Wear a White Poppy

What follows is a letter written to the editor of the Donegal Democrat newspaper in November.

Letter to the Editor.

Wear a White Poppy

In Tuesday's the 9th of November’s Donegal Democrat, Paddy Harte was making his annual tribute to those who died in the First World War, I don't doubt he means well, but it is clearly time for a more balanced view.  What comes across from Paddy is a glorification of war, and of course he's going to deny it is, but I'm sorry that is how I see it.

           First let me deal with the way he deals with the history, he takes men who clearly fought for different ideas, and tries to put them all in the one camp, this is a disservice to all of them. May I deal with Tom Barry,  he points out that Tom Barry was in the British Army since 1913, this is so; it was form his experiences and treatment by the officer board of that army that Tom Barry became disillusioned, came back to Ireland and fought the British Army for the rest of his life.  In his autobiography he deals with his disillusionment, his youthfulness and the misguided politicians who sent them to war, that should be accepted by all, he knows that he was duped and gave himself no credits for being so.

           Then Paddy tries to unite two brothers in death William Kent and Eamon Kent, Eamon was executed by those wearing British Army uniforms, he signed a document that gave thanks to our gallant allies in Europe, the same people that his brother William was fighting against.  To put these two men together in this way is a disservice to the two of them.  William Kent was killed for the King a year after his brother was executed by the King's men.  Get off on stage Paddy and become real.

              Paddy goes to Flanders every year, did he ever lay a wreath to our gallant allies in Europe? No.  Did he ever lay a wreath to any of the 601 executed at dawn, especially the young Irishman executed for insubordination, one for not putting on his hat on.  If you were Irish you had a 25% more chance of being executed for insubordination, desertion, ect, than a man from England, Scotland or Wales.  Men from the two traditions were executed by a cruel officer class, for very little indeed.   Anyone who was executed, was put in an unmarked grave, and their families at home got no pensions, they where left destitute.  What does Paddy Harte have to say about that?

                  Paddy Harte said if Kevin Barry had been four years older he would have been in Khaki, how dare you Paddy Harte, he would have been in the 1916 rising.  This young man, a student Doctor, was captured as a prisoner of war, badly treated and then executed.  You cannot insult our glorious dead in this way, those who died in Flanders, could not lick his boots; that is no disrespected to those who died in Flanders, only to you Paddy Hart for the distortions.  It is time to put a bit of respect, decency, balance and truthfulness into the whole topic.  Those who went to Flanders were not answering Ireland's call; they were answering England's call and that of the King.  The poor lads were duped.

            Should we remember them, of course we should, but what should we not forget?  We must never forget the perpetrators of the war, the British, the German, the Russian monarchists and capitalists.  They sent a whole generation of European youth to their graves needlessly.  The Germans and the Russians have no monarchies now, good, but the British have, and still send young men to die in needless war.  Thankfully to the men and women of 1916 Ireland no longer has to do that.

                   The wearing of a white poppy would be fitting tribute to these people, the Red poppy is the poppy of the British Legion, and is to all British soldiers who died anywhere in the world, including Ireland. Should we honour the Black and Tans? No we should not, nor should we honour those who came after them, up to the present-day.

          Finally I would like to deal with another aspect of the war; it was not a war for the freedom of smile nations.  In 1915 Turkey, a peaceful, country was invaded, by two of the monarchists’ countries, Britain and Russia.  Thousands died in Gallipoli,those sent there included 1000 Dublin Fusiliers, of whom only 12 survived.  One of the survivors I knew and I worked with three of his sons, his name was John Whelan, he was a corporal and was credited with saving the other 11 lives, he was promoted on the battlefield to the rank of major, but when it came to him been demorped he was reduced to a sergeant, as he wasn't a commissioned officer in the first place.  This is the class nature of the British Army to this day.  They treat all working people shamefully.

                                                                     

Bill O’Brien,

Malinmore,

Glencolumbkille.

Republican History: The 1918 General Strike

12/12/2010

With calls for a general strike and civil disobedience gaining ground in the face of the economic crisis, we look at an example in Irish history when the tactic of the general strike was successfully employed by the Irish working class.

During World War One, the British imperialist war effort came under severe pressure from a German offensive on the Western Front in the spring of 1918.

Following a number of setbacks, the British government began to look around for a new wave of cannon fodder to be sent to the front. Accordingly, their gaze soon turned on Ireland.

