The James Connolly Society is a working class organisation based in Scotland.

The JCS exists to

a) promote the life and works of James Connolly in the country of his birth.
b) work with others to help create the type of society envisaged by James Connolly.
c) to promote an authentic history of the James Connolly commemoration and other radical movements led by working class communities in Scotland.

The James Connolly Society have organised an annual James Connolly commemoration in Edinburgh every year since 1986. The JCS organised the annual James Connolly march in Edinburgh from 1986 until 2006. The Connolly commemoration was the most prominent republican march to be held in Scotland during this period. The Connolly commemoration survived several attempts by the state and Loyalist/ fascists to ban or in other ways eradicate the event. The march was the largest independent, left and working class organised annual march to be held in Scotland, England or Wales.

Campaigns

Over the years the JCS has led various campaigns in Scotland including for the release of Birmingham six and Guildford 4, support for political prisoners and human rights and against censorship and British state collusion. We have also actively supported international solidarity campaigns in countries such as Palestine, South Africa and the Basque Country. We have aslo been led several direct actions include protest at the US and Free State Consulates and against the Windsor womans attendance at the opening of the Scottish Parliament.

The JCS is an independent and politically inclusive organisation and has never been affiliated to any political party. Political parties represented at the James Connolly commemoration and other JCS events include Sinn Fein, Scottish National Party, Labour Party, Herri Batasuna, Communist Party of Great Britain. As well as representatives from campaigns such as those supporting refugees, gay rights, POW’s families, anti racist and anti sectarian initiatives, anti war groups and many more.

Activities

Currently the JCS organises several events throughout the year to commemorate Connolly in Scotland’s capital such as research projects, walking tours, conferences, the annual wreath laying ceremony at Connolly’s plaque. We also attend various political events organised by others in Scotland such as May Day, anti cuts demonstrations etc. The JCS is preparing an exhibition looking at the history of James Connolly and the Irish Community in Edinburgh focusing on a participant based, bottom up approach to our own social history. This page is part of this research project and is established to share information between members and supporters. If you have any materials for use in our exhibition or which is part of our community’s history then we would like to here from you.