President Higgins planted a tree in memory of Tom Johnson (1872-1963), author of the Democratic Programme of the Dáil. As Leader of the Irish Labour Party, Johnson was the First Leader of the Opposition, a role he served in from 1922 to 1927.
The tree planting formed part of a reception hosted by the President to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Irish Labour History Society. The Irish Labour History Society (ILHS) was established in 1973 to preserve the records and reminiscences, written and oral, of the Irish working class and its organisations. The event was attended by a number of leading figures form the Irish labour movement past and present.
