The Rent Strike

Let me tell the same applied in National Association Tenants Organisation, in the Ballyfermot community association when it came time for election as chairperson, president or treasurer or anything, ‘Oh Mr Smith, Mr Jones, Mr Murphy. When it came to doing the work, the women. And I don’t know how you do it. But people have to be told that it was the women of these associations that won the battles… (John Montgomery, Ballyfermot, Dublin interviewed by Dr. Fiadh Tubridy)

This project is dedicated to the creation of a video based on the oral testimonies collected by Community Action Tenants’ Union (CATU) member, Dr. Fiadh Tubridy. The project captured memories of the national rent strikes of the 1970’s to develop a video creating a fascinating new oral history documentary from the grassroots activist and tenants involved.

The tenants of Ballsgrove, then a relatively new housing estate, played a significant role in the strikes. Paddy Smith contributes his memories of the campaign they organised in Drogheda to resist the then government’s policy of ‘differential rents’.

The video is launched on 25th August in Liberty Hall, Dublin. Further screenings and distribution throughout the country will follow.

This page will be updated with further information on the project. Revisit over the next while to get updates.

If you would like to find out more about the history of the rent strikes (including Drogheda), CATU and Dr Fiadh Tubridy have released an excellently researched booklet (available for €5). Please contact us on admin@upstate.ie if you are interested.

The project is supported by the Heritage Council and the Arts Council of Ireland.