ANNUAL BOBBY SANDS LECTURE .

The theme for this years Bobby Sands Lecture is 'The Fenians and the Manchester Martyrs' .
The main Speaker will be Peig Galligan, and the event will be held on Monday September 24 2007 , in Wynn's Hotel,Lower Abbey Street,Dublin, from 7pm to 9.30pm .

Please Note : as usual , there is no Admittance Charge , although a collection for financial contributions will be held on the way out to help towards the cost of hiring the room.
ALL WELCOME!
Thank You ,
Sharon.


Blowing our own trumpet...

A big 'Thank You' to Mick for including our wee blog in his choice of 'Top 20 Irish Political Blogs' , which he recently compiled for Iain Dale's forthcoming book.
The question now is who will play little old me in the film based on the book.....
;-)

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THEY ARE HELD IN BELFAST JAIL .......

From 'The United Irishman' newspaper, January 1958 .

HELD WITHOUT CHARGE OR TRIAL :

Brendan Lennon , Francis Street , Lurgan , County Armagh .
Hugh Brady , 28 Waring Street , Lurgan . (Held after serving a four-year sentence)
Brendan Lavery , 124 Edward Street , Lurgan . (Held after serving a four-year sentence)
Eamonn McConville , Derrymacash , County Armagh . (Held after serving a four-year sentence)
Kevin Breen , 17 Clarendon Park , Marlin , Lurgan .
Patrick Duffy , 23 Clara Street , Lurgan .
Arthur Thornbury , 47 Brown Street , Lurgan .
Gerald Magill , Cherrymount , Lurgan .
John J. Rafferty , 13 Cusher Green , Mountmorris , County Armagh .
Thomas Mellon , 24 Elmwood Terrace , Derry City .
Canice O' Kane , Drumsurn , Limavaddy , County Derry .
Thomas Toner , Dungiven , County Derry .
Sean Keenan , 8 Saint Columb Street , Derry City .
John O' Hagan , Desertmartin , County Derry .
James McReynolds , Chapel Road , Dungiven , County Derry .
Art Kerr , 19 North Street , Derry City .
(MORE LATER).



ECONOMY IN CRISIS - An Historical Perspective.......

By any standards the economy of Ireland , North and South , can be described as being in a sorry mess with crisis , recession and imminent bankruptcy the most constant themes of economic discussion , intermittently over the last decade and ceaselessly in the last three years . In this article , Peter Graham surveys the factors which have produced this economy , and the historical role of foreign and native Irish capital.

From 'IRIS' magazine , November 1982.

Charles Stewart Parnell and Michael Davitt saw the benefits for nationalism in linking it to the new economic force in farming - the native-tenant-turned-landowner who , in turn , found the national cause a useful rallying call . The rural population which continued its nationalist zeal within Fenianism and into the next century , and supplied the blood spilt in the Tan War, was largely that of the small farmers and the declining agricultural labourers .

Those who had gained most from the Land War and the subsequent enabling legislation from Westminster financing their purchase of land , were by that time solid farmers repelled by any further revolution . For them , increasing their newly-won private property was , and has remained , their priority . The nationalisation of land , which Michael Davitt himself preached as the real economic freedom for the rural population , remains anathema for them today , as it was then .

Obviously the link to Britain was economically , as well as politically , the dictator of Ireland's agricultural economy . And so it was Britain's foreign wars and foreign trade , its laissezfaire phases , its uncaring attitude to the 'Famine', its penal legislation and so on , that set the pace and direction for all economic development . For most of Ireland , that was in agricultural terms.......
(MORE LATER).



DIVIS FLATS : Building Towards A Demolition Campaign .
Divis Flats , at the bottom of the Falls Road in West Belfast , have acquired a reputation for 'trouble' - of all kinds - and social deprivation ever since they were built in the 1960's . They have also endured some of the severest British repression meted out during the past 14 years , and replied with some of the fiercest resistance . Local resident and community activist Jim Faulkner examines the new resurgence of morale in the flats complex and the prospects it faces in its biggest battle yet - for total demolition .
From 'IRIS' magazine , November 1983 .

