“Bernadette: Notes on a Political Journey” – An exploration of Mass Action Politics
Mass action in Ireland in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s comes across vividly in Lelia Doolan’s Documentary “Bernadette – Notes on a Political Journey” which is screened on the Irish Language Channel TG 4 on Monday January 30
http://www.tg4.ie/tv-listings/tv-listings.html?date=2012-01-30
Here are some reviews :
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/theticket/2011/1118/1224307739334.html
http://www.irishexaminer.com/features/dealing-with-devlin-179994.html
http://spooool.com/2011/11/bernadette-notes-on-a-political-journey/
If you have not already seen this documentary – don’t miss the TG4 Broadcast.
If you have seen it – watch it again!
Bernadette Devlin, A Fearless Socialist
John Meehan January 28 2012
“BLOODY SUNDAY…..unleashed a wave of nationalism that engulfed the Republic; biggest general strike in Europe since the second World War ” – Éamonn McCann Irish Times Article
Éamonn McCann discusses the impact of Bloody Sunday South of the Irish Border – a general strike developed rapidly and a huge Dublin Demonstration from Parnell Square to Merrion Square finished with the burning of the British Embassy.
I was on that march, and stood in the middle of the crowd outside the British Embassy as preparations unfolded rapidly for the burning of the building. I discovered later that a near-neighbour, Séamus Costello, was widely believed to be the person who gave the final order to torch the building.
Update :
Listen to a riveting RTÉ Radio 1 History Show – broadcast on Sunday January 29 2012, where Eamonn McCann discusses Bloody Sunday with panellists Brian Hanley (author of The Lost Revolution) and Queens’ University Historian Margaret O’Callaghan – the presenter is Myles Dungan.
http://www.rte.ie/podcasts/2012/pc/pod-v-thehistoryshow290112-pid0-3023400.mp3
Opportunists and the Revolution – Gilbert Achcar on the Arab Uprisings
Gilbert Achcar, a regular contributor to the International Viewpoint Online Magazine, speaks in Dublin on Thursday February 2 in the Thomas Davis Lecture Hall, Trinity College Dublin, from 7.00pm – 9.00pm
A short biographical note on Achcar :
Gilbert Achcar grew up in Lebanon and teaches political science at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. His best-selling book ’The Clash of Barbarisms’ came out in a second expanded edition in 2006, alongside a book of his dialogues with Noam Chomsky on the Middle East, “Perilous Power“. He is co-author of “The 33-Day War: Israel’s War on Hezbollah in Lebanon and Its Consequences“. His most recent book is “The Arabs and the Holocaust: the Arab-Israeli War of Narratives“, Metropolitan Books, New York, 2010.
http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?auteur40
A recent article is here :
Opportunists and the Revolution
Moncef Marzouki makes his way through the crowd, on 17 December 2011, to pay his respect to Mohamed Bouazizi on the first anniversary of his death, in Sidi Bouzid. (Photo: Ali Garboussi)By: Gilbert Achcar [1]
Published Friday, January 27, 2012 Read the rest of this entry »
Boston College has undermined all researchers and journalists who rely on confidential sources – Liam Clarke Article
A huge amount has been written about the Boston College Saga – and there is plenty more to come – but Liam Clarke sums up the central issues very well
His full article is here :
We need full open and honest debate on the troubles – that cannot happen when the state uses its power to prosecute people for actions they took during the 1969-98 Northern Ireland war which ended with the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
The state is biased and will never – taking the most blatant example – prosecute the people responsible for the murder of fourteen unarmed demonstrators in Derry on Bloody Sunday at the end of January 1972.
The Saville Inquiry Found British Paratroopers Guilty of Murdering 14 Innocent Civilians - Nobody Prosecuted
Ed Moloney offers the example of Patrick McCullough :
http://thebrokenelbow.com/2012/01/16/no-subpoenas-for-patrick-mccullough/
ULA to Force Dáil Vote on Burning Anglo Bondholders
Joan Collins TD - Dáil Should Burn Bondholders
From the Journal.ie :
http://www.thejournal.ie/ula-to-force-dail-vote-on-burning-anglo-bondholders-335933-Jan2012/
THE UNITED LEFT ALLIANCE is to force a Dáil vote tomorrow evening on whether the State should repay the unsecured bondholders of Anglo Irish Bank.
