Falls Community Council’s delivered a dynamic and engaging event as part of Féile an Phobail. The talk, delivered by Dr Christopher Loughlin from Queen’s University Belfast, explored the radical life of William McMullen.
The Community Relations Council supports Falls Community Council through its Core Fund Scheme.
The event was a partnership with Reverend David Moore from An Tionólann, who has a reconciliation mission in West Belfast and has been working with Dr Loughlin to restore the memory of William McMullen who was a significant figure in Irish and British labour history from the early part of the 20th century.
William kept an extensive archive of his writings and activism, which was kept for many years by his nephew, the Reverend Terry McMullan. Rev McMullan was present at the public talk in St Comgall’s and spoke of his memories of his uncle. Also present at the talk were representatives from the Shared History Interpretative Network (SHIP) who work to preserve the history of Belfast dockers and have a mural commemorating key historic labour figures, including William McMullen.
A Presbyterian born in 1882, William McMullen lived through turbulent times. He had a lifelong commitment to working-class struggle and was also an Irish republican strongly opposed to the partition of Ireland. He was elected to the parliament at Stormont in the 1920s for the NI Labour Party and later went on to serve in the Seanad.
Dr Loughlin’s talk in St Comgall’s focussed on McMullen’s time in the Stormont Parliament and gripped the audience with his depiction of William’s idealism, pragmatism and wit. The feedback from the audience afterwards gave a strong sense of their appreciation of William’s life and how much it can teach us:
“It is essential to keep bringing people together for these events. Let’s build upon this!”
“A fantastic event. Dr Loughlin’s research was exceptional – his talk superb – and it spoke so well to the Good Relations mission; a complex contradictory and enriching history.”
“Keep this going – the way forward. Mutual understanding / mutual respect / mutual acceptance.”
Dr Loughlin is continuing to research the archive and in his next talk will focus on William’s time in the Seanad.
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