Bottom Dog - The Story of the Limerick Soviet 1919

Bottom Dog host Cian was interviewed on the Left Inside podcast this week, about a recent article he wrote in which he argues Covid-19 will be an era-defining moment. He discusses the long-term impacts and that article's call for the socialist left to rally around the call for a left government, with socialist policies and what such a government would mean.

In this episode we  consider other similar revolts across Ireland at the time, including the forgotten story of ‘Take Back the City’-style housing occupations movement in Limerick in 1922, the alternative vision of a workers republic that inspired so many and how that path was shut off.

Voices, in order, are: Aprille Scully (podcast co-host), Cian Prendiville (podcast host), Liam Cahill (author of 'Forgotten Revolution'), Thomas Keana (local historian), Dominic Haugh (historian and member of the Socialist Party) and Darren Maher (local actor).

Music throughout the episode is by Post Punk Podge.

In this episode we investigate the battles inside the Soviet, and in the trade unions and labour movement nationally, leading up to the ultimate betrayal of the revolution 

Voices, in order, are: Darren Maher (local actor) Aprille Scully (podcast co-host), Cian Prendiville (podcast host),  Dominic Haugh (historian and member of the Socialist Party), Liam Cahill  (author of 'Forgotten revolution) and Conor Kostick (author of 'Revolution in Ireland).

Music throughout the episode is by Post Punk Podge.

This episode look at how the Soviet ran the city, produced food, printed money, set up their own police force and even brought down the price of milk. 

Voices, in order, are: Aprille Scully (podcast co-host), Cian Prendiville (podcast host),  Mike Finn (playwright of 'Bread Not Profits' play), and Liam Cahill  (author of 'Forgotten revolution)

Song at the start of the episode is 'Limerick Soviet by Alun Parry. Music throughout the episode is by Post Punk Podge, and the song at the end is by David Blake from the play 'Bread Not Profits'.

This episode covers the rapid growth of radical trade unionism and socialism in Limerick leading up to 1919, the opposition and resistance to the British occupation, the untold story of the role of women workers in the soviet and what lead to the decision to call the strike .

This episode is a small preview of things to come. Starting on April 6th, this podcast will bring you the story of the Limerick Soviet of 1919 over five weekly episodes, every Saturday. 

The podcast name pays homage to 'The Bottom Dog'  - Limerick's first ever workers' newspaper. It was launched in October 1917 as a socialist paper pledging to fight for what it called the 'bottom dog', or underdog, which it explained was all those oppressed whether on the basis of class, race or gender. It said that 'every dog has it's day' and that it's goal was to "hasten the day of the Bottom Dog".

The episodes will be:

1) The Worker's Rising. This episode will cover the rapid growth of radical trade unionism and socialism in Limerick leading up to 1919, the opposition and resistance to the British occupation, the untold story of the role of women workers in the soviet and what lead to the decision to call the strike

2) A New 'Boss' in Town. This episode will look at how the Soviet ran the city, produced food, printed money, set up their own police force and even brought down the price of milk.

3) Revolution Betrayed. In the third episode we will investigate the battles inside the Soviet, and in the trade unions and labour movement nationally, leading up to the ultimate betrayal of the revolution

4) The Road Not Taken. Our second last episode will consider other similar revolts across Ireland at the time, including the forgotten story of ‘Take Back the City’-style housing occupations movement in Limerick in 1921, the alternative vision of a workers republic that inspired so many and how that path was shut off

5) Limerick Soviet 2.0? Finally we will look at the lessons from the struggle for today, what can we learn from how unions organised low paid and precarious workers rapidly, how left and socialist ideas became commonplace, but also why the struggle did not produce the revolution dreamt of and lessons for those who want to make change today

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Voices, in order, are: Cian Prendiville (podcast host), Mike Finn (playwright, author of 'Bread Not Profits), Dominic Haugh (Socialist Party, author of 'Limerick Soviet 1919"), Mary O'Donnell (chairperson of the Limerick Soviet Commemoration Committee), Liam Cahill (author of "Forgotten Revolution) & Darren Maher (actor reading a quote from James Connolly).