A collection of trade union songs related to women at work, ‘Songs for Union Maids’, has been added to the Irish Traditional Music Archive’s digital collection and is the theme of an exhibition at the archive’s offices in Merrion Square, Dublin 2, until mid-August.
SIPTU Deputy General Secretary, Ethel Buckley, said: “The trade union movement is not just about collective bargaining or industrial action, it is also about building a movement of working people, a movement with a proud and vibrant culture This collection of songs, is a living testament of women in the workplace and their trade unions, which captures the irrepressible spirit of the Union Maids who build our movement.”
Labour Historian, Francy Devine, who helped compile the collection, said: “Workers have always sung. Some songs, such as shanties or field songs, reflected the rhythm of the work, hoisting sails or picking cotton, while others, like blues, expressed grievances against poor conditions or exploitation. Songs were inherent in the world of work. Women workers, although often excluded from paid work or confined to low paid, poorly organised sectors like domestics, clothing or cleaning, have a rich tradition of song.”
He added: “Within the collection are two songs that became anthems for women workers, ‘Bread and Roses’ and ‘Union Maid’, both were of American origin. Other songs such as the ‘Bantry Girls’ Lament’ and ‘Salonika’ are from the Irish tradition. All these works bring to life often hard times but also the spirit of the women workers who sang these songs as they strove for a better times for themselves and their families.”
Duty Librarian at the Irish Traditional Music Archive, Róisín Conlon, said: “With the kind permission of Francy Devine, Irish Traditional Music Archive has made ‘Songs for Union Maids’ booklet a welcome new addition to our digital collection. With May Day just past, the impetus behind our small exhibition was born out of a desire to highlight, from both our sound and printed collections, the legacy of the Irish labour movement in traditional music and song and the artists who memorialised the lives of working people in their music.”
She added: “‘Songs for Union Maids stands out as a collection which pays tribute to the indelible role women have played in the global workers’ rights movement, as workers, activists, and artists. We are delighted to make it a part of our online collection as an educational resource and document for both the present and future public.
The exhibition is open till 15th August at our premises in 73 Merrion Square, in our main reading room on the first floor. No appointment needed, just ring the doorbell!”