Saor Éire 2011 – A gathering for socialists and republicans: Video Essay

On May 7th of this year, éirígí held a day long conference in the Aisling Hotel in Dublin entitled "Saor Éire 2011 – A gathering for socialists and republicans".  

Below are a number of video's of addresses made to the conference by a variety of speakers on a range of subjects.

Anti-UDA/Windsor Protest at the Memorial Gardens, Islandbridge

The second day of Elizabeth Windsor’s state visit to the Twenty-Six Counties saw éirígí activists and supporters staging protests at Islandbridge and Dublin Castle. The first protest was called after it was revealed that up to thirty leading members of the Ulster Defence Association had been invited to attend a wreath-laying ceremony in the Memorial Gardens in Islandbridge.

Before the protest even began, however, it was clear that the Gardaí were intent on provoking conflict. As éirígí Dublin City Councillor Louise Minihan arrived at the assembly point at Kilmainham Jail her car was pulled over and searched. During the course of the search a banner with the words ‘Fund Communities, Not Royal Visits!’ was seized on the spurious grounds of it being “offensive material”. A video of the search can be seen below.

 

By the time the Gardaí had completed their search of Minihan’s car a force of at least forty Gardaí had assembled outside of the building where the leaders of the 1916 rising were executed. There is little doubt that those brave men would have been disgusted at the prospect of the British Head of State and her UDA henchmen being afforded such an extravagant welcome by the Dublin government.

With Windsor now in the Memorial Gardens the thirty or so protesters made their way along Inchicore Road with the intention of demonstrating at the junction of Memorial Road and the N4. But this was not to be, as the Gardaí blocked access to Memorial Road with a line of rapidly deployed boys in yellow. When questioned on the legality of his impromptu roadblock, the commanding Garda replied that he was acting under the provisions contained within Section 21, a phrase that was becoming all too familiar to people across Dublin.

With their preferred route to the Memorial Gardens blocked the protesters returned to Kilmainham Jail to lay a wreath in memory of the victims of the UDA, before making a second attempt to access the Gardens. On this occasion upwards of 100 Gardaí were deployed to block the junction of South Circular Road and the N4. Although not as close to the Memorial Gardens as had been originally intended, the protesters’ voices, whistles and bodhráns loudly proclaimed their opposition to the mass murderers of the UDA.

While the protest may not have been particularly large that did not diminish from the hugely important principle upon which is was based; that it was morally bankrupt for the Twenty-Six County authorities to invite the leaders of one of the most vicious of unionist death squads to Dublin. As befitting an act of solidarity with the victims of the UDA, the protest was conducted with discipline and dignity throughout, despite the provocations of the state’s bully-boys.

éirígí Sligeach activist Gerry Casey, who was among those taking part in the demonstration at Islandbridge, slammed the actions of the Gardai in attempting to prevent legitimate peaceful protests as "beneath contempt".

Casey said:  "It is highly ironic that those of us protesting against the presence of the UDA at Islandbridge are intimidated and threatened while those unionist death squad leaders are received as special guests complete with Garda protection.  Even more so was the fact that Gardai siezed a 'fund communities not royal visits' banner from the car of Cllr Louise Minihan on the basis that it was somehow 'offensive'."

"What was really offensive was not a political banner but the presence of the UDA death squads and the role of the Gardai in attempting to prevent our protest.  Their intimidation of protesters by issuing threats to arrest  searching cars and individuals, seizing political material, manhandling people and trying to prevent photos and video footage being taken was beneath contempt."

Casey concluded:  "Once again the Gardai have shown themselves as a political police force who have no hesitation in breaking their own laws in order to protect the interests of the political and business elite in this state.  They also have put the interests of the British state and their proxies in the unionist death squads before  the interests of the citizens of this state, in particular the families of the victims of collusion who continue to seek justice for their loved ones."

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The Windsor Visit – A Bad Week for Irish Journalism

For months the political, business and media establishment have told us that the Windsor visit would result in all sorts of benefits and positive changes for this state.  So now as she has finally left our shores, what are all these benefits and what exactly has changed as a result of this visit?  Has there been any postive political developments?  Has there been any change in the relationship between the peoples of Britain and Ireland?