Much has been happening on the political front in West Belfast's Divis Flats complex since the Assembly and Westminster elections mobilised local residents to work and vote for Sinn Fein: people who had never taken much interest in political activity before could then be seen addressing election manifestos , canvassing , making tea for election workers and generally feeling part of the fight .

Sinn Fein's victories have renewed hope that the day will be hastened when the flats will be totally demolished and we can all live on the ground in decent homes again .

The victories also showed those that attempt to live in Divis Flats what they themselves could achieve by coming together and working hard to achieve what they want and they have not looked back since - they have gone on to form new groups to tackle the many problems faced by the Divis Flats community . One of those groups is the Divis Youth and Cultural Development Group which has recently opened a new 'Drop-In' centre for the youth of the area in an attempt to tackle the epidemic of joyriding and other anti-social activity going on in the flats.......
(MORE LATER).

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ANNUAL BOBBY SANDS LECTURE .

The theme for this years Bobby Sands Lecture is 'The Fenians and the Manchester Martyrs' .
The main Speaker will be Peig Galligan, and the event will be held on Monday September 24 2007 , in Wynn's Hotel,Lower Abbey Street,Dublin, from 7pm to 9.30pm .

Please Note : as usual , there is no Admittance Charge , although a collection for financial contributions will be held on the way out to help towards the cost of hiring the room.
ALL WELCOME!
Thank You ,
Sharon.

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THEY ARE HELD IN BELFAST JAIL .......

From 'The United Irishman' newspaper, January 1958 .

SHORT-TERM PRISONERS :

J.J. Woods , Omagh , County Tyrone - 12 months.
Dan Moore , Newry , County Down - 12 months .
L. Magill , Lurgan , County Armagh - 18 months .


ON REMAND :

J. Gallagher , Omagh , County Tyrone .


HELD WITHOUT CHARGE OR TRIAL :

James McWilliams , B.A. , 4 Abbey Place , Armagh .
Peter McGuinness , 25 Malachy's Park , Camlough , County Armagh .
James Loughran , 13 Shankill Street Place , Lurgan , County Armagh .
Joseph Haughian , 17 Silverwood Drive , Lurgan .
Seamus McKavanagh , Clonrolla North , Lurgan .
Aiden McKenna , 131 Edward Street , Lurgan .
James McVeigh , Derrymacash , Lurgan .
Michael McAleese , Derrymacash , Lurgan .
Dermot O' Hare , 4 Cherrytree Walk , Lurgan .
Patrick McGuinness , 62 Arthur Street , Lurgan .
Ronnie McAlinden , 158 Shore Road , Lurgan .
(MORE LATER).



ECONOMY IN CRISIS - An Historical Perspective.......

By any standards the economy of Ireland , North and South , can be described as being in a sorry mess with crisis , recession and imminent bankruptcy the most constant themes of economic discussion , intermittently over the last decade and ceaselessly in the last three years . In this article , Peter Graham surveys the factors which have produced this economy , and the historical role of foreign and native Irish capital.

From 'IRIS' magazine , November 1982.

The changeover from tillage to grazing in Irish agriculture , hastened by the 'Famine' which made wholesale land clearances possible and which continued throughout the nineteenth century , was itself an economic force which demanded that the landless agricultural labourers were of no further use , and that the samall cottier with his few acres of potatoes - which , in non-'famine' years actually made him 'independent' - had to be driven off the land , which could then be consolidated into large cattle-rearing ranches . This at least was the dominant trend in spite of the long survival of numerous small-holdings .

The Land War, and the eventual winning of peasant-ownership , left the agricultural labourers and the remaining small-holder tenants very much in the same , or even worse , economic distress . The more prosperous native 'tenant' now became the 'landowner' himself , self-sufficient on his acreage in one nuclear family , conservative politically , socially and economically , the direct forebear of today's big farmer .

