May Day 2024: Our Work, Our Lives, Our Place is a one-day family friendly, alcohol-free, inclusive festival to celebrate the Trade Union movement.
Please register your interest to attend for the various events.
Download the May Day 2024 programme (PDF)
FRIDAY 26TH OF APRIL
Peace on Earth featuring live music from Joe Solo and Teknopeasant
- DATE: Friday 26th April
- TIME: 7.30pm
- VENUE: The Black Box, Belfast (map)
Organised by the International Brigade Commemoration Committee this an event observing the 87th Anniversary of the Bombing of Guernica by Hitler during the Spanish Civil War and a call for international solidarity and peace in the present day.
Includes a May Day Greeting from ICTU Asst General Secretary Gerry Murphy and live music from the legendary Joe Solo and Teknopeasant.
More info: Lyndaernest@btinternet.com
WEDNESDAY 1ST OF May
Annual May Day Lecture: Combating Racism and the Far Right
- DATE: Wednesday 1st May
- TIME: 7:00pm
- VENUE: Irish Congress of Trade Unions, 45-47 Donegall Street, Belfast (map)
This year’s Annual May Day lecture from Belfast & District Trades Council will be delivered by Dr Stevie Nolan, director of Trademark Research and Training organisation and host of the successful podcast ‘A Workers Guide to Everything’. Dr Nolan, author of the recent TUC paper on ‘The Rise of the Far Right – building a trade union response’, will be discussing the significant rise of racism across Ireland and beyond and how this is going hand in glove with a dangerous resurgence of far-right politics and organisation. Importantly Dr Nolan will consider what approaches trade unions and other civic society organisations can take to combat the far right and provide an alternative and progressive voice for working people.
Chaired by Kerry Fleck, Vice President of Belfast & District Trades Council
More info: belfasttradescouncil@hotmail.co.uk
FRIDAY 3RD OF MAY
Ken Loach’s ‘The Old Oak’, Film Screening and Discussion
- DATE: Friday 3rd May
- TIME: Doors Open 6:00pm
- VENUE: Irish Congress of Trade Unions, 45-47 Donegall Street, Belfast (map)
Join the Belfast & District Trades Council on the eve of May Day 2024 for a screening of the powerful and emotive Ken Loach film The Old Oak. The movie is entred on changing demographics and struggles of a former mining town in Durham brings to the fore issues around class, poverty and solidarity.
The movie will be followed with a discussion chaired by Kerry Fleck and led by Stephen Baker, Lecturer in Media, culture and politics at Ulster University. Stephen will be considering where the history of the miners struggle sits today in working class culture and the popular imagination and what implications this has for the enduring power of solidarity.
This event is a BYO with donations collected at the door for medical aid for Gaza.
More info: belfasttradescouncil@hotmail.co.uk
Safe, Secure, Homes. – Ban No fault evictions!
- DATE: Friday 3rd May
- TIME: 7:00pm
- VENUE:
- Irish Congress of Trade Unions, 45-47 Donegall Street, Belfast (map)
CATU Belfast is launching a new campaign for Safe, Secure Homes for all in the private rental sector. Join us for a discussion on the state of private rentals in our city and our proposals to tackle this unjust and unfair system.
Organised by the Community Action Tenants Union – belfast@catu.org
SATURDAY 4TH OF MAY
May Day March and Rally: Better In a Union
- DATE: Saturday 4th May
- ASSEMBLE: 12:00 noon
- LOCATION: Writers Square, Belfast (map)
This years’ annual May Day rally will gather in Writers’ Square and feature speeches from leading trade union and community activists followed by a lively and colourful parade through the city centre celebrating trade union unity, resilience and diversity before returning to Donegall Street.
The theme for this year is ‘Better in a Union’ with keynote speaker Rozanne Foyer, General Secretary of the Scottish TUC.
This is open to everyone, please come along and bring banners, flags, whistles and noise!
May Day Fiesta! Family Fun Day!
- Date: Saturday 4th May
- Time: 2:00 – 6:00pm
- VENUE: ‘Larkins Square’ (map)
Our Work, Our Lives, Our Place
On Saturday, May 4th, the car park behind the ICTU & the John Hewitt pub (Donegall St Place) will be transformed into ‘Larkin’s Square’ for an alcohol-free family fun day.
Drop in arts workshops will start at 10am, followed by the May Day March & Rally at 12:00pm departing from Writers’ Square.
There will be free drop-in sessions of art workshops, stalls and flea market, a talk on AE Russell and music and poetry. There will be activities for kids including rosette and badge making, a bouncy castle, food trucks and face painting!
The event is being jointly organised by the Community Arts Partnership and Belfast & District Trades Union Council.