According to Kathy Sheridan writing in the Irish Times on Wednesday - 'All is changed, changed utterly'. The reality however is completely different. Look beyond the media hype and spin and it is clear that nothing has changed at all.

As the Windsors departed our shores yesterday (Friday) their government continue to deny the Irish people the right to self-determination. Just one hundred miles up the road from our capital city, 5000 British troops continue to occupy the six counties. The 9000 strong human rights abusing British paramilitary police – the RUC/PSNI – and the hundreds of MI5 operatives who enforce the occupation remain in place also.

The RUC/PSNI continue to engage in a systematic campaign of harassment and intimidation against those who dare challenge British rule in Ireland. They continue to carry out house-raids and terrorise nationalist estates as well as engaging in illegal stop and search operations which violate human rights legislation.

The internment of ex republican POW's has also been stepped up with Marian Price last week being the latest to be jailed at the behest of the British government without trial. The denial of political status for republican prisoners, their ill-treatment and torture and miscarriages of justice all continue unabated.

Have the families of the victims of the Dublin/Monaghan bombings, the anniversary of which was the very day Windsor arrived in Dublin, received a commitment that the British government will open their secret files on their role in the atrocities? Once more the answer is no as Britain rules out doing so, denying justice yet again to the families. Yet not a single whimper of protest from the sorry excuse for leaders of this so-called 'republic' who were too busy bowing and scraping before the 'British Royals' to stand up for the people they claim to govern on behalf of.

As for the relationship between the people of Ireland and Britain, nothing has changed there either.

Why not?  Put simply this visit was never about them. This was about a select wealthy political and business elite who care nothing for the working class people of either Ireland or Britain. It was about 'normalising', not relations between Irish and British people, but rather the continued military and political occupation of the six counties.

Over recent months the establishment went into overdrive promoting this visit and trying to downplay and silence opposition to it.  However, even more shameful was the unquestioning sycophantic role played by the corporate media over this visit. We have been treated to months and months of meaningless platitudes such as 'its time to move on', 'leave the past behind us', 'forgive and forget' and the extreme nonsense that somehow welcoming an undemocratic, sectarian, head of an occupying army is somehow us as a nation 'maturing'.

Gardai try to Intimidate éirígí activists legally erecting posters in Dublin on eve of Windsor visit

In a prime example of how overwhelmingly pro-establishment, compliant and gutless the corporate media in this state is, they ensured that there was absolutely no critical analysis of these platitudes and bogus assertions. There was virtually no questioning of the basis of any of those claims regardless of how ludricous they were. Instead they merely produced article after article, opinion piece after opinion piece, parroting the 'consensus' of how great the English Monarch is and how great this visit would be for all of us.  And as for anyone who had the cheek to question this consensus the corporate media spared no effort in their attempts to portray them as somehow being political dinosaurs filled with hate and bitterness.

So it would have been hard to imagine that Irish corporate media coverage of the actual visit itself could be any more cringeworthy. However, to be fair to them, they made a sterling effort and succeeded to produce four days of vomit inducing commentary that ignored the opposition to it and ignored the plight of Dublin residents suffering under the massive security operation and lock-down. They also deliberately ignored the co-ordinated and illegal actions of the Gardai in attempting to prevent legitimate peaceful protest.

Union Jack Flies above Government Buildings Dublin while Gardai throw Irish National Flag in Refuse truck

None dared break the consensus and report on Gardai stealing posters and banners or throwing the national flag in rubbish bins and refuse trucks as they effectively banned it from the capital city of this state. There was no questioning as to whether the tens of millions of euros spent on this visit would have been better spent elsewhere, such as in our hospitals and schools or for Special Needs Assistants and Carers or to assist the families of victims of British atrocities.

They did not dare direct their “move forward” comments towards Windsor and her government. Surely it would have been appropriate to ask that in order to 'move forward' and 'put the past behind us' that the British finally end their occupation of the six counties? Surely they could have asked them if they were genuine in wanting improved relations between Ireland and Britain that they open up their secret files on their involvement in the Dublin/Monaghan bombings and other atrocities they committed in collusion with the unionist death squads (whose leaders were her special guests at islandbridge on Wednesday)?

