following independence, when it struggled for significance against the dominant forces of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. Historian Dr Niamh Puirséil talks us through the difficult aftermath of the 1913 Lockout and why it contributed to Ireland’s unique political divisions in the 20th century. Finally, Naomi and Tim reflect on the political dynamics of the present day and why a combination of nationalism and left-wing politics is shaking up the status quo once again.
We’ll be posting extra content including the full interview with Dr Niamh Puirséil over at www.patreon.com/theirishpassport
Some images discussed in this episode:
The statue of Jim Larkin at the GPO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:James_Larkin_and_GPO_Easter_2016.jpg
Photograph of Jim Larkin giving a speech: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:James_Larkin_O%27Connell_Street.jpg
‘Murphy must go’: https://img2.thejournal.ie/inline/1043721/original/?width=630&version=1043721
Baton charge against union rally in 1913: https://dublintenementexperience.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/the-baton-charge-batons-from-the-national-museum/
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @PassportIrish.
If you enjoyed this episode, do give us a good review in your podcast app and share it with your friends.