1868
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June 5: James Connolly is born in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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1882
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Enlists with the First Battalion King’s Liverpool Regiment and is stationed in Ireland.
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1888
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Leaves British Army and returns to Scotland.
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1890
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Marries Lillie Reynolds in Perth. Joins the Socialist League in Edinburgh. Works as a carter for the Edinburgh City Council.
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1892
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Branch secretary of the Scottish Socialist Federation in Edinburgh.
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1893
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Contributes “Scottish Notes” to Justice, journal of the Social Democratic Federation.
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1894
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Stands as a Socialist candidate for the St. Giles Ward in Edinburgh municipal elections.
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1896
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Founds the Irish Socialist Republican Party (ISRP) in Dublin.
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1897
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Arrested for leading a demonstration protesting Queen Victoria’s Jubilee in Dublin. Forms Rank and File ’98 Club to commemorate the 1798 Irish Rising.
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1898–1903
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Editor of the Workers’ Republic, newspaper of the ISRP.
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1900
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ISRP delegates attend the International Socialist Congress in Paris.
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1902
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Stands for election in Wood Quay Ward in Dublin municipal elections. Speaking tour in the United States, organized by the Socialist Labor Party (SLP).
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1903
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Emigrates to the United States and settles in Troy, New York. Works as an insurance collector. Joins the SLP.
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1905
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Joins the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Moves to Newark, New Jersey. Works as a machinist in the Singer factory in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
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1906
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Appointed to the National Executive Committee of the SLP by the New Jersey Section.
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1907
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Moves to the Bronx, New York. Founds the Irish Socialist Federation in New York. Resigns from the SLP.
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1908–10
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Editor of The Harp, newspaper of the ISF.
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1908
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Founds IWW Propaganda League in New York. Joins the Socialist Party of America. Socialism Made Easy published in Chicago. Contributes to the Industrial Union Bulletin.
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1909
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Addresses IWW May Day rally in New York. Appointed SPA national organizer. Contributes to the International Socialist Review.
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1910
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Participates in IWW free speech campaign led by William “Big Bill” Haywood in New Castle, Pennsylvania. SPA national speaking tour. Labour, Nationality and Religion published. Returns to Ireland. Joins the Socialist Party of Ireland. Labour in Irish History published. Lillie Connolly and children return to Ireland.
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1911
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Connolly family moves to Belfast. Connolly appointed Belfast branch secretary and Ulster organizer of the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union (ITGWU).
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1912
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Establishes Independent Labor Party of Ireland.
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1913
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Dublin employer lockout following ITGWU tramway strike. Connolly arrested and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment for addressing a mass rally with Jim Larkin. Begins hunger strike in Mountjoy prison. Irish Citizen Army formed to protect picketing workers.
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1914
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Organizes against proposal to partition Ireland, and opposes Great War. Commander of the Irish Citizen Army. Appointed ITGWU general secretary following Larkin’s departure for the United States. The Irish Worker, paper of the ITGWU, suppressed.
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1915–16
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Editor of the Workers’ Republic.
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1915
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The Re-Conquest of Ireland published.
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1916
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Joins Military Committee of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and agrees on date for uprising. Nominated vice president of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic, and commandant-general of the Dublin Division of the Army of the Irish Republic. Participates in the Easter Rising and is wounded. Court-martialed in Dublin Castle on May 9. Executed by a British Army firing squad on May 12.
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