Irish Left Archive Podcast

In this episode we talk to Professor Helena Sheehan about her recent book, Until We Fall: Long Distance Life on the Left. We discuss the lead up to and impact of the break up of the Soviet Union, Helena’s experience of post-apartheid South Africa and the changing role of the University in the contemporary period. Helena is Emeritus Professor at Dublin City University (DCU) and has published and taught on culture, media, politics and philosophy. She has been active on the left in Ireland since the 1970s, with numerous campaigns and as a member, first, of Official Sinn Féin, then the Communist Party of Ireland and subsequently the Labour party.

In this episode we talk to Dr. Marisa McGlinchey about her book, Unfinished Business: the politics of ‘dissident’ Irish republicanism (Manchester University Press, 2019). Based on a series of interviews with radical Republicans from several organisations, the book discusses the development of ‘dissident’ Irish republicanism and considers its impact on politics throughout Ireland since the 1980s. It argues that, rather than being simply traditionalists left behind by the mainstream, the dynamics and trajectory of ‘dissident’ republicanism are shaped more by contemporary forces than historical tradition and that by understanding them we can better understand the emerging forms of political challenge in an age of austerity and increasing political instability internationally. Marisa is an Assistant Professor in Political Science at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations at Coventry University. Her PhD thesis, carried out at Queen’s University Belfast, examined the decline of the Social Democratic and Labour party in the post-Good Friday Agreement period and is in preparation for publication by Manchester University Press. She is a regular contributor to media coverage of ‘dissident’ republicanism.

In this episode we speak to Sinéad Mercier. Sinéad is a lecturer in Environmental Law & Policy and PhD Researcher in the Sutherland School of Law in UCD with the PROPERTY [IN]JUSTICE project led by Amy Strecker and Amanda Byer. We discuss Sinéad’s political background, her engagement with Trade Unionism and work with ICTU; environmental campaigning, how environmentalism has developed in Ireland, and some of the campaigns and groups that have played a role in that; Sinéad’s previous experience in environmental law and as a policy researcher with Senator Alice Mary Higgins and with the Green Party; and the contrast between an environmentalism still embedded in colonialism and capitalism and a genuinely transformative socialist environmentalism and Just Transition. Sinéad’s paper, “Four Case Studies on Just Transition: Lessons for Ireland”, can be found on the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) website . The discussion also mentions Adrian Kane’s book, Trade Unions , published by Cork University Press . Listeners can find the Not Here Not Anywhere campaign to end fossil fuel infrastructure and exploration at notherenotanywhere.com.

Spirit of revolution In this episode we discuss the recently published book, Spirit of Revolution: Ireland from below, 1917–1923 . This edited volume looks at regional and local case studies during the revolutionary period, highlighting the widespread radicalism – beyond the national independence movement – that flourished around Ireland at the time in land and housing action, labour mobilisation and trade unionism. We discuss the volume with John Cunningham and Terry Dunne, who are co-editors of the book, as well as both contributing individual chapters. John Cunningham works in the Department of History at the University of Galway and is prominent in the Irish Centre for the Histories of Labour and Class. He is a former editor of Saothar: journal of Irish Labour History, and is currently writing a biography of Tom Glynn, an Irish-born activist and theorist of the Industrial Workers of the World in Australia and South Africa. You can read an article by John on Tom Glynn on RTÉ’s Century Ireland website . Terry Dunne has a PhD in Sociology and has published widely on agrarian social movements. He also writes and hosts the podcast Peelers and Sheep: Rebel Tales From The Land. He is currently researching agrarian politics during the Irish Revolution, supported by the Royal Irish Academy. Terry previously spoke to us in episode 22 on anti-war and activist movements, historical sociology, and “Peelers and Sheep” . Spirit of Revolution is published by Four Courts Press and is available from their website . If you are listening to this episode at the time of publication in May 2024, the book will have a launch in Dublin on Wednesday 29th of May at 6pm in Books Upstairs on D’Olier Street, hosted by historian and previous guest on this podcast, Mary Muldowney.

In this episode we speak to activist and academic Camilla Fitzsimons. Camilla’s academic work focuses in particular on education and social movements, and she is an Associate Professor in Maynooth University School of Education. Her publications include two books – Community education and neoliberalism: Philosophies, practices and policies in Ireland (2017) and Repealed: Ireland’s Unfinished Fight for Reproductive Rights (2021). We discuss Camilla’s early political experience; her involvement in forming the Spectacle of Defiance and Hope in response to service cuts and austerity, which organised marches and workshops with a central focus on political education; her work on abortion rights and the Repeal referendum, and her book Repealed; feminism, and differentiating Left feminism from the right and liberalism; and Palestine solidarity activism in light of Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza, and Camilla’s work with Academics for Palestine, which seeks to build the campaign for an academic boycott of Israel and help create awareness in the higher education sector. Camilla’s website is at camillafitzsimons.com. You’ll find a video of the Spectacle of Defiance and Hope in 2011 on Youtube, and it also continues to have an active Facebook group. Other material mentioned in the discussion is linked below: The Irish Debt Crisis Community Workshop (2015) Camilla’s research on safe access zones, which generated complaints to her university: Irish healthcare workers experiences of anti-abortion protesters and the case for safe access zones Research included in the Digital Repository of Ireland (DRI), including a chapter of Repealed.