Viewing the Irish working class as little more than a munition of war at its disposal, the British establishment decided to force conscription on Ireland. On April 16, 1918, the Military Service Bill, which introduced conscription to the British army in Ireland was voted through the British parliament at Westminster. In an effort to avoid a backlash in Ireland, the British linked this bill to an Irish Home Rule Bill.

Conscription outraged public opinion in Ireland. The bill was opposed by nationalists, republicans, socialists and the catholic clergy.

On April 18, a conference was held in the Mansion House, Dublin, hosted by Lawrence O'Neill, then mayor of the capital. At the conference, the Irish Anti-Conscription Committee was formed.

This committee would organise resistance to conscription on a national scale. Representatives from all shades of nationalist opinion, including organised labour, the Irish Parliamentary Party, the All for Ireland League and Sinn Féin were involved.

The committee soon launched an anti-conscription pledge, which read: “Denying the right of the British government to enforce compulsory service in this country, we pledge ourselves solemnly to one another to resist conscription by the most effective means at our disposal.”

With the backing of the catholic clergy, subscriptions to the pledge were taken at the church door in every parish on Sunday, April 21.

The organised labour movement soon became the leading light in the campaign. In a show of working class strength not seen since the 1913 Lockout, a general strike was called in opposition to any attempt to introduce conscription to Ireland.

At a special conference in late April, the Irish Trade Unions Congress called a one-day general strike for the 23rd of the month. Work ground to a halt in railways, docks, factories, mills, theatres, cinemas, trams, the public service, shipyards, newspapers, shops, and munitions factories. Workers withdrew their labour throughout the country and industry was brought to a halt.

In his book Forgotten Revolution: The Limerick Soviet 1919, Liam Cahill noted that the strike was “complete and entire, an unprecedented event outside the continental countries”.

Commenting in Liam Mellows and the Irish Revolution, the historian C Desmond Greaves said that “the British Government had succeeded in uniting against it an array of forces not seen since the days of the United Irishmen”.

For the duration of the general strike, the country came to a standstill. The working class succeeded in showing who could really hold power in Ireland if there was unity and determination in action.

The Irish working class put it up to the might of British imperialism and the Empire subsequently backed down. The fierce opposition shown, the success of the general strike and the USA’s entry into the imperialist war meant conscription was never introduced to Ireland.

The conscription crisis helped to radicalise the Irish working class, who, less than a year later through the Irish Republican Army, would take the war to the British establishment in Ireland.

The following opinion piece, written by Tommy McKearney, deals with the causes of todays current calamity in the Twenty-Six Counties. Tommy McKearney is a former member of the IRA who now works as an organiser with the Independent Workers Union and as a freelance journalist.

It is the System That's Wrong

(English version follows)

Ciorraithe ar leasa shóisialta, an íosphá íslithe, cúram sláinte laghdaithe agus cánacha cruálacha brúite ar an té is boichte san sochaí, chomh maith le h-ualach pionóis eile curtha ar shaoránaithe mhí-ámharacha na tíre míchothroime seo. Agus an scrios seo go léir déanta ag rialtas éillitheach le híoc ar son rabairneacht agus fiacha cearrbhachais lucht rachmais na tíre. Tháinig siad le chéile: baincéirí atá neamhfhreagrach go coiriúil, amhantraithe cama tithíochta agus aicme rialaithe míchóir, le hÉirinn a laghdú go staid spleáchais eacnamaíochta chomh domhain agus nach bhfacas a leithéid ó d’fhág na Dúchrónaigh.

Tá cathú mór ann an méar a shíniú i dtreo daoine aonaracha agus aird a tharraingt ar liosta éagóraithe atá cionntach as an t-uafas seo a tharraingt anuas ar na daoine. D’fhéadfaidh cás a dhéanamh ar son foirm éigin aisíocaíochta a éileamh ó na caimiléirí agus na bithiúnaigh a ghoid an chéad bhlas ariamh, leis na céadta bliain, a fuair muintir na hÉireann don rathúnas.

