Overview

`Young shopworkers on Henry Street in Dublin, who in 1984 refused to handle the fruits of apartheid, provided me with great hope during my years of imprisonment, and inspiration to millions of South Africans.' Nelson Mandela Dunnes Stores cashier Mary Manning knew little about apartheid when, at the age of twenty-one, she refused to register the sale of two Outspan South African grapefruits under a directive from her union. She was suspended and nine of her co-workers walked out in support. They all assumed they would shortly return to work. But theirs were kindling voices, on the cusp of igniting a mass movement they couldn't even imagine. Despite harassment from the Gardai and disparagement from the Irish government and even the Catholic Church, they refused to be silenced. Within months they were embroiled in a dispute that captured the world's attention. In this searing account, Mary tells the extraordinary story of their public fight for justice, as well as her emotive journey of discovery into her family's past. Mary's mother had been forced to carry a secret burden of shame for her whole life by the same oppressive establishment Mary was fighting. Striking Back is a provocative and inspiring story that epitomises the resilience of hope and the human spirit, even under the most formidable of circumstances. It shows that each of us has the power to change the world.

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9781848893245

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Reviews

A very, very interesting tale about very principled people. -- Marian Finucane * RTE Radio 1 *

A very, very interesting tale about very principled people. -- Marian Finucane * RTE Radio 1 * Mary Manning has written a fascinating memoir about the Dunnes Stores strike and its aftermath. This is an intriguing insider account of a campaign that won plaudits from Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. * Irish Independent * I have not been so moved by a book in a long time. It's personal and political, intimate and artful. This is a voice rarely heard in Irish literature....fearful and brave and rendered with skill and depth. Striking Back should be part of every Irish child's education.....this book should become a classic. -- Gene Kerrigan * Irish Independent * Striking Back is a provocative and inspiring read....the background story of Mary's mother's life was truly fascinating and unexpected. It's beautifully written book and genuinely very difficult to put down -- Carol Dooley * Sunshine Radio * It's an absolutely fascinating book....the headlines we had all seen and all knew about, but it is the untold story, the minutia details and the back story in the book that I found really interesting. * Pat Kenny * A captivating account.....beautifully expressed. A moving and inspirational book which has major relevance to today's world. -- Catriona Crowe * The Irish Times *

Author Information

Mary Manning was part of a group of Dunnes Stores workers who went on strike in the 1980s to protest the Apartheid regime in South Africa. They stayed on the picket line for almost three years before the Irish government imposed a boycott on South African goods. Afterwards, Mary emigrated to Australia until her name had been forgotten by potential employers, who associated her with the `anti-establishment' label. Now living in Dublin, she has given talks throughout Ireland, as well as in London, New York and Washington. She has two daughters. Sinead O'Brien is an award-winning filmmaker and author. Her book Left for Dead was named Sunday Times Sports Book of the Year and shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book Award. It is under film option in the UK and US.

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