Workers Solidarity Movement

The 2008 Dublin anarchist bookfair took place Saturday 15th March at Club na Múinteorí (The Teachers’ Club), 36 Parnell square, Dublin 1. The preceding night there was an informal gathering in the same venue. On the day itself in the main hall there were bookstalls and information stalls covering a range of active campaigns and revolutionary groups.

On March the 15th 2008 the third annual Dublin Anarchist Bookfair took place in the Teachers Club - no. 36 Parnell Square.

Bookstalls and information stalls at the 2008 bookfair included Anarchist Federation UK, Anarchists Against the Wall, Anti War Ireland, Baracka Books, Belfast ABC, Choice Ireland, Class War Federation, Cork Autonomous Zone, Eirigi, HOPI - Hands Off the People of Iran Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Irish Socialist Network, Just Books, Latin American Solidarity Centre, MAOR, Mayday Magazine, Organise!, Oxfam bookshop, Projectile( Newcastle Anarchist film festival), Residents Against Racism, Revolt Video, Revolutionary Anarcha Feminist Group, Seomra Sproai Social Centre, Soldarity Federation

.

Discussions and talks at the 2008 Dublin anarchist bookfair included

• The Health Service in Ireland is tackled and we have a health professional give their opinion on the war being waged in there.
• War, where next and how can it be stopped.
• Climate Change - can this be dealt with in our free market world.
• Palestine - what can be done by people here.
• Social centres, how can they be developed and what are the practical very real obstacles that need to be overcome.
• Feminism and Class
• Trade Unions
• An introduction to Anarchism
• And the struggle for true choice in 21st Century Ireland, are also scheduled talks due to take place.
• Also we have a guest speaker from Manchester talking about the very real life experience how communities can organise to resist police brutality - a pertinent issue in Dublin as Larry Wheelock will relate.

In addition we had the following "extra-curricular" activities accompanying the weekend for the curious and adventurous:

• Film Room: Alternative movies and films showing all day
• Sunday 16th March – Dublin’s Other History – a short activist walking tour of Dublin city centre. Meet outside Teachers Club at 2pm

Timetable from 2008 Dublin anarchist bookfair

2008 Bookfair fundraiser:The Dublin premiere of the film 'Torture is us' was held in the Teachers Club, 3 on Friday February 22nd 

We're still finalising the schedule of speakers for this year's bookfair (this list was retreived from indymedia, see the thread for changes that were announced). This is what it looks like at the moment. Hope there's something there to grab your interest

Room A
12:00 - 1:15pm: "Incompetence or Sabotage? - the government and public health"
Speakers: Dr. Ciara McMeel, a GP in Dublin's North Inner City
Sara Burke, freelance journalist and health policy analyst
Alan Morkan, Workers Solidarity Movement

1:30 – 2:30pm: The State Bites Back: The story of how the State threatened Pavee Point for standing up for Roma people last summer and how this is nothing new
Speakers: Martin Collins, Pavee Point and a WSM speaker

2:45 – 3:45pm: Climate Change – how can it be stopped?
A panel of speakers discuss the climate crisis

4:00 – 5:00pm: Solidarity in Action - Palestine: What effective action can grassroots activists take here?
Speaker from Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Fergal Finnegan, WSM

5:15 – 6:15pm: Making Cops accountable - What Communities can do to organise resistance!
Speakers: Dr. Graham Smith School of Law, University of Manchester
Gregor Kerr, WSM
Other speakers to be confirmed

Room B
1:30 – 2:30pm: Not Bush, not the Mullahs - Working class solidarity & Iran
Speakers: Anne McShane, Hands Off People of Iran
Conor McLoughlin, Workers Solidarity Movement

2:45 – 3:45pm: Against a Europe of Capital
A panel of speakers discuss organising against the Lisbon Treaty

4:00 – 5:00pm: Developing Autonomous Spaces - The politics and practicalities
Speaker from Cork Autonomous Zone and Mark Malone, WSM
Other speakers to be confirmed

5:15 – 6:15pm: Organising the Unorganised - Trade union organisation in 2008
Speakers: Eoghan Ryan, Dublin Branch Secretary Independent Workers Union
Stephen Lewis, Organiser, Community Branch, SIPTU (pers. cap.)
Paddy Maphoso, trade union activist and campaigner for the rights of migrant workers
Constantinos Avramidas, WSM

Room C
1:30 – 2:30pm: They fuck you up - exploring family structures
A discussion hosted by Revolutionary Anarchafeminist Group

