He was born in Scotland to Irish immigrant parents. Born in the Cowgate area of Edinburgh in 1868 to parents from Monaghan.
\nHe was a founder of the Irish Citizens’ Army.
\n\n\nParliamentary democracy gives to the worker the right to a voice in the selection of his rulers but insists that he shall bend as a subject to be ruled.
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Came to Dublin in 1896. Finding it hard to find work and becoming disilluioned, left to go to America in 1903.\nSeven years later he returned to Ireland to head up the Irish Transport and General Workers Union in Belfast. After the disastrous general strike of 1913 and Jim Larkin’s departure for America Connolly came to Dublin to head up the local ITGWU—and its Irish Citizen Army
\nThe Citizen Army became his obsession. Although only 220 in strength, he drilled them until they became, in his words, “a real revolutionary army.”
\nThe Irish Volunteers did not trust the Citizen Army. James Connolly was kidnapped by members of the senior IRB council and held for\n3 days. As details of the rising became known to him, Connolly became a supporter and agreed to become involved in it.
\nOn Easter Monday he was named Vice-President of the Provisional Government and Commandant-General in the Army of the Irish Republic. He marched at the head of his Citizen Army to the GPO and, finding his inner-Teddy Roosevelt at San Juan Hill, commanded his troops: “Left turn. CHARGE!” After Pearse read the Proclamation Connolly exclaimed, “Thanks be to God, Pearse, that we have lived to see this day.”
\n\n\nWe passed through the soldiers and entered an enclave where there were two soldiers with fixed bayonets. They stood aside to let us enter the door. When we entered my father was lying in the bed with his head turned to the door.” “Well,” said Connolly to his wife, “I suppose you know what this means.” Lillie responded, “Not that James, not that.”\nNora continued: “My father said, ‘Yes, for the first time I dropped off to sleep. And they wakened me to tell me that I was to be shot at dawn.’ ” Lillie said, “Your life, James, your beautiful life.” “Well, Lillie,” he answered, “hasn’t it been a full life, and isn’t this a good end?”
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He was removed to Kilmainham. There, Father Aloysius asked him to forgive the men of the firing squad. “I do, Father,” said Connolly. “I respect every man who does his duty.”\nIt is at this time that Connolly went from martyr to legend. Because his wounds were so severe he could not stand, so they tied him to the chair.
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