A motion has been tabled by the five-member group, backed by the other 11 members of the independent technical group, which would force the government not to repay obligations worth up to €50 billion.
The motion includes an instruction not to repay the €1.25 billion unsecured bond issued by Anglo which matures tomorrow, or any further payments to bondholders in Anglo, now the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. Read the rest of this entry »
“Be Patient and Never Give up the Struggle” An interview with Tommy McKearney
International Viewpoint has published a stimulating interview with Tommy McKearney,
http://www.tommymckearney.com/Site/Blog/Blog.html
Tommy McKearney - A Patient Revolutionary Socialist
We hope soon to carry a review of Tommy’s recently published book
Goodbye Armalite, Hello Ballot Box?
Tommy welcomes the United Left Alliance Project :
Q: In late 2010 the United Left Alliance came together to contest the February 2011 general elections in Ireland, winning five seats. What is you assessment of the ULA?
TM: The ULA is a positive and progressive development. The fact that organizations of the left have come together at any time is good and that these groups are doing so at this time of capitalist crisis is heartening and encouraging. The ULA has also given some needed visibility to the left through its articulate and high-profile spokespersons such as Richard Boyd Barrett and Joe Higgins.
Asked about Ed Moloney’s “Voices From the Grave” and the British state attack on the Boston College Belfast Project, Tommy says : Read the rest of this entry »
Anglo Bond Carnival: Dublin Council of Trade Unions urges unions and union members to support
The Dublin Council of Trade Unions has circulated the following letter to its delegates and affiliated trade unions:
19th January, 2012.
To each DCTU delegate, General Secretary or Senior Official
Dear Colleague,
A portion of the unsecured debt amounting to €1.25 billion will be handed over to ANGLO IRISH/IBRC bank on Wednesday 25th January 2012. How much budget pain could this sum solve?
This event should not pass withuout a protest.
A group called Occupy Anglo/IBRC, a loose offshoot of Occupy Dame Street are organising such a protest.
IT WILL BEGIN ON MONDAY 23rd JANUARY FROM 7 am to 5pm AT ANGLO IRISH BANK, ST. STEPHEN’S GREEN AND WILL CONTINUE ON 24th AND 25th JANUARY.
This will be a peaceful protest outside the bank and will include talks, teach-ins and music.
We urge all members to participate at some point during these three days.
Yours sincerely,
Sam Nolan
Correspondence Secretary
Letter ends
[Facebook page of Carnival organiser: http://www.facebook.com/events/280892235299369/]
Anglo Bond Payment; Carnival of Resistance, 23- 25 January
[Supported by the Dublin Council of Trade Unions.]
From the organisers’ facebook page:
( http://www.facebook.com/events/280892235299369/ )
You are cordially invited to the ‘Carnival of Resistance’ which runs from January 23rd to 25th. This event will take place at the former Anglo Irish Bank HQ on Stephens Green, and is designed to highlight the payment of E1.25 billion to the unsecured bondholders, of said bank.
The event has been organized by a collection of groups and individuals opposed to the payment, by Irish tax-payers, of debts owed by private banking corporations.
It is being supported by the Dublin Council of Trade Unions, who have called for a united front of all those opposed to the payment of these bonds.
The bondholders took a risk in investing in Anglo and their investment backfired, this is a private matter between the bank and its investors. It has nothing to do with the Irish people as such. We see no reason why we should cover these losses.
Over the course of the 3 days there will be live music with performances by (among others) The Barley Mob, members of Kila and the Fibbs.
Occupy University will be hosting a series of lectures over the course of the 3 days at 1.30 and 5.30. Among those speaking are John Bissett, Conor McCabe and Michael Taft.
* This is a family-friendly protest and we encourage members of the public to bring their children and enjoy the Carnival atmosphere.
