Tyrone O'Sullivan
Tyrone O'Sullivan OBE | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | 27 May 2023 Wales | (aged 77)
Occupation | Trade unionist |
Title | Chairman of Tower Colliery |
Spouse | Elaine O'Sullivan |
Children | 2 |
Tyrone O'Sullivan
Early life
O'Sullivan was born in
Career
O'Sullivan became the Branch Secretary of the NUM branch of Tower Colliery in 1973. As an NUM activist, he became a
1984 strike
When National Coal Board boss Ian MacGregor announced plans to close 20 pits and do away with 25,000 jobs in 1984, the planned closure of Cortonwood provoked a movement of Yorkshire miners who appealed to other coalfields for support. In light of the lack of support from Yorkshire with regards closures in South Wales, the South Wales branch as a region voted 3:1 against a strike.
O'Sullivan explained to his members at Tower the probable result of not fighting the closures, and gained 99% support:
I phoned Emlyn Williams who was President of the South Wales area of the NUM and told him of my unease. His pit had voted for action but they were not going out on strike as they had been beaten by the area vote. I suggested something could be done. Emlyn said - do what you can, but don't tell me.
O’Sullivan led
He disclosed on the closure of Tower Colliery that he and his family knew at the time of the strike that their private home telephone had been
It is likely that the actions of these women changed attitudes forever about the role of women. They no longer waited for their miner husbands to come home on a Friday and hand over a pay packet. Now the support they gave to the miners' cause was fundamental in the fight to save the mining communities.
A taxi driver David Wilkie was killed when his car was hit by a concrete block dropped from an over bridge, and three miners within O'Sullivan's area were implicated. [citation needed]
Goitre Tower Anthracite Ltd
In October 1992, the Conservative Government as part of a privatisation program of British Coal, announced closure of 31 of Britain's 50 working mines. After public outcry, the Government reviewed the status of 21 of them, with 12 temporarily reprieved, including Tower. However, in 1994, after its closure was ordered by Michael Heseltine of the Conservative government of John Major, the Tower miners decided to mount publicity campaign. It didn't work, and on 23 April 1994 British Coal announced the closure of Tower. After the mine closed, the miners retreated to the club in Penywaun and agreed to O’Sullivan's suggestion for the buyout of the mine. The deal was secured when 239 miners each paid £8,000 from their redundancy payouts to buy shares in Goitre Tower Anthracite Ltd, the vehicle which then borrowed an additional £2million to buy the pit from British Coal. The pit was reopened on 2 January 1995, after the miners led a triumphant march back to the colliery.[4] O’Sullivan had by now been appointed personnel director of the new company. His famed 1994 quote later became a line in a locally produced opera by Welsh composer Alun Hoddinott:[5]
We were ordinary men, we wanted jobs, we bought a pit.
O'Sullivan was probably nearer to the truth in that quote than any other reason for buying the pit, as local unemployment then was 30% in Aberdare, and would have risen to 40% had Tower and its 400 employees joined the dole queue.[6]
Politics
O'Sullivan had been a
Personal life and death
O'Sullivan lived in Mumbles with his wife, Elaine. The couple had two daughters and six grandchildren. He died on 27 May 2023, at the age of 77.[8]
Award
Appointed an
Writings
- Tower of Strength, Mainstream Publishing, 29 October 2001; ISBN 1-84018-500-7
References
- ^ a b c Adeney, Martin (13 June 2023). "Tyrone O'Sullivan obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ John Darnton (24 January 1995). "Hirwaun Journal; For These Miners, How Green Is Their Valley Now". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
- ^ "Last day at Tower". The Independent. 27 January 2008. Archived from the original on 25 February 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
- ^ Robin Turner (19 January 2008). "Bugged by MI5 - Tyrone's revelation". Western Mail. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
- ^ "Tyrone O'Sullivan's famous words to return to stage". Rhondda Cynon Taff. Retrieved 28 January 2008.[dead link]
- ^ "Miners save their valley's pit Men facing the dole raised pounds 2m". The Independent. 23 December 1994. Retrieved 28 January 2008. [dead link]
- Wales Online. Wales. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
- Wales Online. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
- ^ United Kingdom list: "No. 54255". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 30 December 1995. p. 13.
- ^ "Tyron O'Sullivan". UWIC. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 28 January 2008.