The ITGWU was founded by famous Irish trade unionists 'Big' Jim Larkin in 1908.

The ITGWU was central to the Dublin Lockout of 1913 and eventually the Labour Movement in Ireland.

In 1916 it was from the ITGWU headquarters in Dublin that the leaders of 1916 marched from to the GPO.

Its head office was the first building in Dublin to be bombarded during the rebellion when a British warship shelled it from the nearby Liffey river.