With:
Spectacle Defiance Drummers-
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001791734951
Happy City Samba-
http://www.facebook.com/groups/61341416728/
Street Fest
streetfest.ie
MUSIC AND SPEAKERS
Line up:
MONDAY
———–
10-11am
Jesse Rodriguez
11-12pm
The Velvetones –
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Velvetones/241855982512119?sk=wall
12-1pm
Speaker
John Bissett
1-2pm.
DJ Mark Q
2-3pm
The Mistaken Dreams-
http://www.facebook.com/themistakendreams?ref=ts&sk=wall
3-4pm
Kila’s Eoin Dillon-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/K%C3%ADla/105670592800357?ref=ts&sk=info
4-5pm
Twin Headed Wolf-
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Twin-Headed-Wolf/112786932136037
5-6pm
Speaker
6-7pm
Elk –
http://www.facebook.com/elkmusic
7-8pm
Platonic Sex Act-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Platonic-Sex-Act/178252615549850
8pm
Teepee sessions with
Peter Pureheart-
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510968150&sk=wall
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TUESDAY
________
10-11am
Jambo and Jonny Boy-
http://www.facebook.com/AthCliathRecords
11-12pm
Chase
12-1pm
Speaker
Mick O’ Reilly
1-2pm
The Animators-
http://www.facebook.com/TheAnimatorsIreland?ref=ts&sk=app_151503908244383
2- 3pm
DJ Guilty Boy
3-4pm
The McVeigh Sisters –
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ardua/113011932115279?sk=wall
4-5pm
Rufus Coates & the Blackened Trees-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rufus-Coates-the-Blackened-Trees/243289912381557
5-5:30pm
Jupiter & The Infinite –
https://www.facebook.com/onthedole1?sk=wall
5:30-6pm
Speaker
Conor McCabe
6-7pm
King Modo-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/KING-MODO/225595432109?ref=ts&sk=app_178091127385
7-8pm
Rise of the Hippies-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rise-of-the-Hippies/287971137910241?ref=ts&sk=wall
8-9pm
The Fibbs –
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fibbs/118665698154831?sk=wall
9pm
Teepee sessions with
Peter Pureheart –
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510968150&sk=wall
G Star
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WEDNESDAY
___________
10-11am
P-Starz-
https://www.facebook.com/pages/P-Starz/201319099992?sk=wall
11-12pm
Explosions on the Runway
12-1pm
Speaker
Michael Taft
1-2pm
Barry Krishna –
https://www.facebook.com/barrykrishnamusic?sk=info
2-3pm
Trap Door-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Trap-Door/28087421417?ref=ts&sk=app_2405167945
3-4pm
Garry O’Brien –
https://www.facebook.com/garryobrientunes?sk=wall
4-5pm
Eritrea-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/E-r-i-t-r-e-a/124235187661263
5-6pm
Speaker
Siohhan O’Donohue
6-7pm
General assembly
7- 8pm
The BaRLey Mob –
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-BaRLey-MOB/117200281625659?ref=ts
8-9pm
New Secret Weapon-
https://www.facebook.com/thensw
9pm
Teepee sessions with
Twin Headed Wolf-
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Twin-Headed-Wolf/112786932136037
Raven,
Helen Keller Experience
The Ghost of Captain Boycott and the Ladies’ Land League Stalks the Kenny-Gilmore Household Tax
The Dublin North TD Clare Daly (Socialist Party, United Left Alliance) has written a thoughtful article on the Household Tax
http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/column-why-the-household-charge-is-a-gateway-tax/
which we have reproduced in full below.
In a previous article on this site
some recommended reading gives us a flavour of Irish Resistance in Mayo during the Nineteenth Century.
A question was asked
Is “Enda Kenny, the Mayo Deputy, the New Captain Boycott?”
Women organised independently through the Ladies’ Land League, which was more radical than than its male equivalent – Anna Parnell was among its leaders :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Catherine_Parnell
Offices were given to the ladies but little help. The women held public meetings and encouraged country women to be active in withholding rent, in boycotting and in resisting evictions. They raised funds for the League and for the support of prisoners and their families. They distributed Land League wooden huts to shelter evicted tenant families and by the beginning of 1882 they had 500 branches, thousands of women members and considerable publicity.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tomás Ó Flatharta 