Boycott

Ever wonder where the term came from? This poster tells the story of the original boycott in eighteenth century Ireland.

The term “boycott” is a product of the Irish League’s struggle on behalf of tenant farmers. In the summer of 1880, residents of County Mayo took innovative action against Captain Charles Cunningham Boycott, a notoriously callous English land-owner and landlord’s agent. Laborers refused to work for him or any owner he represented, shopkeepers shunned him and his family, letter carriers would not touch his mail. No one would buy his livestock. The conflict made headlines around the world. Despite the deployment of hundreds of troops and imported workers, Boycott abandoned his holdings and fled Ireland. The movement spread and forced the passage of land rights legislation. The boycott continues to be used by grassroots movements around the world.