Mary Muldowney: Trade Union and Left Campaigns, the Socialist Party, and Oral History

Irish Left Archive Podcast

In this episode we talk to Mary Muldowney about her political background and experience campaigning in the trade union movement and working in the Socialist Party; pro-choice campaigns including the Women on Waves ship and the abortion referendums; and her work as a historian, and how that relates to her activism.

Mary is a historian in residence with Dublin City Libraries. She is the author of The Second World War and Irish Women: An Oral History, originally her PhD thesis. She has a particular interest in oral history, and was involved in the founding of the Oral History Network Ireland, edited the Alternative Visions Oral History Group book 100 Years Later: the Legacy of the 1913 Lockout on the centenary of the lockout, and is also involved in the Labour History Society.

As an activist on the Left, Mary has been involved in trade unionism, was formerly a member of the Socialist Party and worked with Joe Higgins in the Dáil, and has been involved in many campaigns over the years.

An archive of some of the SIPTU fightback publication discussed in this episode is available on Struggle.ws.

The Dublin Festival of History is currently ongoing throughout September, and includes online talks from Mary Muldowney. Visit the Dublin Festival of History website for details.

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The Irish Left Archive Podcast looks at Left politics in Ireland, talking to activists, writers, historians, politicians and others involved in Left organisations and movements about their experiences of participating in Left parties and campaigns. The podcast is hosted by Ciarán Swan and Aonghus Storey.

View this episode on our website: #7: Mary Muldowney: Trade Union and Left Campaigns, the Socialist Party, and Oral History.