Charles Stewart Parnell and Michael Davitt were watching these developments with interest.......
(MORE LATER).



THE LEFT BEHIND.......

Dick Spring and the Labour Party headed into this election campaign with four years of coalition government behind them . To observe them on the campaign trial you would never guess this , but there is , nevertheless , a noticeable resistence to them , especially amongst traditional Labour voters . Judging from Dick Spring's reception on the campaign trial it is almost certain that the party is in big trouble , at least in the Dublin area .

From 'IN DUBLIN' magazine 'Election Special' , 1987 .
By Derek Dunne.

The best Dick Spring can say of the last four years in government with Fine Gael is that his party curbed the worst excesses of the latter , but this fine distinction is lost on an electorate which has become cynical about the whole political process .

The six workers who have travelled with Dick all day in the bus finally get introduced to their leader - they had been handing out leaflets and canvassing all day . Then its time to go to the town of Navan , where Dick signs an autograph for a twelve-year-old boy and , while he is doing this , three other young lads see and recognise him as they are going up a stairs . They start to chant "...Sinn Fein , Sinn Fein .." , but are ignored by Dick .

Now it's nearly 8pm . Other speeches have to be delivered elsewhere . At times throughout the day , Dick ignored some people who weren't interested in what he had to say and one could not help but wonder if voters care at all whether or not they get to hear him , now or at any other time .

[END of 'THE LEFT BEHIND']
(NEXT : 'Divis Flats' - from 1983)

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" Squelching a half-starved rat...."

Victims of the Great Hunger...
'The Times' editorial of September 30, 1845, warned; "In England the two main meals of a working man's day now consists of potatoes." England's potato-dependence was as excessive as Ireland's. Grossly over-populated relative to its food supply, England faced famine unless it could import vast amounts of alternative food. But it didn't take merely Ireland's surplus food; or enough Irish food to save England. It took more; for profit and to exterminate the people of Ireland. British Queen Victoria's economist, Nassau Senior, expressed his fear that existing policies "...will not kill more than one million Irish in 1848 and that will scarcely be enough to do much good." When an eye-witness urged a stop to the genocide-in-progress, Trevelyan replied: "We must not complain of what we really want to obtain." Trevelyan insisted that all reports of starvation were exaggerated, until 1847. He then declared it ended and refused entry to the American food relief ship Sorciére. Thomas Carlyle, influential British essayist, wrote; "Ireland is like a half-starved rat that crosses the path of an elephant. What must the elephant do? Squelch it - by heavens - squelch it." 'Total Annihilation' suggested The Times leader of September 2, 1846; and in 1848 its editorialists crowed "A Celt will soon be as rare on the banks of the Shannon as the red man on the banks of Manhattan..."

PLEASE HELP US TO GET A TRUE RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF BRITISH INTERFERENCE IN IRISH AFFAIRS .
Thank You ,
Sharon.

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THEY ARE HELD IN BELFAST JAIL .......

From 'The United Irishman' newspaper, January 1958 .

Sentenced To Penal Servitude :

D.O'Hagan , Belfast - 4 years .
P. McGrogan , Belfast - 4 years .
T. Cooney , Cork - 12 years .
W. Gough , Cork - 10 years .
J.J. Linehan , Cork - 10 years .
P. McStravick , Armagh - 4 years .
D. Donnelly , Omagh , County Tyrone - 10 years .
S. McHugh , Omagh - 8 years .
F. McHugh , Omagh - 6 years .
F. Cullen , Omagh - 5 years .
T. Devlin , Omagh - 6 years .
J. Darcy , Omagh - 5 years .
J. Carroll , Omagh - 5 years .
P. Devlin , Omagh - 6 years .
H. Darcy , Omagh - 5 years .
Matt Monaghan , Derry - 6 years .
P. Fox , Derry - 10 years .
L. McGowan , Derry - 6 years .
J. Smith , Bessbrook , County Armagh - 8 years .
S. Heuston , Keady , County Armagh - 10 years .
(List of those held as 'Short Term Prisoners' , 'On Remand' and 'Held Without Charge Or Trial' next...)



