Over 30 years of anarchist writing from Ireland listed under hundreds of topics
The New Politics of Sinn Fein by Kevin Bean- From Insurgency to Identity - Review
Date: Tue, 2012-08-21 10:11
As someone who moved from Irish republican socialism to anarchism, Kevin Bean offers a convincing and fascinating insight into the journey and demise of radical republicanism in Ireland. It demolishes the ‘sell-out’ narrative promoted by some quarters of disaffected republicanism by diligently exploring the rapid transformation of the Provisional movement from a counter-insurgency to an active partner in governing the state it now eagerly upholds.
Unemployment rises as Stormont politicians squabble over new road signs
Date: Fri, 2012-08-17 13:38
Northern Ireland unemployment figures rise again as our local sectarian politicians engage in petty point-scoring over the latest hot potato that dominates the political discourse. Latest figures have revealed that the number of people claiming unemployment benefits in July was 63,200, an increase of 400 with this figure being the second highest among the 12 UK regions. The NI rate now stands at 7.6% with that figure rising again once you include the fact that over 20% of the population our classed as ‘economically in-active’- the highest in the UK.
Belfast: Just Learning presents 'Marx in Soho' & 'Fever' in the Peoples Bank
Date: Fri, 2012-08-17 13:32
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Marx in Soho, written in 1999 by historian Howard Zinn and author of the ‘Peoples History of the United States’, is presented by the Just Books Collective and is a one-man play on the life of Karl Marx. Zinn stated that he wrote the play to "show Marx as few people knew him, as a family man, struggling to support his wife and children." The play depicts Marx resurrected to defend the ideals of communism from the dehumanized version of it practiced in the former Soviet Union and to defend humanity from capitalism.
Interview with striking bus worker in Belfast
Date: Thu, 2012-08-16 16:53
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In April this year over 100 bus drivers took successful wildcat action bringing Belfast city centre to a standstill in solidarity with a work colleague who was wrongly suspended by management without using the proper procedures. Independent Workers Union and WSM member Sean Matthews speaks to one anonymous driver from Translink about the action taken, wider working conditions and the possibility of solidarity and
Report on Cork Pride 2012
Date: Mon, 2012-08-06 17:11
For the third year in succession the Cork branch of the Workers Solidarity Movement participated in the Cork Pride Parade. Anarchists have been involved in Pride organising in Cork since its beginnings in the mid-noughties and have long seen Pride as both an important civic festival and an opportunity to connect with Cork's burgeoning LGBT community. Cork WSM also distributed a leaflet on Pride and its politics at the parade (see below). The parade was the culmination of a week of hectic activity and celebration by Cork's LGBT community across a number of venues and across a range of activities.
Fighting Austerity: Amber Women’s Refuge, Kilkenny.
Date: Sat, 2012-08-04 21:36
The Amber Women’s Refuge in Kilkenny was set up to support women facing domestic violence. Although the Centre has never been as busy it is now facing massive cuts. The workers at the Centre are fighting to save the service. Earlier this week the workers, members of SIPTU, placed a daily two-hour picket at the Centre to highlight the situation they are facing. They are looking for support. Following the intervention of the Labour Relations Court, talks have taken place between the workers and management. Although daily pickets have been suspended pending the outcome of these talks, the fight for the Centre is still very much on. In this interview Claire O’Neill talks about what has happened and the background to the dispute.
Shell finally get their TBM out of the bog after week of resistance
Date: Sat, 2012-08-04 18:49
On Monday we provided the first report & video of the secret Shell convoy that had left Dublin port with a massive police escourt late Sunday night. This turned out to be the start of a week of frantic activity as the Convoy was tracked across the country and then subject to repeated blockades as it neared Erris. Whether because of this pressure or not on near its final destination the convoy missed a key turn with the main truck and its load of 160 tons jacknifing on a tight turn and starting to slide into the roadside bog. With a massive mobilisation of Garda and private security Shell finally dragged out the truck Friday. The report that follows gives an account of the final day, you will find moment by moment reports of the rest of the resistance during the week on the WSM Facebook page and WSM Twitter.
Sean Quinn - Cowboy turns desperado - A Western in four parts
Date: Wed, 2012-08-01 12:09
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We don’t know a lot about the personal life of this son of a small farmer. He was the richest man in Ireland in 2008 with an estimated wealth of €4.7billion and now he is only out of jail because the Judge wants him to help the Irish Resolution Banking Corporation (IRBC) recover some of the €2.8 billion that he owes them. You may never have heard of IRBC but you will know of it’s previous alias: Anglo Irish Bank,winner of the dodgiest bank award in a state where there is stiff competition for that prize. His son is in prison, (plush Training Unit in Mountjoy) serving a sentence for what the Judge called ‘outrageous’ contempt of court as he sought to put money/assets beyond the reach of the bank. His nephew Peter is supposed to be there for the same reason but has gone missing. All we know about Sean – the daddy of the empire is that he’s big into the GAA and he likes to play poker for a few quid with his friends. Along with his love of poker, I would guess that Sean senior fancies the odd western.
Greek Steel Workers Strike - Greece on the verge of revolution? Think again...
Date: Tue, 2012-07-31 16:11
Undoubtedly, Greece is the country that has suffered the most during this last and totally unrestrained wave of liberalization and fierce devaluation of labour which has been sweeping Europe since the start of the financial crisis in 2008. At the same time there are a multitude of political anti-systemic oppositional forces which have managed to maintain a living presence in Greek society.
The third world war
is coming
That's what they say
Fuck
This ain't gonna be
a class war either
Multimillion Euro operation to move Shell's machinery turns into farce - Tunnel Boring Machine stuck at Glenamoy
Date: Tue, 2012-07-31 10:27
For the last twelve hours Shell and the Gardai have been attempting to move some sections of a 500 ton tunnel boring machine to the remote site of Aghoos in Erris. Despite this, the effort has proven to be farcical, with protestors pulling off three road blockades under the noses of hundreds of Gardai. In the latest twist, the lorry, which has been on the road for twelve hours so far, failed to make a crucial turn on the last leg of its journey at the Aghoos / Bellinaboy Road due to its size, despite being in a specialist vehicle.