Workers Solidarity Movement

Singer songwriter Christy Moore dropped into Occupy Dame Street in Dublin last night to sing and send grettings to all the Occupy camps in the major cities of Ireland,  at Cork, Limerick, Belfast, Waterford, Kerry, Athlone, Galway and the over 2000 Occupy camps world wide.  In the video Christy refers to being in the 'Yellow Submarine,' thats the wooden structure built to serve as a kitchen for a camp that is waterproofed with heavy yellow plastic.  Christy then sings 'Ride On' before heading off into the night to the applause of the assembled campers.  

(Pic: a still from Dave's video of
Christy Moore at Occupy Dame Street)

Occupy Dame Street is heading into its third month of existence despite the worsening winter weather.  The camp has seen over 64 educational workshops being held as well as around 50 general assemblies and remains a focus for the organisation of ongoing protests against the ECB / IMF austerity drive. On the previous night one of the ODS campers had been smashed to the ground by Garda at the Dail while taking part in the Budget day protests and had to be hospitalised.  The vist by Christy Moore was a welcome boost to the camps moral.

The video below was shot by Dave Donnellan who has been documentating ODS throughout its existence and who has another dozen videos in his Vimeo account following the process of Occupy Dame Street.  The US has seen violent police evictions of camps in many cities - so far that has yet to happen in Ireland, perhaps because the state has hoped that winter weather would bring the camps to an end.  

Christy Moore at Occupy Dame Street from Dave Donnellan on Vimeo.

The Irish Times also visted Occupy Dame Street and interviewed some Occupiers about their views of the budget and how the Occupy is going.

• More material on and from the global Occupy movement
• Articles on the IMF / ECB austerity drive in Ireland