But no, silence on these issues was the consensus. No mention of the fact that these troops of hers continue to commit atrocities around the world.  Indeed within hours of Windsor departing from Ireland, hundreds of her notorious Royal Irish Regiment (RIR) soldiers marched through Ballymena after completing their latest stint in their brutal occupation of Afghanistan. 

No mention of the fact that she is a war crimes apologist. No mention of the fact that she continues to refuse to strip from the Paratroopers responsible for the Bloody Sunday massacre the honours that she awarded those murderers. 

Instead we heard a narrative of a little old lady and her husband over for a few quiet days in Ireland to promote peace and goodwill.  And no 'journalist' dared ask the obvious question – what exactly is it about this anti-democratic, sectarian, war crimes apologist who lives a life of privilege, that has the leaders of this so-called 'republic' here in the 26 counties almost wetting themselves with excitement at the prospect of being in her company and fawning over her? 

The one sure thing that could be said about the Irish corporate media's coverage was that it could not be described, no matter how broad a definition used, as 'journalism'. Those that produced such biased, unquestioning and sycophantic reports in this propaganda blitz should hang their heads in shame. It has exposed yet again a complete lack of any credible mainstream media outlet willing to critically examine or question the political establishment line.

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éirígí anti-Windsor Protests, May 17th – Full Report

Tuesday’s [May 17] day of protest against the state visit of Elizabeth Windsor began on O’Connell Street when a group of éirígí activists and supporters staged an impromptu sit-down protest beside the Spire monument. As Windsor left Casement Aerodrome, on the outskirts of the city, the chants of ‘Can you hear us loud and clear? British royals not welcome here!’ and ‘Whose streets? Our streets?’ were echoing off the historic GPO.

As more activists arrived with flags and megaphones the face of the Gardaí said it all. Despite the massive security operation that had been put in place it was clear that the voice of Irish republicanism was going to be loudly heard in the centre of Dublin. By the time Gardaí formed a line to prevent further supporters joining the protest there were already thirty people sitting on the ground, with more arriving by the minute.

Within ten minutes of the action starting there were two groups of protesters in place – one on the otherwise deserted central plaza of Dublin’s main thoroughfare and one hemmed behind the police line at the top of Henry Street. With roughly two hours remaining until Windsor’s scheduled arrival on O’Connell Street scores of Gardaí began to forcibly push protesters back down Henry Street.

When that task was completed another large force of Gardaí prepared to move on the activists sitting beside the Spire. In the face of certain arrest and removal from the streets for the duration of the Garden of Remembrance ceremony, the group of activists made their way en bloc to their comrades at the top of Moore Street.

The professionalism of the Garda was to the fore as the various top brass starting issuing contradictory orders to various sections of their yellow-coated goons. So as some Gardaí tried to arrest the protesters others opened the police line to let them onto Henry Street, and yet more started pushing protesters back down the street!

The chaotic scenes continued for roughly five minutes before the now 150-strong group of éirígí activists and supporters made their way to 16 Moore Street for a wreath-laying ceremony. The protest had lasted over half an hour, during which time hundreds of onlookers and dozens of journalists had witnessed both the dignity of the protesters and the aggression of the Gardaí.

At 16 Moore Street éirígí ‘s Ursula Ní Shionnain gave a brief speech prior to the laying of a wreath in memory of all of those who have died for Irish freedom, which was followed by a minute’s silence. With the ceremony complete the large and very loud protest moved onwards towards the Garda line at the corner of Parnell Square. Once there, the entire crowd sat down on the road where they remained for close to two hours in a remarkable demonstration of dignified and disciplined political protest.

Those who found themselves sitting on Parnell Street were an unusual mix of seasoned political activists, school children, university students, workers, the unemployed and those who call the streets of the north inner city home. For almost two hours they sang rebel songs, chanted anti-royal slogans, blew whistles and banged drums – united in their opposition to Windsor and all that she represents.

Despite the oppressive security operation and the ample provocation of Windsor’s presence in the Garden of Remembrance, the ever-swelling crowd did not walk into the trap that the forces of the state had laid for them. Instead they maintained a dignified and disciplined protest which succeeded in its objective.

