‘In India,’ Arundhati Roy wrote in 2002, ‘if you are a butcher or a genocidist who happens to be a politician, you have every reason to be optimistic.’ Roy was referring to Narendra Modi, then the head of the state of Gujarat, and now (proving Roy’s characteristic clarity of political perception prophetic) the national prime […]
Socialism and Sinn Féin
“Sinn Fein has won the election,” declared party leader Mary Lou McDonald (with some justice) in early February, as results confirmed that for the first time in the history of the Irish State, neither Fianna Fail nor Fine Gael had achieved a clear majority or path to forming the next government, while “Ireland’s left-wing nationalist […]
Independent Left Reply to People Before Profit
Socialists and left unity in Ireland 2020 To members of People Before Profit, We commend your initiative, ‘let’s bring the left together to fight this government’. Although the formation of a conservative government is a threat to working class communities, it is a threat that we can meet. The fact that Fianna Fáil and Fine […]
Pulling down Statues in Ireland
By Shane McNally On 7 June 2020 the statue of Edward Colston in Bristol was toppled and then thrown in the harbour by Black Lives Matter Protestors Black Lives Matter. A call for something so simple such as the basic right to live should not need to be the cry of a movement in the […]
Black Lives Matter: a view from the streets for Irish socialists
An interview with Paige Graffunder, Seattle 3 June 2020 Paige Graffunder is an activist in Seattle, involved with Revolution Books and Black Lives Matter Seattle. For the benefit of us in Ireland, where many of us see events through official news channels, which never drill down enough, I’m hoping you can give our readers some […]