On This Day / October 8, 1920
Go BackReproduced with permission from The Irish News.
19201008
Reference Date
19201008
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 8th October 1920, the Belfast pogrom’s impact was laid bare as thousands of expelled workers sought relief, while Captain C. C. Craig rallied shipyard men. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Pogrom’s Impact | On This Day – 8th October 1920
Total number of expelled workers registered – 8,140. Applications for registration yesterday – 500. Average number of persons receiving relief daily – 23,140.
These are the remarkable figures shown to our representative yesterday when he visited the headquarters of the Expelled Workers’ Relief Fund committee [in Belfast].
Grim as they are, they convey but a slight idea of the appalling conditions existing among Catholic workers in the city as a result of the Pogrom instituted in July last against the employment of all persons belonging to that faith.
There are 8,140 wage-earners, men and women, who have been expelled from their work in the shipyards, foundries, mills, factories and other centres of industry and from warehouses, railways, hotels, etc.
A further 500 were added to the list in the course of yesterday. The victims include at least 4,000 heads of families.
An examination of the Committee’s books disclosed some interesting facts.
Up to Monday the workers’ committee had registered 7,640 victimised workers.
Of course, the Pogrom in the two shipyards provided a larger number of victims than any other concern.
But many well-known establishments have since followed in the footsteps of the original Pogromists.
Another burden upon the shoulders of the organisation is that of caring for the host of Lisburn refugees for whom shelters have been found in various parts of the city.
What is being done by those who have in their hands the power to bring injustice and oppression to an end?
Craig Reassures Yardmen
YET another Union Jack was unfurled at the Queen’s Island yesterday.
The presence of Captain C C Craig, MP invested the proceedings with a sort of official sanction.
Captain Craig said he looked on that day as a Red Letter day in his life.
No political party had ever had a more loyal or unselfish leader than they had in Sir Edward Carson. (Applause.)
They were at the parting of the ways in the North of Ireland.
They must give up the idea that they could save Ireland as a whole from Home Rule, for they could not do it.
English opinion was that some form of Home Rule must be granted to Ireland.
But, on the other hand, Ulster would not be forced into a Home Rule Parliament in Dublin against her wishes.
[Editor’s note: As the Unionist leadership kept the pressure on the British government to establish their new ‘state’, the number of Catholics expelled from their jobs in Belfast and the Lagan and Bann Valleys continued to grow.
In retaliation, Northern nationalists pressed a divided Dail Eireann to impose a boycott on Belfast banks and goods.]
On This Day – 8th October 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201008
Reference Date
19201008
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Listen Along in Éamons Voice
Summary: On This Day – 8th October 1920, the Belfast pogrom’s impact was laid bare as thousands of expelled workers sought relief, while Captain C. C. Craig rallied shipyard men. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Pogrom’s Impact | On This Day – 8th October 1920
Total number of expelled workers registered – 8,140. Applications for registration yesterday – 500. Average number of persons receiving relief daily – 23,140.
These are the remarkable figures shown to our representative yesterday when he visited the headquarters of the Expelled Workers’ Relief Fund committee [in Belfast].
Grim as they are, they convey but a slight idea of the appalling conditions existing among Catholic workers in the city as a result of the Pogrom instituted in July last against the employment of all persons belonging to that faith.
There are 8,140 wage-earners, men and women, who have been expelled from their work in the shipyards, foundries, mills, factories and other centres of industry and from warehouses, railways, hotels, etc.
A further 500 were added to the list in the course of yesterday. The victims include at least 4,000 heads of families.
An examination of the Committee’s books disclosed some interesting facts.
Up to Monday the workers’ committee had registered 7,640 victimised workers.
Of course, the Pogrom in the two shipyards provided a larger number of victims than any other concern.
But many well-known establishments have since followed in the footsteps of the original Pogromists.
Another burden upon the shoulders of the organisation is that of caring for the host of Lisburn refugees for whom shelters have been found in various parts of the city.
What is being done by those who have in their hands the power to bring injustice and oppression to an end?
Craig Reassures Yardmen
YET another Union Jack was unfurled at the Queen’s Island yesterday.