Cé gurbh fhurast tuigbhéal go nglacfaidh dearcadh mar sin, bheadh sé mícheart díriú isteach ar na daoine a rinne oiread de dhroch dhamáiste dúinn. Tá an eagla ann, má dhearcann muid ar an fhadhb seo mar fhadhb a rinne daoine aonaracha, in áit dearcadh air mar thoradh dosheachanta an chórais eacnamaíochta Nua-Liobrálach, saormhargaidh, atá fabhtach go domhain, go creidfí gur féidir réiteach a fháil air tré na bithiúnaigh sin a mhalartú leis na ‘daoine cearta’.

Cheana féin tá roinnt daoine ag trácht ar Mhícheál Ó Laoire a chur i gcumhacht, leis an dóchas go bhféadfadh sé ‘tarrtháil a thabhairt ar an gheilleagar’. Tá siad tógtha leis an smaoineadh den Taoiseach Ó Laoire, tá siad den bharúil go mbeadh sé i ann an tír iomlán a iompú thart agus a dhéanamh tairbhiúil dá bharr go bhfuil sé ina bhainisteoir ar aerlíne thairbhiúil. Don am i láthair, níl in seo ach dearcadh an mhionlaigh. Mar sin féin, mar gheall ar an fháilte a chur earnáil gnó na hÉireann roimh an ionsaí a rinneadh ar oibrithe, mar a fógraíodh sa phlean ceithre-bliana, cá bhfios cad a dtabharfaidh siad tacaíocht do má theipeann (agus is cinnte go dteipfidh) ar an chéad rialtas eile na laetha órga nó an Tíogar Cheilteach a thabhairt ar ais?

Is iad na gadaithe sanntacha a thug muintir na hÉireann go dtín géarchéim anróiteach seo bunrúta na faidhbe. Ach, is é an chóras eacnamaíocht, a raibh siad féin i gceannas air, a cheadaigh dóibh na coireanna sin a dhéanamh. Tá sé tábhachtach go leanann muid ag cuir béime go bhfuil freagair ár ndeacrachtaí le fáil in athrú bhunúsach a dhéanamh ar an chóras eacnamaíocht atá againn faoi láthair. An cineál córas eacnamaíochta atá de dhith ar Éirinn nó córas a dhéanann freastail ar riachtanais gach duine sa tír agus ní amháin ar shainnt roinnt bheag daoine pribhléideacha.

Thar gach eile ní, séard atá uainn nó Poblacht Dhaonlathach Shóisialach.

It is the System That's Wrong

Social welfare cuts, the minimum wage reduced, health care diminished and cruel taxes levied upon the poorest in society and a host of other penalties imposed on the unfortunate citizens of this most distressful country. And all of this wrecking done by a degenerate government in order to pay for the extravagances and gambling debts of the country’s elite. Criminally irresponsible bankers, crooked property speculators and a corrupt governing class have combined to reduce Ireland to a state of dependency that we haven’t known since the Black and Tans departed.

It would be very tempting to individualise the problem and point to a list of miscreants who have perpetrated this outrage on the people. A case could certainly be made for demanding some form of retribution from the swindlers and charlatans who have robbed us of the first sight of prosperity the Irish have seen in centuries.

However understandable it might be to adopt this view, it would be wrong to concentrate on the personalities who have damaged us so severely. There is a risk that if we view this problem as the making of individuals as distinct from the inevitable outcome of a deeply flawed, free market, neo-liberal economic system, some may come to believe that a solution lies in replacing the reprobates with the ‘right individual’.

Already some are mooting the idea of electing Michael O’Leary to a position of power in the hope that he could ‘rescue the economy’. They are attracted by the thought of a Taoiseach O’Leary, arguing that since he is managing a profitable airline that he would be able to return the entire country to profitability. For the time being this is very much a minority view. Yet in light of the Irish business sector’s welcome for the assault on workers announced in the four-year economic plan, who knows what they might support if the next government fails (as it most surely will) to restore the glory days of the Celtic Tiger?

The greedy crooks who brought the people of Ireland to the distressful situation they currently find themselves in are the immediate cause of the calamity. It is the economic system over which they presided, though, that allowed them to perpetrate their crimes. It is important that we continue to emphasise that the answer to our difficulties lies in a fundamental change to the present economic system. Ireland’s people require an economy that serves the needs of all and not the greed of a privileged few.


Above all, we need a democratic socialist republic.

Cuid mhór i láthair ag agóid fhrith-bhuiséad an Chlocháin Liath

08/12/2010

(English version follows)

D'ainneoin na drochaimsire fabhtaí oíche Mháirt, tháinig slua de níos mó ná 120 duine amach ar phríomhshráid an Chlocháin Liath i gCo. Dhún na nGall chun freastal ar agóid eagraithe ag an pháirtí sóisialach poblachtánach éirígí in aghaidh buiséid 2011.

