This article examines trade union responses to the economic crisis in Ireland. The ‘Irish story’ is primarily one of union accommodation and cooperation. Conflict was present, but was sporadic and generally sectional in nature, and did not reach the scale of mass mobilization witnessed in the other European countries that received financial aid from the Troika. Why was Ireland different? This is explained by the nature of the contextual challenge, unions’ ideological inheritance, their organizational capacity and the opportunity structures available.