Lecture on ‘Rotten Prod’ kicks off 2025 for CHAS
Guest lecturer Dr Emmet O'Connor (third right) with Paul Curran, John Kelly and Dr Ida Milne from CHAS Photos: michaelorourkephotography.ie
CARLOW Historical and Archaeological Society (CHAS) kicked off 2025 with its first lecture of the season last Wednesday night, focusing on a key character within Ireland’s wave of industrial and political unrest between 1917 and 1923.
The lecture, titled , by Professor Emmet O’Connor examined the life of James Baird, a boilermaker in Harland and Wolff and one of thousands of Catholics ‘rotten Prods’ expelled from the shipyard by loyalists.
Baird subsequently canvassed support for expellees in Britain and among Protestants in the south of Ireland and by 1922 was an organiser for the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union in Carlow. In 1923, he became de facto leader of 2,000 workers in Waterford during the big farm strike that lasted from May to December and escalated into a miniature civil war.
Professor Emmet O’Connor has published widely on labour history.
“It was very interesting and very enjoyable,” said Paul Curran, PRO of CHAS. “We have our next lecture on Wednesday 19 February at 8pm with Andy Bielenberg, a senior lecturer in the school of history at UCC, who will give a talk on the Civil War, so that should be very interesting, too,” he added.
CHAS lectures are free and take place in the Milford Room at the Seven Oaks Hotel. All are welcome to attend.
