The People’s College was founded on 15th October 1948, with Ruaidhrí Roberts, then General Secretary of the ITUC, as the main initiator. A decision of this body in addition to encouragement from the UK Workers’ Education Association inspired this action. The original idea had been to set up a system similar to the WEA and other European workers’ education organisation which would involve a network of branches throughout the country. However, this development did not take place for a variety of social & historical issues of the time. In any event, the College has flourished and has contributed both to the provision of adult & life long learning for workers as well as to the development of relevant policies at national & international level since its beginnings.
