DOX
DOCKERS are a great part of the Irish maritime tradition, so why are they not honoured more in ports around the country? That is the main storyline in the Februry edition of MARITIME IRELAND. The Dublin Dock Workers’ Preservation Society has been frustrated in its attempts to honour three particular dockers. The stories of these three men are outlined on the programme. The quesion is raised as to why this great tradition of dockers is not marked in Dublin Port. As a former docker, John ‘Miley’ Walsh, says – “If we do not remember our history, our tradtion, who will?” Declan Byrne tells the story of one docker who led the ‘blacking’ of munition supplies for the British Army during the War of Independence, another who suffered as a Prisoner-of-War of the Japanese during World War Two and a third who carried out an amazing rescue of three ships’ officers from a hold in a vessel berthed in Dublin Port – and also dafely rescued two other people in subsequent emergencies. The stories of these dockers is amazing to hear.