Ag a sé a chlog oíche Mháirt chruinnigh daoine ag oifigí Fhianna Fáil ar an Chlochán Liath. Chonaic an cruinniú daoine ó gach aoisghrúpa, idir pháistí óga agus déagóirí go dtí seanóirí ag tabhairt aghaidh ar theochtaí an-fhuara agus ar dhálaí oighreata chun a bhfearg agus a gcur in éadan in aghaidh an bhuiséid a chur in iúl ina raibh ciorruithe ar leas sóisialach agus sochar linbh, ciorruithe ar phá oibrithe chomh maith le laghdú ar an íosphá agus ciorruithe ollmhóra do na ceantair Ghaeltachta.

I rith na hagóide, thug urlabhraí éirígí i nDún na nGall, Mícheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig aitheasc don slua ag rá "Caithfidh daoine cuimhniú go bhfuil gach uile TD, FPE, Seanadóir agus Comhairleoir atá tofa, cé acu anseo i nDún na nGall nó go náisiúnta, go léir ciontach go cothrom as staid na tíre seo inniu toisc gur thacaigh siad leis na polasaithe a thóg chuig an ghéarchéim seo muid. Ní féidir linn muinín a bheith againn as na polaiteoirí seo agus an t-aon bhealach chun tosaigh ná feachtas marthanach d'agóideanna sráide, easumhlaíocht sibhialta agus stailceanna ginearálta eagraithe ag na gnáthdhaoine."

I ndiaidh an imeachta mhol An tUasal Mac Giolla Easbuig na daoine a d'fhreastal ar an agóid. "Ba fhear áitiúil é Peadar O'Donnell as an bhaile seo agus bheadh sé bródúil as an slua mór daoine a tháinig amach anseo anocht. Tá a spiorad diongbháilteacht agus a throid ar son ceartais shóisialta beo go maith iontu" a dúirt sé. "Caithfear na hiarrachtaí a rinne siad chun a bheith anseo anocht a mholadh, go háirithe leis an drochaimsir ghuaiseach a d'fhulaing siad. Ba iontach an rud é mná agus fir ó gach aoisghrúpa a fheiceáil anseo agus bhí sé ar fheabhas déagóirí agus páistí chomh óg le seacht mbliana d'aois a fheiceáil ag déanamh iarracht páirt a ghlacadh" lean urlabhraí éirígí.

Chríochnaigh Mac Giolla Easbuig: "Ní thabharfaidh daoine faoi deara cé chomh géar is atá na ciorruithe seo ach sna míonna amach romhainn mar sin tá sé riachtanach go bhfanann siad ar na sráideanna ionas go n-éisteofar leo agus go spreagann siad daoine eile chun an rud céanna a dhéanamh. Caithfidh gach duine na ciorruithe seo a fhriotú, ar na sráideanna cosúil leis an oíche anocht chomh maith le sa láthair oibre. Ní féidir le ach na daoine féin dul i bhfeidhm ar athrú agus ba chóir go mbeidh an oíche anocht an chéad léirsiú as an chuid mhór atá le teacht ionas go bhfaigheann na gnáthdhaoine an cháilíocht beatha chothrom, chóir agus ghnaíúil atá tuillte acu. I ndiaidh an sluaite a tháinig amach anocht a fheiceáil creidim gur féidir leis na daoine é seo a bhaint amach."

Large Turnout At Dungloe Anti-Budget Protest

Some of the crowd at the Budget 2011 protest in Dungloe

Despite treacherous weather conditions on Tuesday night, a crowd of over 120 people took to Dungloe Main Street in County Donegal to attend a protest organised by the socialist republican party éirígí against the 2011 Budget.

At six o'clock on Tuesday evening people gathered at the Fianna Fáil offices in Dungloe. The gathering seen people of all ages from young children and teenagers through to senior citizens brave freezing cold temperatures and icy conditions to vent their anger and opposition to the budget which seen cuts in social welfare and child benefits, cuts in workers pay including a reduction in the minimum wage and huge cuts to the Gaeltacht regions. 

