TRADE union leader Mick Lynch took part in several May Day events in Belfast at the weekend – and during his time in the city he also called into the James Connolly Centre on the Falls Road to discover more about the Irish revolutionary who is his political hero.

Speaking at the annual May Day rally, Mick called for better workers' rights, pay and conditions for all those currently on strike and urged the DUP to get back into government at Stormont.

Mick Lynch is General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) in Britain, a position he has held since May 2021. Well known for his no nonsense TV interviews and robust challenging of the British media and government the RMT man has emerged as a straight-talking voice for those calling for pay increases and better working conditions.

The visit was organised by the Northern Ireland Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) and hosted by the Belfast and District Trades Council. At City Hall Mick was presented with a bust of his political hero, James Connolly, made by artist Anto Brennan and was given a book on the history of Irish trade unionism. Mick Lynch also has family ties to Ireland, being born in London to Irish parents, his father hailing from Cork and his mother from near Crossmaglen, Co Armagh.

Speaking to a large crowd on Saturday at the May Day rally, Mick praised Irish trade unions for keeping people united and warned about the ultra-right and wealthy who were seeking to divide people.

WORKERS: Mick Lynch with Belfast RMT Belfast Shipping Branch workers
2Gallery

WORKERS: Mick Lynch with Belfast RMT Belfast Shipping Branch workers

He said: "You’ve done tremendous work, the trade unionists of this island. You’re the salt of the earth and have kept our movement going through thick and thin. For all the struggles you’ve had, for peace, justice and democracy it has been trade unions that have kept our spirits alive, and kept this movement going bringing all of our people together no matter their heritage or background and we have to keep doing it.

"The ultra-right are going to exploit division, they’re seeking to do it in the South, they’re seeking to do it up here and in England. Open Nazis are trying to divide our people one from another and these Tories, these oligarchs are trying to blame some of the poorest people in the world for the problems over here and we cannot allow that to happen."

Whilst visiting Áras Uí Chonghaile on the Falls Road Mick Lynch was accompanied by the centre's director, Séanna Walsh, who said Mick and his wife Mary thoroughly enjoyed their visit.

Séanna said Mick had been invited over previously but had been unable to make it as he was on strike with RMT.

“When I first saw Mick Lynch I saw how relaxed and calm he was batting away the attacks and criticism from British journalists and interviewers," he said. "Then when he was on Peston, he said clearly James Connolly was his political hero. We had invited him over but it was in the middle of strikes in Britain and Covid so he said when he was over this weekend he wanted to come and visit the Connolly Centre.

“He said he was impressed with how we captured the whole story of James Connolly, not just James Connolly the Irish rebel. In the visitors' book he wrote after the tour, ‘Tremendous exhibition and warm welcome. Solidarity.’

"His wife Mary also said it was a great centre and she was impressed that it acknowledged the contributions of working women. He said he was very impressed that it covered all of Connolly’s activisim, from his socialism, trade unionism, feminism, nationalism, internationalism and also on his time living on the Falls Road.

"Mick said he was very impressed and I was glad to see he referenced the work James Connolly and James Larkin did in Belfast when he addressed the crowd on Saturday.”