18 Facts About Roddy Connolly

Roderick James Connolly was a socialist politician in Ireland.

Roddy Connolly was known as "Roddy Connolly" and "Rory Connolly".

Roddy Connolly joined the Socialist Party of Ireland in 1917.

Roddy Connolly traveled to Russia on several occasions in 1920 and 1921 and formed a close association with Vladimir Lenin and was hugely influenced by the Soviet leader.

Roddy Connolly was a delegate to the Second Congress of the Communist International as a delegate of the Industrial Workers of the World in June 1920.

Roddy Connolly helped form and became President of the first Communist Party of Ireland in October 1921.

Roddy Connolly was editor of CPI newspaper, The Workers' Republic.

Roddy Connolly opposed the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty between the representatives of the Irish Republic and the British state, and fought in the Irish Civil War on the anti-treaty side.

The CPI was dissolved in 1924 by the Comintern but in 1926, Roddy Connolly helped set up a second Marxist party, the Irish Workers' Party.

Roddy Connolly was the party leader and editor of its journal, The Hammer and Plough.

Roddy Connolly joined the Irish Labour Party in 1928 and in 1934 participated in the last socialist initiative of Inter-War Ireland, the Irish Republican Congress.

At the 1943 general election, Roddy Connolly was elected to the Dail as a Labour Party Teachta Dala for Louth.

Roddy Connolly lost his seat at the 1944 general election, but was re-elected at the 1948 general election, before losing once more at the 1951 general election.

Roddy Connolly was financial secretary of the party from 1941 to 1949.

Roddy Connolly entered a semi-retirement between the mid-1950s and mid-1960s, but in the late 1960s, he began a comeback.

Roddy Connolly was elected as party chairman in 1971 and held this position until 1978.

Roddy Connolly sat in Seanad Eireann from 1975 to 1977 on the Cultural and Educational Panel.

Roddy Connolly died in St Michael's hospital, Dun Laoghaire, in December 1980.