Footage of the protest was beamed around the world by Sky News and other multi-national news stations. The message was unmistakable – Windsor is not welcome; Britain out of Ireland. In countless radio, television and print interviews éirígí spokespeople hammered home that same message again and again. And when Windsor finally arrived at the Garden of Remembrance the noise of the protest was deafening as hundreds of voices, whistles, drums and air-horns screamed their unmistakable opposition to the British Empire.

Although Windsor, and the apologists that joined her, may not have seen any protesters they most certainly heard them, a fact confirmed by journalists who were in the Garden and those who could hear the protest as far away as Denmark Street. All in all, it was a most unusual and most successful protest – one that sat in perfect harmony with the anti-royal protests of Connolly and Markievicz one hundred years before hand.

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Saor Éire 2011 – A gathering for socialists and republicans

They think they have bought half of us off with the withdrawal of the British garrison in Ireland to barracks and fooled the rest of us into believing that bail outs and tax breaks for the rich are somehow in the interests of working people.

However the fools they have left us armed with something far more dangerous than any bullet or any ounce.

The historical legacy and political ideas of James Connolly should act as a guide to the actions that republicans and socialists should be engaged in.

Ninety-five years after the execution of Irish socialist republican James Connolly, Ireland remains under the yoke of capitalism and imperialism.

On Saturday, May 7, éirígí has organised a gathering where the way forward for the national liberation and class struggles in Ireland today can debated and discussed.

‘Saor Éire’ in the 1930s was central to the project of radicalising a generation of activists and it is fitting then that it will today be the title for a gathering which hopes over the coming years to achieve the same end.

‘Saor Éire’ – A gathering for socialists and republicans

Venue: Ashling Hotel (Parkgate Street, across from Heuston Station)
 

Date: Saturday, May 7

10am – The resources of Ireland for the people of Ireland?
The giveaway of Irish natural and the struggle to reclaim them. Speakers: Maura Harrington (Shell to Sea) and more.

11am – James Connolly – Idol or Ideologue for Irish Republicans?
Speakers: Aindrias Ó Cathasaigh (author) and Dr Brian Kelly (lecturer, QUB).
A discussion on whether Irish republicans only see James Connolly in terms of his involvement in the 1916 Rising or seriously use his writings and actions over his lifetime as a guide to their political commitments.

12 Noon – Fighting back against the EU/IMF cuts
Speakers include éirígí's Daithí Mac An Mháistir, Pepe Gutierrez from Latin America Solidarity Campaign and Brendan Ogle of Unite the Union.

1pm – Break

1.30pm – No Queen Here – Why we oppose monarchy and imperialism
Brian Leeson of éirígí, Roger Cole of PANA and others will take part in a discussion on the imminent arrival of the commander of British military and why imperialism in Ireland and abroad must be resisted.

3.30pm – James Connolly Commemoration, Arbour Hill cemetery.

éirígí 1916 Commemorations

From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come

Following months of discussion, éirígí recently adopted its position paper on socialism - From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come. This is a critical development for the rebuilding of socialist republicanism in Ireland.

When éirígí was established as a campaigns group in April 2006 it did so as an avowedly socialist republican organisation, founded upon the principles of that champion of revolutionary socialism in Ireland, James Connolly.

The activists who ultimately founded éirígí had first asked themselves two questions: Was the objective of a socialist republic still relevant in today’s world? And if so, was there a need for a new political organisation to fight for the creation of that republic? With the answer to both these questions being a definitive yes, éirígí came into existence.

Four and a half years later, the party has reached another significant milestone with the publication of a major ideological policy paper. From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come is not only an important development for éirígí as a political party; it is also an important for the development of socialist republicanism in Ireland.

From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come does not simply reject capitalism in all of its forms; it also sets out éirígí’s vision of an alternative society based upon the public ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange.

Over the course of the last century many Irish republicans have come to the conclusion that an Ireland which remained capitalist post a British withdrawal would not really be free at all. And éirígí is proud to follow in that tradition, to follow in the footsteps of organisations such as the Irish Socialist Republican Party and the Republican Congress and of individuals like Peadar O’Donnell, Liam Mellows, Constance Markiewicz, Frank Ryan and Mairéad Farrell.

