Fruit for Thought

When people unite, even second-rate citrus can change the world.

This story is for everyone who marched for No Kings and went home wondering if their small stand could ever make a difference (shared with permission from Irish comedian David Nihill)

How the Irish Changed the World with Grapefruit

(As told by David Nihill)

Ireland, forty-one years ago. We had ten white ladies who worked in a grocery store, and they said, “We refuse to sell grapefruits imported from South Africa anymore in this grocery store.” And by doing that, they said, “We’re going to help end Apartheid.”

“Who’s with us?!”

And the whole of Ireland went, “Eh. We don’t really like grapefruits, to be honest — more of a luxury product. And have you looked outside? We don’t even have any Black people, so best of luck with that strategy.”

To be honest, not a whole lot of people supported them. You remember one or two politicians maybe, but for the most part — the police were against them, the trade unions were against them, the grocery chain itself was against them. Most of the country thought they were daft.

Then one day they were delighted when this Black fella called Nimrod showed up. And they thought, “Oh, must be working! We’ve never even seen a Black man before and now there’s one out there with us — it’s a sign!”

These ladies had never met a Black person before, despite protesting on behalf of their rights. And this guy Nimrod said to them, “Ladies, what you’re doing is so potentially impactful I can’t even properly put it into words. So I’m just going to stand with you every single day in solidarity until people pay attention.”

And he did. He stood with them every day for six months, walking three miles each way to get there. No one paid much attention — until the story reached a rather interesting man: Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

On his way to pick up his Nobel Peace Prize, Tutu said, “I’ve got to meet the Grapefruit Ladies.” And he did. He flew them over to London to meet with him.

Because of that, another interesting man in America got wind of it. He said, “I’ve never heard of a bunch of white people protesting something that affects them so little — this is fantastic! I have to march with these Grapefruit Ladies.”

That was Reverend Jesse Jackson. And he did march with them.

That, in turn, caught the attention of a man on his Long Walk to Freedom on Robben Island — Nelson Mandela. He said, “Once in a while, you hear of people fighting on your behalf, and it just really inspires you to keep going. I have to meet these Grapefruit Ladies.”

And in 1990, he flew to Ireland to meet them. By that stage, the Irish government had given in, the trade unions had given in, the grocery chain — Dunnes Stores — had given in. And Ireland became the first country in the Western world to ban the import and sale of all goods from South Africa — thereby helping end apartheid with a fruit we don’t even feckin’ like.

For me, it’s a lovely bit of history that too often gets forgotten. But Mandela never forgot. When he passed away, he made sure the women were invited guests of honor at his funeral — should they wish to attend. And they did attend, in a free South Africa they helped create.

It was only around that time that Nimrod — the one Black man who’d joined them in Dublin — told them who he actually was. He’d been Nelson Mandela’s cellmate on Robben Island.

Oh yeah. He knew exactly what he was doing. He knew Irish people love speaking up for other oppressed groups. He knew we loved the hip-hop, thought we were a little bit Black ourselves.

And I tell you that story because one of the leaders of those ten white ladies…was named Karen.

So you never know.

— From David Nihill’s live show “Shelf Help,” recorded at Dublin’s 3 Olympia Theatre on January 16, 2025 (via youtube). In addition to his award-winning storytelling, David is also a bestselling author, popular speaker, and comedy festival favorite.

🙌 And he’s coming to Philly this March! Tickets on sale now for his Taking Tangents tour at the Kimmel Center for one show only on Sunday, March 8th. Way to kick off your St. Paddy’s day celebrations! ☘️🤍🧡

LOCAL EPILOGUE:

The real-life story of the Dunnes Stores Strike began on July 19, 1984, when 21-year-old checkout clerk Mary Manning, supported by her shop steward Karen Gearon, refused to handle South African grapefruit at the Henry Street branch of Dunnes Stores in Dublin, following a directive from their union, IDATU (Irish Distributive and Administrative Trade Union). Nine colleagues joined her and Gearon, launching a strike that lasted nearly three years — one of the longest in Irish labor history.

During that time, the strikers were denied pay, faced legal threats, and even traveled to South Africa at Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s invitation, where authorities detained and deported them for meeting anti-apartheid activists. Their persistence led the Irish government in 1987 to ban South African imports — the first such ban in the Western world — helping set a global precedent for economic pressure on apartheid.

The group reunited in 2024 to mark the protest’s 40th anniversary, returning to Henry Street — the site where it all began. A plaque commemorating the action, originally presented by South African President Thabo Mbeki and unveiled there in June 2008, now stands as a permanent reminder of their courage. In South Africa, their legacy endures too: a street in Johannesburg bears Mary Manning’s name, ensuring that Ireland’s unlikely role in ending apartheid will never be forgotten.

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