2. Early Life James was born in Cowgate Edinburgh on the 5th of June 1868.He grew up in Edinburgh and at age 14 he joined the British Army and served in Ireland for 7 years. He left the army as his brigade was going to India and developed a deep hatred for the British because what they were doing to the Irish. But he had another reason for leaving the British Army because in 1890 he married Lillie Reynolds and settled in Edinburgh
3. Politics He came involved in politics in 1892 by joining the Scottish Socialist Federation and working as its secretary. In 1901 he became founding editor of the “The Socialist”. He later heard about a secretary job in Dublin for the Irish Socialist Republican Party. While in Ireland he wrote the book “Labour in Irish History” in 1910.
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5. The 1916 Easter Rising The 1916 Easter Rising He was commandant of the Dublin Brigade and was stationed in the GPO; Connolly was second in command after Padraig Pearse. After 6 days of heavy fighting in which Connolly got shot in the arm they surrendered. The men who signed the “Irish Proclamation” were shot including Padraig Pearse, Sean McDiarmada, Thomas J Clarke, Thomas MacDonagh, Eamonn Ceannt, Joseph Plunkett and James Connolly.
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7. Death Death Connolly was sentenced to death by firing squad for his part in the rising. On 12 May 1916 he was transported by military ambulance to Kilmainham Gaol, carried to a prison courtyard on a stretcher, tied to a chair and shot. His body (along with those of the other rebels) was put in a mass grave without a coffin