However, From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come is not just about éirígí taking its place in Ireland’s revolutionary tradition. It is also about changing the parameters of debate in republican Ireland and beyond. It is about building the theoretical foundations for a powerful movement in Ireland that will be uncompromisingly republican and socialist. A revolutionary republican movement that has class politics at the core of its analysis, a movement that will never again commit the mistakes of militarism, constitutionalism or the pernicious notion that labour ‘must wait’.

The process by which éirígí developed and adopted From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come was itself an example of the type of participative democracy that éirígí wishes to see at the heart of a new socialist Ireland. This process saw an initial draft debated by the entire membership within their respective local Ciorcail (branches). Each individual member was afforded the right to suggest deletions, additions and amendments to the document.

Once the first round of discussion had been completed a second draft of the paper, based upon the feedback received from the membership, was drafted. This second draft was then circulated to the entire membership and again debated within the local Ciorcail. The feedback from this second round of discussions informed the drafting of the third and final draft of From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come.

For the first time a dispersed voting procedure was used which saw members voting at meeting of their local ciorcal on whether to adopt or reject the paper. As with all major strategic and policy issues each member of the party had an equal vote. The result of this vote saw the paper being unanimously adopted.

While the process of developing and adopting From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come took a number of months to complete, it was time well spent. éirígí’s unique decisions-making process, as contained within Bunreacht éirígí, places consensus building at the heart of a process of decision making.

Many Irish republican and socialist organisations are based upon outdated and anti-democratic ‘top-down’ models of decision-making. Such models are inherently unstable, leading to leadership cliques and internal divisions. Organisations which use delegate based organisational models, pressure cooker conferences and artificial deadlines to make decisions are invariably corrupted by leaderships who think they know better than their memberships.

Announcing the public launch of From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come, cathaoirleach éirígí Brian Leeson said: “Ireland today is at a crossroads. We can continue down the path of capitalism and imperialism that has partitioned our country, exploited our population and impoverished our communities or we can strike out for a better future based upon national independence and socialism.

“From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come correctly asserts that the only option that will work for the vast majority of the Irish people is that of independence and socialism.

“There can be no compromise between the exploiter and the exploited. It is a matter of their prosperity or ours – the slave owner and the slave cannot be prosperous together.

“éirígí is under no illusions as to the mammoth scale of the task that has been set out in this document. It is the same task that confronted the men and women of 1916 and it is the same task that confronted the thousands of republicans who fought the struggle over the last 40 years – it is about nothing less than the re-conquest of Ireland by the working people of Ireland.

“We need to start small while thinking big. We need to organise in our communities, in our workplaces, in our places of education, in our homes and on our streets. We need to make the argument with every single person who has no vested interest in the current rotten system that there is a better way and a better destination. There is a system that the working people of Ireland can have a stake in – that system is socialism and the time to start fighting for that system is now.”

To read From Socialism Alone Can the Salvation of Ireland Come click here

A Celebration of Resistance: James Connolly: 1910 - 2010

(English version follows)

Mar chuid d’Fhéile Gasyard na bliana seo, beidh Cnuaschoiste Shaor Doire ag óstáil oíche phlé agus cheoil chun comóradh céad bhliain tuirlingt Shéamuis Uí Chonghaile i nDoire agus a fhilleadh ó Mheiriceá Theas go Éire a mharcáil.

Dúirt urlabhraí do Chnuaschoiste Shaor Doire “Is imeacht de chomóradh chéad bhliain é a cruthaíodh chun tuirlingt Shéamuis Uí Chonghaile i nDoire a aibhsiú, feicthe anois mar cheann de na teagmhais is stairiúla in Éirinn.

