1913 Lockout Centenary

To mark the 100th anniversary of the 1913 Dublin lockout, the Irish Writers’ Union together with the Irish Writers’ Centre have launched the James Plunkett Short Story Award. A prize of €2,000 will be awarded to the winner, with €1,000 to the runner up and €500 for the third place. In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the lockout, Strumpet City by James Plunkett is the choice for the Dublin: One City, One Book project for 2013. The initiative, led by Dublin city Public Libraries, encourages everyone to read a book connected with the capital city during the month of April every year. Events ranging from photographic exhibitions to street rhymes for children to talks and music of the period will encourage everyone to engage with the book. Published by Gill and Macmillan, Strumpet City depicts the mass lockout of trade unionists by employers in 1913 - and has a wonderfully memorable cast of characters - not least the city itself. A film version of the book, starring Peter O'Toole, Peter Ustinov, David Kelly and Cyril Cusack, produced and directed by Tony Barry, was released in 1980. Lockout: Dublin 1913 by Padraig Yeates is essential reading for anyone interested in Irish labour history and Dublin society in the early twentieth century.