John Conroy (17 April 1904 – 13 February 1969) was an Irishtrade union leader.
Born in Wicklow, he was the son of Thomas Conroy, a railway signalman, and Catherine Conroy (née McNamara).[1] He started work early and held a variety of jobs until, in 1923, he was employed by the Irish Transport and General Workers' Union (ITGWU) as their full-time organiser in Wicklow. Although he and a colleague were charged with conspiracy,[clarification needed] they were found not guilty, and Conroy continued his union career. After a period working in Limerick, he moved to Dublin to take charge of the union's Industrial Section. He served as ITGWU vice-president from 1946 to 1953 and general president from 1953 to 1959 and 1968 to 1969.[2][3]
This accomplished, Conroy served as the first president of the new organisation, and discussed a merger of the ITGWU with Larkin's Workers' Union of Ireland, although this did not occur until many years later.[4]
Family
Conroy had two daughters by his first marriage. His second wife, whom he married in 1959, was Sheila Williams, a hotel and restaurant worker. A prominent ITGWU activist, she was the first woman to sit on the union's national executive (1955–59). They had no children.[citation needed]
john, conroy, trade, unionist, john, conroy, april, 1904, february, 1969, irish, trade, union, leader, born, wicklow, thomas, conroy, railway, signalman, catherine, conroy, née, mcnamara, started, work, early, held, variety, jobs, until, 1923, employed, irish,. John Conroy 17 April 1904 13 February 1969 was an Irish trade union leader Born in Wicklow he was the son of Thomas Conroy a railway signalman and Catherine Conroy nee McNamara 1 He started work early and held a variety of jobs until in 1923 he was employed by the Irish Transport and General Workers Union ITGWU as their full time organiser in Wicklow Although he and a colleague were charged with conspiracy clarification needed they were found not guilty and Conroy continued his union career After a period working in Limerick he moved to Dublin to take charge of the union s Industrial Section He served as ITGWU vice president from 1946 to 1953 and general president from 1953 to 1959 and 1968 to 1969 2 3 As President of the union Conroy focused on a programme of modernisation along with campaigning for a national minimum wage He also worked with James Larkin Jnr to promote the merger of the Irish Trades Union Congress and the Congress of Irish Unions which was accomplished with the founding of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in 1959 2 This accomplished Conroy served as the first president of the new organisation and discussed a merger of the ITGWU with Larkin s Workers Union of Ireland although this did not occur until many years later 4 Family EditConroy had two daughters by his first marriage His second wife whom he married in 1959 was Sheila Williams a hotel and restaurant worker A prominent ITGWU activist she was the first woman to sit on the union s national executive 1955 59 They had no children citation needed Death EditConroy died 13 February 1969 aged 64 in the Adelaide Hospital Dublin after an illness and was buried in Deans Grange Cemetery 5 References Edit Dictionary of Irish Biography dib cambridge org Retrieved 17 April 2018 a b News Bulletin International Union of Food and Allied Workers Associations 1969 p 5 Fergus D Arcy et al Workers in Union p 213 Arthur Ivor Marsh and Victoria Ryan Historical Directory of Trade Unions p 464 Dictionary of Irish Biography Cambridge University Press dib cambridge org Retrieved 17 April 2018 Trade union officesPreceded byWilliam McMullen General President of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union1953 1969 Succeeded byFintan KennedyPreceded byMichael Colgan President of the Congress of Irish Unions1951 Succeeded byWalter BeirneNew office President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions1959 Succeeded byJames Larkin JnrPreceded byWalter Beirne Treasurer of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions1960 1967 Succeeded byFintan KennedyPreceded byBob Thompson President of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions1968 Succeeded byJimmy Dunne Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Conroy trade unionist amp oldid 1130374002, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