“Aon chéad bhliain ó shin ar an lá seo, an 26ú Iúil 1910 i lár méadú corraíola shóisialta agus tionsclaíochta, d’fhill duine de na réabhlóidithe Éireannacha is túisce ar Éire, ag fógairt ceann de na tréimhsí is stairiúla a bheadh ag ár n-aicme agus ina dhiaidh sin do stair na hÉireann. I rith an ama seo ghlac Ó Conghaile páirt, arís eile i gcorraíl san áit oibre tríd an ról a bhí aige i gCeardchumann Oibrithe Iompair agus Ilsaothar na hÉireann. Leis an bhorradh seo i ngníomaíocht cheardchumainn ar fud na tíre, go dtí Glásáil Amach Bhaile Átha Cliath, agus i gcruthú ceann de na céad milístí oibrithe, Arm Saoránach na hÉireann agus go dtí a bhás míthráthúil tar éis an ról a bhí aige i rith Éirí Amach na Cásca 1916, déanfaidh an comóradh céad bhliain ceiliúradh agus tuilleadh scrúdú ar shaol agus polaitíocht radacach An Chonghailigh.



“I rith na hoíche beidh roinnt painéalaithe ag féachaint ar ábharthacht agus an ról a bhí ag polaitíocht aicmeach An Chonghailigh ansin agus fiú inniu. Thar roinnt blianta amach romhainn beidh tuilleadh athscrúdú ar mharcóirí stairiúla cosúla i stair na hÉireann gan dabht a tharla san áit oibre agus ar an tsráid. Ba chóir go mbeadh an ceiliúradh seo faoi fhilleadh Shéamuis Uí Chonghaile ar Dhoire agus ar Éire í féin feicthe mar thús orthu, is ceiliúradh é ar fhrithbheartaíocht an lucht oibre in aghaidh impiriúlachas agus caipitleachas.”

I measc iad siúd a bheidh ag glacadh páirt ar an bpainéal plé beidh iar-ghníomhaí Cearta Sibhialta Bernadette McAliskey, staraí de chuid Páirtí an Lucht Oibre Dr. Emmet O’ Connor agus iar-chime poblachtánach agus eagraí an IWU, Tommy McKearney a roinnfidh a gcuid smaointe ar an tréimhse seo agus ar Shéamuis Ó Conghaile é féin. Beidh bailéid oibrithe ó cheoltóirí áitiúla ag an oíche chomh maith agus bia dea-mhéine.

Beidh na ceiliúraidh ar siúl ag a 7i.n. ag an ionad Gasyard, Bóthar Lecky, Dé Luain an 26ú Iúil.

A Celebration of Resistance: James Connolly: 1910 - 2010

As part of this years Gasyard Feile, the Free Derry Collective will be hosting a discussion and music evening to mark the centenary of James Connolly’s landing in Derry and his return from North America to Ireland.

A spokesperson for the Free Derry Collective said “It’s a centennial event which has been created to shed some light on James Connolly’s landing in Derry, itself now seen as one of Ireland’s most historical episodes.

“One hundred years to the day, on 26th July 1910 amidst increasing social and industrial unrest, one of Ireland’s foremost revolutionary figures James Connolly returned to Ireland, heralding what was to be one of the most historic periods for our class and subsequently for Irish history. It was during this time Connolly once again, took part in workplace agitation, through his role within the Irish Transport and General Workers Union. With this upsurge in trade unionism activity across the country, to the Dublin Lock Out, and the creation of one of the first workers militia, the Irish Citizens Army and to his untimely death following his role played during the Easter Rising of 1916, this centenary event will both celebrate and examine further the life and radical politics of Connolly.

“During the evening several panellists will also be looking at the relevance and role that Connolly’s class politics has had back then and even today. Over the next several years there will undoubtedly be a further re-examination of similar historical markers in Irish history which took place both in the workplace and on the streets. This celebration of James Connolly’s arrival back to Derry and Ireland itself should be seen as just the beginning of these, it’s a celebration of working class resistance to both imperialism and capitalism.”

Among those taking part in the panel for discussion will be Veteran Civil Rights activist Bernadette McAliskey, Labour historian Dr. Emmet O'Connor and Former republican prisoner and IWU organiser, Tommy Mc Kearney who will share their thoughts on this period and of James Connolly himself. The evening will also have a selection of workers ballads from local musicians and some complimentary food.

The celebrations will take place at 7pm Gasyard Centre, Lecky Rd on Monday 26th July.