A history of May Day, Photographic Exhibition
- DATE: Saturday 4th May
- TIME: 10:00 – 11.30am / 2:00 – 5:00pm
- VENUE: Irish Congress of Unions, Donegall Street, Ground Floor (map)
A photographic exhibition collated by the ICTU including images of historic Belfast May Day rallies and posters with a light breakfast, tea and coffee before the Rally. Access via side door facing John Hewitt Beer Garden. Everyone welcome!
Organised by Northern Ireland Committee of Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
Talk on ‘AE Russell and the Co-operative Movement’ by Michael McKernan
- Saturday 4th May
- 11:00am
- Location: 2nd floor, Community Arts Partnership, ‘Larkin’s Square’ (Donegall St Place) (map)
Author, and founding member of the George Russell Society, Michael McKernan will speak to AE’s influence in Ireland’s rural cooperative movement as well as his ongoing impact.
Samba with Chidambaram
- DATE: Saturday 4th May
- TIME: 2:00pm
- VENUE: Community Arts Partnership, ‘Larkin’s Square’ (Donegall St Place) (map)
Just as the May Day parade reaches its dispersal point in Donegall Street, this all woman samba band will be kicking off with grooves for the masses leading the way into ‘Larkin’s Square’ where they will be performing on an outdoor stage to continue our day of family fun.
Chidambaram is a lively all woman samba band playing regularly in Northern & Southern Ireland, with commitment to musical development, empowerment to women and FUN! They mix standard samba grooves with inventive & original compositions.
More info on Chidambaram via FB @Chidambaramsamba
Trade Union renewal and paving a way to a better future, in conversation with Trade Union leaders
- DATE: Saturday 4th May
- TIME: 2:00-3:00pm
- VENUE: Community Arts Partnership, ‘Larkin’s Square’ (Donegall St Place) (map)
Hosted by NI Actor and comedian Alan McKee this event will feature open discussion with leading trade unionists from across all employment sectors discussing recent industrial actions and the importance of building on this to secure fair treatment of working people and their families moving forward.
Don’t miss a chance to engage with those leading the fightback for a better life for all, tea / coffee and refreshments are available.
Organised by Northern Ireland Committee of Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
‘After the Rally’, Solidarity and Music with Eddie Booth
DATE: Saturday 4th May
TIME: 3:00pm
VENUE: Upstairs, The Duke of York (map)
After the Rally live music event organised by Unite the Unions Organising Team, taking place immediately following the May Day Rally with Live Music from Co Down musician guaranteed to ‘lift the spirits’ and keep that May Day vibe rocking into the evening.
Eamonn of Judas DJs
- DATE: Saturday 4th May
- TIME: 3:00pm
- VENUE: ‘Larkin’s Square’ (map)
JUDAS DJs have been tag-teaming through genre-hopping sets and throwing down their own private remixes and mashups for longer than is entirely polite to mention.
Rock and Blues with Blind Dog Floyd
- DATE: Saturday 4th May
- TIME: 5:00pm
- LOCATION: ‘Larkin’s Square’ (map)
To wrap up the day’s events in Larkin’s Square we have a live gig from Belfast’s newest blues rock combo Blind Dog Floyd. The three piece band is made up of Breeze Brisbane on lead guitar, Jim McLarnon on bass and vocals, and Danny McQuillan on drums.
With Breeze’s laid-back guitar and punchy lead work Blind Dog Floyd offers a sound that brings a unique dimension to the Blues/Rock genre.
The rhythm section powerhouse is made up of bassist Jim and drummer Danny with a combined playing experience of 70 plus years. Jim is a multi instrumentalist, songwriter and vocalist. He has recorded many of his self-penned songs. On drums is the veteran of the band, Danny, whose track record stretches back to the early 1970s. A combination of power and subtlety defines their style and drives the band complimenting the vocals delivered by Jim and Breeze.
Walking Tour of Radical Belfast with labour historian John Gray
- DATE: Sunday 5th May
- TIME: 2:00pm-4:00pm
- STARTING POINT: ICTU Building, Donegall Street, Belfast. (map)
Led by John Gray, radical and labour historian. The Radical and Labour Belfast Tour will follow in the footsteps of the United Irishmen when Belfast was the most revolutionary centre in the British Isles. Chart the emergence of the trade unions during the era of Belfast’s breakneck industrial expansion. Visit the battlegrounds of the 1907 Dock Strike. Recall James Connolly’s last Belfast speech. Many of the sites involved have vanished or changed out of all recognition so feats of imagination are involved. Consider the chequered history of Labour politics and of the trade unions in the modern era.
Numbers are limited so please register in advance.
Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions and Organising for Palestine: Panel Discussion
- DATE: Thursday 9th May
- TIME: 6.30pm
- VENUE: Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Donegall Street, Belfast. (map)
This event is brought to you jointly from Trade Union Friends of Palestine and the Belfast Trades Council. A panel of speakers both local and international will debate how we work together across society to make the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign effective and real for people who wish to support freedom for Palestine and oppose the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Speakers will include:
- Patricia McKeown – Unison
- International Speaker TBC