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Showing posts from 2020

Political Prisoners Ireland 2020

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I rish Republicans have a long history with Political prisoners, for centuries we have endured under British Occupation, we have continuously had Irish Patriots who would stand up against this cruel and foreign occupation.   Throughout Britain’s Tyrannical reign in Ireland they have used some of the most oppressive forms of punishment, they have tried to quell rebellion and dissent through any means necessary, they have interned, unjustly incarcerated and murdered Irish Citizens to maintain their unjust and autocratic rule. Many people throughout the world would be made believe that what I refer to are issues of the past, that Ireland in 2020 is a democratic place, that Britain rule by consent, that there are no political prisoners since their mass release emanating from the terms of the Good Friday agreement and that by and large the ‘Irish Question’ is now solved. Well, the presence alone of over 100 Irish Republican prisoners shatters these carefully constructed political lies

The Republic is the only fitting monument

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The recent murder of George Floyd by the police in the USA has rightly caused worldwide condemnation and protests of state violence and institutional racism. It is not before time that people took to the streets to say that enough is enough, and radical activists in the United States have a great tradition of that Given Irish people’s keen sense of Justice, Irish people have also come out and joined the worldwide protests in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. This is something I am totally supportive of, for I believe that international solidarity with oppressed and occupied peoples around the world is essential. Ireland also experienced such support from around the world during our own plights, from the Famine in 1848 to the Hunger strikes in 1981.  As with any popular movement though, it brings out those who are literally just jumping on the bandwagon, not for the first time, I am struck how thousands of people attend these marches but would not even consider prot

Corona virus has exposed the true ugly face of capitalism and consumerism

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Am I worried about the Coronavirus? Yes. I think everyone who is listening at all should be concerned, but am I in a blind panic, taking all my spare cash and stocking up on toilet roll, paracetamol and even if I could get it, hand sanitizer? No! The most interesting aspect of this coronavirus for me has not been how it has spread across the globe, slowly but surely inching its way into each of our communities, but how, we as a people are reacting to it. The frightening part of this pandemic I believe has been witnessing ordinary everyday people react in such a selfish, horrible fashion that it leaves the hairs on the back of my neck standing with disgust and incredulity. The mass panic buying of hand sanitiser, paracetamol and bizarrely toilet roll, as officials have appealed to people not to do so, has infuriated many, including myself. The idea that 1 person may buy 30 bottles of hand sanitiser knowing full well they are depriving someone else who may need it, doesn’t register

Republicans oppose free speech??

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Many readers will be aware that over recent months there has been an upsurge in discussion around “hate speech” legislation in Ireland. This is primarily due to the Free State’s public consultation titled: Review of the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989; and the far-right attempts to use this as a subject to rally around. The far-right rarely give a scant mention to the fact that there is current legislation in place, they prefer to allow people to believe that is a brand new concept for Ireland. The current 1989 Act prohibits certain forms of threatening, abusive or insulting conduct that are intended or likely to stir up hatred against a group of persons on account of certain characteristics. These characteristics are race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origins, membership of the travelling community and sexual orientation. Freestate public consultation There have been public rallies held by these far-right groups opposing proposed

We stood up and won, DO NOT sit back down!

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It should come as no shock to Republicans that the Fine Gael led Free State Government intended on commemorating the RIC, which comprised the black and tans. The announcement today that this has now been ‘deferred’ has been met with great enthusiasm and indeed a sense of victory from the people. The opposition to this commemoration came in thick and fast and from some surprising quarters, today is the first time I can say that I have seen social media have a tangible positive effect on politics. Largely led by the ordinary person on social media platforms, the protests against this commemoration could not be ignored and so it was announced that it was ‘deferred’. I believe the word ‘deferred’ was used decisively by the State to try and save face, but as far as everyone else is concerned, this event is cancelled. Speaking on RTÉ news Free State Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan stated that he was “determined” that a commemoration would happen at another time. The use of his word de