éirígí Tir Chonaill sokesperson
Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig
addressing the crowd

During the protest, éirígí spokesperson in Donegal Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig addressed the crowd saying “People must remember that every one of the elected TDs, MEPs, Senators and Councillors whether here in Donegal or nationally, are all equally guilty for the state this country is in today due to the fact they backed the policies which led to this crisis. We cannot trust these politicians and a sustained campaign of street protest, civil disobedience and general strikes organised by ordinary people is the only way forward.”

Following the event Mr Mac Giolla Easbuig commended the people who attended the protest. “Peadar O'Donnell was a local man from this town and he would be proud of the large numbers of people who turned out here tonight.  His spirit of determination and fight for social justice is alive and well in them”  he said. “The efforts they made to be here must be commended, especially given the hazardous weather conditions they endured. It was great to see so many women and men of all ages here and seeing teenagers and children as young as seven making the effort to join in was fantastic” continued the éirígí spokesperson.

MacGiolla Easbuig concluded:  "People will only start to realise how harsh these cuts are in the coming months so it is imperative that they stay on the streets to let their voices be heard and that they encourage others to do the same.  These cuts must be resisted by everyone, both on the streets like tonight and in the workplace. Only the people themselves can truly affect change and tonight should be the first of many demonstrations to come so the ordinary people get the fair, just and decent quality of life they deserve. Seeing tonight's turnout makes me believe the people can achieve this.”

the éirígí Budget 2011 protest in Dungloe

Agóid Lae an Bhuiséid an Chlocháin Liath - Caithfidh daoine a bhfearg a chur in iúl ar na sráideanna

02/12/2010

(English version follows)

Public Sevices cutbacks protest, Sligo

Beidh an páirtí sóisialach poblachtánach éirígí ag eagrú agóide in aghaidh buiséid 2011 taobh amuigh d'oifig Fhianna Fáil ar an Chlochán Liath ag a 6I.N. ar an 7ú Nollaig, an lá a eiseofar an buiséad. Tá an agóid á eagrú ionas go mbeidh an deis ag an phobal a bhfearg a chur in iúl in aghaidh an bhuiséid is déine a bheidh i stair an stáit.

Agus é ag fógairt na hagóide, dúirt urlabhraí éirígí i dTír Chonaill, Mícheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig: "Arís eile buailfear na daoine is leochailí sa tsochaí níos crua ag an bhuiséad seo mar beidh ciorruithe ollmhóra á bhforchuir ar an aos óg, ar dhaoine aosta, ar na heasláin agus ar gnáthoibrithe agus daoine dífhostaithe. Ag an am céanna, éalaíonn na polaiteoirí i dTeach Laighean agus a gcomhchóirithe móra gnó a chruthaigh an ghéarchéim lena saibhreas slán agus a bhfiachais chearrbhachais phríomháideacha íoctha againne. Thóg a ndrochúsáid scannalach den gheilleagar muid go dtí an áit ina bhfuil muid inniu agus caithfidh daoine dul amach ar na sráideanna agus na ciorruithe fíochmhara seo a fhriotú."

protest in Dublin against cutbacks

"Tá €85 billiún faighte ar iasacht ag an stát seo, faoi ordú an CAI agus an BCE, €35 billiún chun na bancanna a tharrtháil, a mbeidh go léir á aisíoc ag an chainíocóra nár chruthaigh an ghéarchéim seo. Ar an Domhnach bhí dánacht Brian Cowen le feiceáil agus é ag déanamh cur síos ar an iasacht mar riachtanas dár dtír agus dár ndaoine. Bhí sé riachtanach amháin chun an córas caipitleach fíochmhar a chruthaigh an phraiseach gheilleagrach a neartú. Cabhróidh sé lena chomhchóirithe móra gnó amháin agus baincéirí a chabhraigh leis ar an bhealach."

"Dúirt Cowen freisin gurb í seo an bheartaíocht is fearr atá ar fáil don tír. A mhalairt atá ann. An bheartaíocht is fearr a bheadh ar fáil ná díchóimeáil an chórais chaipitligh Sé Chontae Fichead agus córas sóisialach a chruthú le cothroime agus comhionannas sa croílár go bunúsach. Chiallódh córas mar seo nach mbeadh orainn aghaidh a thabhairt ar na ciorruithe brúidiúla seo sa bhuiséad seo díreach ionas gur féidir le Cowen agus Co. leanúint ar aghaidh ag cothú óna daoine is leochailí sa tsochaí."

