Fórsa members joined hundreds of trade unionists and their allies at the Rally for Unity and Hope in Dublin on Saturday, 23rd November.

The event, organized by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), took place at the Larkin Statue on O’Connell Street.

Its goal was to counter division and hate in Irish society ahead of the general election. Katie Morgan, national secretary, delivered a speech, marking the one-year anniversary of the riots that left Dublin scarred by flames and littered with broken glass.

She highlighted the invaluable work of the city’s workers, who are members of Fórsa’s Municipal Employees’ Division, in cleaning up after the chaos and celebrated the contributions of migrants to Dublin.

Edel Scally, a Fórsa member working in libraries, gave a powerful and defiant speech. She spoke with pride about the essential role libraries play as sanctuaries for people from all walks of life.

Fórsa members working libraries have faced harassment, threats, and even forced closures due to protests, including incidents of book burnings and personal attacks on staff, over the past 18 months.

Speaking from her own experience, and that of her colleagues, Edel said: “As a librarian, I know the words of abuse and intimidation that have been hurled at library staff across the country. But it will not work, it will not stop us from doing our jobs. As librarians our message is ’Hands Off Our Libraries’!

Edel ended with a message of solidarity to the assembled crowd, saying: “Today, as we gather, we declare that unity is our strength. We declare that we will never tolerate hate — whether it’s against the LGBTQ+ community, against workers, or against anyone who is fighting for their rights. We will not stand idly by while hate divides us."

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