The Irish Trade Union Movement is to pay for the 1980s Dunnes Strikers to go to South Africa when Nelson Mandela's funeral is held next week.

The 11 strikers, who worked for the store on Dublin's Henry Street, made the headlines in 1984, when they refused to handle South African goods in protest against the apartheid regime. 

Thousands of delegates from all over the world have been invited to attend the memorial at Johannesburg's football stadium - and invitations are limited.

But Mandate's head John Douglas, says they're hoping to get the Irish strikers into as many events as possible:

“We’re working closely with the department of foreign affairs and, obviously, one striker will form part of the official government delegation to the official ceremony but we’re also working...to ensure the rest of the strikers have access to as many of the official ceremonies as possible.”