Leagan Gaeilge Shíos
| John Doherty was born in Inishowen in 1798. He went to work in Tullyarvan mills in Buncrana at the age of ten before moving to Larne where he worked as a cotton spinner. In 1816 Doherty emigrated to England where he worked in a Manchester textile mill and joined the Manchester Spinners' Union. He partook in a strike for higher wages in 1818, was arrested and sentenced to two years' hard labour. Doherty was released from Lancaster Castle Gaol in 1821 and became involved in campaigns to repeal the Combination Acts and the Corn Laws. He stood for the leadership of the Manchester Spinners' Union and won the election in 1828. Doherty was a great opponent of child labour and was instrumental in the formation of the Society for the Protection of Children Employed in Cotton Factories. The Manchester Spinners' Union went on strike for six months in 1829 but were forced to accept lower wages which provoked Doherty to organise a national meeting of spinners. This resulted in the formation of the Grand General Union of Operative Spinners of the United Kingdom and a General Union of Trades to give support to fellow trade unionists during industrial disputes. In March, 1830, the organisation began publishing the *United Trades' Co-operative Journal* of which Doherty was editor. However the Journal was suppressed in October, 1830. Doherty then formed the National Association for the Protection of Labour and within a few months twenty different trades had joined Doherty's association which had a membership of over 100,000 workers by the end of 1830. In March 1832, Doherty opened a printshop and bookstore in Manchester. The following year he opened a coffee-house where numerous newspapers, including Doherty's *Voice of the People*, could be read for free. |
 © John Doherty (1798-1854) "Fellow Workers. The fearful change, which the workings of the last few years have produced in the condition of every class of labourer, summons you to a serious investigation of the cause. Your power as regards the operations of society is omnipotent. You are the great lever by which everything is effected. Let British operatives become firm and united and their unanimous voice of complaint will command respect." Part of a Speech made by John Doherty in January 1831. |
| A local clergy man objected to the *Voice of the People* and Doherty was sent to prison in 1832. After his release he joined the campaign for the Ten Hours Bill to reduce the working day and began publishing *The Poor Man's Advocate*. In 1832 Doherty published a pamphlet on the childhood factory experiences of Robert Blincoe who had grown up in St. Pancras Workhouse, London. In 1833 Doherty joined Robert Owen and John Fielden to form the Society for Promoting National Regeneration which campaigned for an eight hour work day. In 1839 Doherty met the novelist Frances Trollope and told her anecdotes which later appeared in her novel *Michael Armstrong: Factory Boy*(1840). John Doherty continued to work for social and political reform until his death on 14th April, 1854. |
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Rugadh John Doherty í Inishowen sa bliain 1798. Chuaigh sé ag obair í Tullyarvan mills í Bun Cranncha ag deich bliaina daois riomh imeacht ag Larne chun a beidh ína muilleoir cadáis. Sa bliain 1816 chuaigh Doherty go dtí an Sasain agus obair sé í Manchester fíochán muilleann agus glac sé páirt í an Manchester muilleoir aontas. Glac sé páirt í buille fa choinne níos mó phá í 1818, bhí sé gabháileadh agus bhí ar deanadh dhá bliain daorobair. Fuair Doherty amach as Lanchaster Caisléain Príosún í 1821 agus d'eirigh sé cruachás leis an feachtas fa aisghrairm an Comhcheangal Acht agus an Gráinne Dlí. Shéas sé fa choinne ceannas treoir an Manchester muilleoir aontas agus bhuain sé an toghchán í 1828. Bhí Doherty ína céile comhraic maith as paistí fostaíthe í muilleann monarchanach. Chuaigh an Manchester muilleoir aontas ar buille fa choinne sé mí í 1829 ach bhí siad riachtanach glacadh pá ísliú ach chuir seo fearg ar Doherty agus eagrú sé an náisiúnta cruinniú do na muilleoirí. Toradh seo í an déanamh de an 'Grand General Union of Operative spinners' as an Sasain agus an 'General Union Of Trades' le tacadh a thabhairt do an compánach ceird aontachtaí í rith an tionsclaíoch conspóid. Í Marta, 1830 thosaigh an eagraíocht ag fógairt an 'United Trades' Co-operative Journal* agus bhí Doherty an eagarthóir. Ach bhí an nuachtán faoi chois í Deireadh fómhair 1830. Rinne Doherty suas an 'National Association for the Protection of Labour' agus istigh í cupla mí bhí fiche difear ceird ceangal leis Doherty's cairdeas agus bhí ballraíocht thart fa 100,000 fostaithe ag deireadh an bliain 1830. Í Marta 1832, oscail Doherty siopa cló agus siopa leabhar í Manchester. An bliain ína dhaidh sin d'oscail sé teach bia agus thig le daoine thart isteach agus leamh paipeairí agus Doherty's paipear *Voice of the People* fosta agus bhí sé eilig saor. Sa bliain 1832 chuaigh Doherty go príosún mar chuir áitiúil fear cléir in éadan an paipear *Voice of the People* Nuair a fuair sé amach thosaigh sé ag scríobh *The poor man's Advocate* mar bhí sé eirigh an lá obair a choinneal gearr. Í 1832 thosaigh Doherty ag scríobh paimfléad faoi an eachra a bhí ag Robert Blincoe nuair a bhí sé ag ardú suas í Naoimh Pancras, Teach na mbocht, Loundain. Í 1833 ceangal Doherty suas lé Robert Owen agus John Fielden fa choinne an Náisiúnta Athghiniúint bhí siad ag eirigh an lá obair a beidh ocht uair. Í 1839 buail Doherty in eadan an úrscéaltaí Frances Trollope agus d' inis sé dí scéilín agus chuir sí í úrscéal *Michael Armstrong: Factory Boy* (1840) Chuaigh John Doherty ar reidh ag obair fa choinne sóisialta agus polaitiúil go dtí a bás ar an 14ú de mí an Aibreán 1854.© |
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