The presence of Captain C C Craig, MP invested the proceedings with a sort of official sanction.
Captain Craig said he looked on that day as a Red Letter day in his life.
No political party had ever had a more loyal or unselfish leader than they had in Sir Edward Carson. (Applause.)
They were at the parting of the ways in the North of Ireland.
They must give up the idea that they could save Ireland as a whole from Home Rule, for they could not do it.
English opinion was that some form of Home Rule must be granted to Ireland.
But, on the other hand, Ulster would not be forced into a Home Rule Parliament in Dublin against her wishes.
[Editor’s note: As the Unionist leadership kept the pressure on the British government to establish their new ‘state’, the number of Catholics expelled from their jobs in Belfast and the Lagan and Bann Valleys continued to grow.
In retaliation, Northern nationalists pressed a divided Dail Eireann to impose a boycott on Belfast banks and goods.]
On This Day – 8th October 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
19201008
Reference Date
October 8, 2020
Publication Date
Listen Along in Éamons Voice *
Summary: On This Day – 8th October 1920, the Belfast pogrom’s impact was laid bare as thousands of expelled workers sought relief, while Captain C. C. Craig rallied shipyard men. Edited by historian Dr Éamon Phoenix.
Pogrom’s Impact | On This Day – 8th October 1920
Total number of expelled workers registered – 8,140. Applications for registration yesterday – 500. Average number of persons receiving relief daily – 23,140.
These are the remarkable figures shown to our representative yesterday when he visited the headquarters of the Expelled Workers’ Relief Fund committee [in Belfast].
Grim as they are, they convey but a slight idea of the appalling conditions existing among Catholic workers in the city as a result of the Pogrom instituted in July last against the employment of all persons belonging to that faith.
There are 8,140 wage-earners, men and women, who have been expelled from their work in the shipyards, foundries, mills, factories and other centres of industry and from warehouses, railways, hotels, etc.
A further 500 were added to the list in the course of yesterday. The victims include at least 4,000 heads of families.
An examination of the Committee’s books disclosed some interesting facts.
Up to Monday the workers’ committee had registered 7,640 victimised workers.
Of course, the Pogrom in the two shipyards provided a larger number of victims than any other concern.
But many well-known establishments have since followed in the footsteps of the original Pogromists.
Another burden upon the shoulders of the organisation is that of caring for the host of Lisburn refugees for whom shelters have been found in various parts of the city.
What is being done by those who have in their hands the power to bring injustice and oppression to an end?
Craig Reassures Yardmen
YET another Union Jack was unfurled at the Queen’s Island yesterday.
The presence of Captain C C Craig, MP invested the proceedings with a sort of official sanction.
Captain Craig said he looked on that day as a Red Letter day in his life.
No political party had ever had a more loyal or unselfish leader than they had in Sir Edward Carson. (Applause.)
They were at the parting of the ways in the North of Ireland.
They must give up the idea that they could save Ireland as a whole from Home Rule, for they could not do it.
English opinion was that some form of Home Rule must be granted to Ireland.
But, on the other hand, Ulster would not be forced into a Home Rule Parliament in Dublin against her wishes.
[Editor’s note: As the Unionist leadership kept the pressure on the British government to establish their new ‘state’, the number of Catholics expelled from their jobs in Belfast and the Lagan and Bann Valleys continued to grow.
In retaliation, Northern nationalists pressed a divided Dail Eireann to impose a boycott on Belfast banks and goods.]
On This Day – 8th October 1920
Further Reading on Irish History:
List of other On This Day columns
Other resources: National Library of Ireland Irish News CAIN Archive
On This Day is a daily column in the Irish News looking back either 50 or 100 years. The column was compiled by Dr Éamon Phoenix from the mid 1980s until autumn, 2022. The Foundation is very grateful to the Irish News for giving permission to reproduce Eamon’s columns. Funding gratefully received from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and the Magill Trust.
* The Foundation has worked hard to recreate Eamon’s distinctive voice through AI. Since this is an emerging technology, occasional imperfections may be audible.