2:45 – 3:45pm: Reclaiming Democracy - A basic introduction to anarchist ideas and the politics of the Workers Solidarity Movement
Speakers: Jose Antonio Gutierez D.and Dermot Sreenan, Workers Solidarity Movement

4:00 – 5:00pm: Feminism and Class
A panel of speakers from Workers Solidarity Movement and Revolutionary Anarchafeminist Group

5:15 – 6:15pm: Our Bodies, Our Choices - Organising the fight for abortion rights in Ireland
Speakers: Niav Keating, Choice Ireland
Dr. Mary Favier, Doctors For Choice
Padraic Stack, WSM
 

Bookfair Social Afterwards -Clifden Court Hotel from 8pm

Wind down after the event of the year in the Clifden Court-
There will be a get together from 8pm onwards after the close of the bookfair upstairs in the Clifden Court Hotel,11 Eden Quay.
Craic,ceol agus Ol will be had.
Bring MP3 players of ye want yer music played.
See y'all there.

To get to the Clifden Court go down O'Connell Street towards the river on the side opposite the GPO,hang a left before the bridge and walk 25 metres down where you will see the Hotel.
The function room is upstairs on the left.

Post Bookfair report

The Dublin Anarchist Bookfair – held this year on the weekend of 14th and 15th March – has firmly established itself as the biggest and most exciting event on the political left in Ireland.

This year’s event kicked off on Friday night with an informal get-together in the Teachers’ Club attended by anarchists and libertarians from across the country and from abroad. Old friendships were renewed and new ones made. Pints were drunk, music was listened to and there was plenty of chat and debate until the early hours.

Despite a day-long downpour, Saturday’s Bookfair saw over 800 people pass through during the day. 13 different meetings were held discussing topics as varied as the Health service, the Lisbon treaty, climate change, feminism and class, trade union organisation and many many more…. Several thousand Euros worth of books and pamphlets were purchased from stalls operated by Workers Solidarity Bookservice, Barracka Books, Just Books, Anarchist Federation, Irish Socialist Network, Oxfam Bookstore and others. Pamphlets and leaflets from a vast array of campaigns and political organisations including Revolutionary Anarchafeminist Group, Shell to Sea, Residents Against Racism, Choice Ireland, Seomra Spraoi and Justice for Mumia Abu Jamal were distributed.

All day long, the film room showed alternative movies. And, in the kids’ area, there was crafts and fun aplenty.

Most importantly of all, on an informal level there was plenty of chat, discussion and debate. The great thing about attending an event like the Anarchist Bookfair is the number of new people one meets. It’s a friendly forum where people can dip in and out. People who know nothing about anarchism but are simply looking for new ideas can come along and chat to others in a non-threatening, easy-going environment. And anarchists, libertarians and others who are involved in political groups and campaigns can meet like-minded individuals, share ideas and debate differences – again all in a friendly and comradely manner.

For those of us involved in organising this year’s Bookfair, there is no better or more satisfying feeling than standing in the hall in the Teachers’ Club and watching the browsing, the chatting and the discussion unfold. The weeks and months of planning and organising were all worthwhile on seeing this and on seeing successful meetings and debates take place. We were delighted to be able to welcome a vast array of speakers from outside the Workers Solidarity Movement – speakers such as Sara Burke (freelance journalist and health policy analyst), Dr. Ciara McMeel (a GP in Dublin’s north inner city), Martin Collins (Pavee Point), Dave Landy (Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign), Dr. Graham Smith (School of Law at University of Manchester), Anne McShane (Hands off People of Iran)…. and many more.

Following a day of debate and discussion, the evening ended with a well-attended and music-filled social event in the Clifton Court Hotel on Eden Quay. And despite the lateness of events on Saturday night, early Sunday afternoon saw a lively bunch of people participate in a guided walking tour of Dublin city centre visiting several sites of historical and more contemporary interest.

Were you at the Bookfair? Did you attend any of the meetings? Did you go on the walking tour? If so, why not write a short report of your impressions and together we can build up a comprehensive review of the weekend. Or maybe you have some pictures or recordings which you could post here!

Of course, because we are always looking to make things better, we are already wondering how things could be improved for next year. If you were there, we’d love your feedback. What was your favourite part of the weekend? What could be improved? We’re not sensitive, we don’t mind criticism so please do let us know what you thought. We’re already working on ideas for next year’s Bookfair so if you’ve any suggestions, please let us have them. Let’s make next year’s event even bigger and better.

See www.wsm.ie/bookfair for details of the latest bookfair