Chríochnaigh Mac Giolla Easbuig: "Tá sé in am do dhaoine teacht amach ar na sráideanna chun a bhfearg a léiriú agus a gcur in éadan a chur in iúl d'iompar leanúnach náireach na bunaíochta polaitiúla agus do na ciorruithe fíochmhara a mbeidh á bhforchuir. Is ansin amháin a bheidh muid ábalta tosú ar an phróiseas chun deireadh a chur leis an chóras leatromach, éagórach agus corbach seo."

Dungloe Budget Day Protest - People Must Voice Their Anger on the Streets 

cutbacks protest

The socialist republican party éirígí are holding a demonstration against the 2011 Budget outside the Fianna Fáil office in Dungloe at 6PM on December 7th, the day the budget is released. The demonstration is being held so the general public can have an opportunity to voice their anger against what will be the harshest budget in the states history. 

Announcing the protest, éirígí spokesperson in Donegal, Micheál Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig said: “Once again the most vulnerable in society will be hardest hit by this budget as massive cuts are set to be imposed on the young, the old, the sick and unemployed and ordinary workers. At the same time, the politicians in Leinster House and their big business cronies who created the crisis escape with their wealth intact and their private gambling debts paid off at our expense. Their disgraceful mishandling of the economy has led us to where we are today and people must take to the streets to resist these savage cutbacks.” 

“This state, at the behest of the IMF and the ECB, has now borrowed €85billion, €35billion of which is for bailing out the banks, all of which will be repaid by the tax-payer who did not create the crisis. On Sunday Brian Cowen had the cheek to describe the loan as necessary for our country and our people. It was only necessary to prop up the savage capitalist system that caused this economic mess. The only people it will help will be his big business cronies and bankers who helped it along the way.” 

Right to Work Protest, Dublin

“Cowen also said this was the best available deal for the country. Far from it. The best available deal would be the complete dismantling of the twenty six counties capitalist system and the creation of a socialist system with fairness and equality at its heart. Such a system would mean we would not be facing these brutal cuts in this budget just so Cowen and company can continue to feed off the most vulnerable in society.” 

MacGiolla Easbuig concluded: “Its time that people took to the streets to vent their anger and voice their opposition to the continued disgraceful behaviour of the political establishment and the savage cutbacks about to be imposed. Only then can we start the process of bringing an end to this unfair, unjust, corrupt system.”

éirígí Ard-Fheis 2010

01/12/2010

Rúnaí ginearálta éirígí Breandán Mac Cionnaith has announced the details of the socialist republican party’s Ard-Fheis 2010.

The annual national conference is, this year, taking place in Belfast for the first time and will be held in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich cultural centre on the Falls Road on Saturday, December 4.

Mac Cionnaith said: “It is significant that éirígí is holding this year’s Ard-Fheis in Belfast. The birth of Irish republicanism was announced in June 1795 on Cave Hill above the city by Wolfe Tone, Henry Joy McCracken, Thomas Russell, Samuel Neilsen and a number of other United Irishmen.

“Today, the struggle against partition and for Irish independence and reunification continues to be a 32-county one. Equally, the struggle against economic injustice and for socialism in Ireland must also be a 32-county one.

“Our objective is a sovereign, democratic, socialist republic for all of Ireland. The current crisis within capitalism in the Twenty-Six Counties demonstrates yet again the inherently unjust and anti-working class nature of that failed system throughout Ireland and elsewhere. Equally, policies enacted by Westminster and implemented by Stormont demonstrate the colonial nature of that administration.

“At this year’s Ard-Fheis, éirígí will be putting forward our alternative vision for a new independent country with the formal launch of the party’s major policy paper on socialism in Ireland.

“When éirígí was established in 2006, it based its project on building a solid foundation for socialist republicanism in Ireland. The task ahead of us is to bring others to the view that cosmetic tinkering with the two partitionist, economic, social and political systems in this country cannot bring about meaningful change to the lives of working people.

“We firmly believe that that, by launching this document, many others will see that the basis for equality lies in the establishment of a completely new social, economic and political order throughout Ireland.”

Mac Cionnaith continued: “At this year’s Ard-Fheis, éirígí will be also laying out its plans for the time ahead and encouraging all republicans and socialists to get actively involved in a rejuvenated struggle for national independence and socialism.”