ECONOMY IN CRISIS - An Historical Perspective.......

By any standards the economy of Ireland , North and South , can be described as being in a sorry mess with crisis , recession and imminent bankruptcy the most constant themes of economic discussion , intermittently over the last decade and ceaselessly in the last three years . In this article , Peter Graham surveys the factors which have produced this economy , and the historical role of foreign and native Irish capital.

From 'IRIS' magazine , November 1982.

For economically , as well as nationally , the Ireland of today is very much the victim of its imperialist-dominated history , though its native contribution is not insignificant either . The establishment of landlords in Ireland and the plantation of Ulster, culminating eventually in the Land War of the second half of the nineteenth century , are familiar territory in Irish nationalist history .

Not always so familiar , however , in the restricted area of simple nationalism , is the analysis of the economic developments which have derived from this , and the limited diversification into native industrial capitalism which was one of the results .

Right from the Norman conquest itself in 1169, but more directly from the Cromwellite and Williamite confiscations, there was of course conflict between the usurpers of the land and the dispossessed and this conflict remained the central issue which ultimately culminated in the Land War in the nineteenth century, a conflict which fuelled - more successfully than ever before - a new nationalist strength . However , in the interim period and particularly through the cataclysmic 'Famine', the landlord enemy was not exclusively the foreign occupier , but , through major changes in land ownership , by now included native Catholic Irish , men of 'substance.......'
(MORE LATER).



THE LEFT BEHIND.......

Dick Spring and the Labour Party headed into this election campaign with four years of coalition government behind them . To observe them on the campaign trial you would never guess this , but there is , nevertheless , a noticeable resistence to them , especially amongst traditional Labour voters . Judging from Dick Spring's reception on the campaign trial it is almost certain that the party is in big trouble , at least in the Dublin area .

From 'IN DUBLIN' magazine 'Election Special' , 1987 .
By Derek Dunne.

When this travelling political circus reaches the town of Rush in North County Dublin , one man says that the Labour Party should have pulled out of government long ago ; he is about sixty years of age and sounds very bitter - " I voted Labour last time but never again . You let me down . You said Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were six of one and half dozen of the other and then ye go in with Fine Gael ! Youse are all gangsters . Justin Keating fucked up your seat here and you'll never get it back . What about the PD's ? What about the Provos.......? " It goes on and on , but Dick Spring hasn't time to argue the toss . There are other places to visit . Like the nearest pub .

In the pub , Dick gives a bit of a speech . It's for the benefit of the party workers in the area : " Vote one-two as often as you can between here and the next town . It's a good constituency . Let's not be beaten by fifty or sixty votes . Let's go out there and do it . Vote early and vote often ! " Fightin' talk . In the town of Balbriggan , Dick tells people that he's going to build up a strong Labour Party and that this is "necessary" . One woman says that she's promising nothing , but that she'll think about voting for Labour , to which Dick replies that he isn't promising anything either . Another woman has a problem with bus-fares for her kids going to school and one of the Labour Party people makes a note of it and promises that something will be done .

Dick is uneasy walking around shaking people's hands , as he's not sure where the next attack might come from . There is no urgency or vibrancy to his personal appearances in public , unlike say that of Charlie Haughey, but then Dick's demeanour may be due to the last four years in government with Fine Gael where there has been a war of attrition.......
(MORE LATER).

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"Move NOW or be moved..."

A link to more photographs and a brief report of an "...illegal parade and assembly.." held in Dublin yesterday (Saturday 15 September 2007) in support of Irish Republican POW's .

The Republican Sinn Fein-organised event was a complete success , which drew about 500 on-lookers , to whom dozens of copies of the 'SAOIRSE' monthly newspaper were sold , as well as over 400 leaflets distributed to . Also , new contacts and offers of support were made and received . A few photographs below , more at the above link . Thanks !
Sharon.


Dominick and Des .


Dominick and Joe .


A section of the crowd , on the GPO-side of O'Connell Street.

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