In this episode we talk to Jim Monaghan. Jim first became politically active as a student in the late 1960s in Dublin. We discuss the increasing politicisation in Ireland at that time, and Jim’s political activity, initially with Labour and Students for Democratic Action, the League for A Workers’ Republic, and briefly the LWR-breakaway, the League for a Workers Vanguard. Jim then describes his move to Official Sinn Féin, the contrast of moving from a small left group to a larger party, and the direction of Republican politics at that time; his later involvement with the Movement for a Socialist Republic and People’s Democracy, after they merged; his involvement as Chair of the Dublin H-Block/Armagh Committee during the Hunger Strikes; and the contemporary political landscape, and the extent of the social and political change that has occurred since his early political involvement.

Throughout 2023 we have asked podcast guests if there are any cultural artefacts or events that they consider particularly influential on their politics. This episode brings together responses from historian Mary Muldowney, anarchist activist Gregor Kerr, Republican activist Des Dalton, author Michael Flavin, historian Brian Hanley, and Irish Anarchist Network activists Nestor and Saornil. Below, in the order they are mentioned, are our guest’s choices for politically influential books, films, music, events and media. (Where possible, we’ve linked to publicly accessible versions. Others are linked to further information.) Ermanno Olmi – The Tree of Wooden Clogs Frank Capra – It’s A Wonderful Life Robert Tressell – The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists Dunnes Stores Anti-Apartheid strike 1913 Lockout 100th Anniversary Plaque in Dun Laoghaire Ernie O’Malley - On Another Man’s Wound and The Singing Flame J. Bowyer Bell - The Secret Army Caught in A Free State George Orwell - Homage to Catalonia Geoffrey Robertson - Reluctant Judas: Life and Death of the Special Branch Informer Kenneth Lennon The Jam – The Gift The Style Council – Our Favourite Shop Eamonn McCann – War and an Irish Town V for Vendetta Margaret Killjoy Robert Evans & Jake Hanrahan – The Women’s War

In this episode we’re joined by David Costelloe. Dave writes on history and politics on his website Never Felt Better, and in particular has written an extensive series of articles on Irish military history from the earliest records almost to the contemporary, Ireland’s Wars. We spoke to Dave previously in 2021, on episode 20 of the podcast, about his background and work on earlier military history, and he joins us again to discuss the period of the Troubles in particular and the comprehensive series of articles on the topic he has written since last speaking to us.

An introduction to our next series of episodes and discussion of the Irish Left Archive project and changes we’ve made in the past year. The discussion includes mention of trying to keep all aspects of the project open. As such, we’ve made the website and podcast statistics publicly accessible, as well as any source code used in the project. Website statistics: https://u.leftarchive.ie/share/6wv4MBNDrbJW52uY/Irish%20Left%20Archive Podcast statistics: https://op3.dev/show/8e88bb97-6c47-518a-8260-1cbedbd4b095 Source code repositories: https://git.aonghus.org/Irish-Left-Archive You can follow us on the Fediverse (Mastodon, Pixelfed, Peertube etc.) at @ila@leftarchive.ie.

In this episode we talk to Des Dalton. Des is a long-term Republican activist who joined Republican Sinn Féin in the late 1980s and has served on the party’s Ard Comhairle and as party President from 2009 to 2018. Since leaving the party in 2021, Des has been an independent Republican activist. We discuss Des’s political background and his Republicanism, which led him to joining Republican Sinn Féin from Ógra Fianna Fáil in his teens; the politics of Republican Sinn Féin, its position in Left politics and the role of Internationalism in Republicanism; his experience in the party as a member and later as President, and the party’s publications and newspaper, Saoirse; and finally his departure from the party and his perspective on contemporary Republicanism and its future direction. Two articles written by Des, which are mentioned in the discussion, are linked below: The 1962 IRA Ceasefire: Lessons for Today. By Des Dalton. All Republican Groups Should Call A Ceasefire

In this episode we talk to historian Brian Hanley about the new five-part documentary podcast, Dirty War in Dublin, written by Brian and produced by Kevin Brannigan. We discuss how the podcast came about and was developed, and look at the history of the Irish Civil War it covers and its wider context. Listeners will be familiar with Brian’s work from previous episodes of our podcast. If you haven’t already listened, you can hear Brian discuss the book he co-authored on the Official IRA and the Workers’ Party, The Lost Revolution, in episode 13; reactions to Bloody Sunday in the Republic of Ireland in episode 35, which marked the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday; and discussing his own political experience and background in episode 19. Dirty War in Dublin is available on Spotify, and you can find more of Brian’s work on his website, brianhanleyhistory.wordpress.com.

In this episode we talk to Emma Campbell. Emma is an artist, activist and researcher based in Belfast. She is a co-convenor of Alliance for Choice and has particularly focused both her activism and solo art work on abortion rights, with projects including When they put their hands out like scales, which included ‘Journeys’ – photographing people’s journeys to abortion clinics in England – and ‘Women on Waves’ – collages drawing on historical images and archive photos from the Women on Waves campaign. Emma is also part of the Array Collective, which won the Turner Prize in 2021 for The Druthaib’s Ball. Emma’s PhD research addresses photography as an activist tool for abortion rights, and she is a Research Associate in Social Studies at the University of Ulster. We discuss Emma’s work and how it intertwines with her activism, and look at how the campaign for abortion provision in Northern Ireland has progressed, from the lead up to the 2019 adoption of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) recommendations, the repeal of criminal sanctions and introduction of legal abortion, and the current state of provision. We also discuss how viewers respond to Emma’s work and how that has changed over time; her involvement in the Array Collective and the activist nature of the group; and the experience of being nominated and winning the Turner Prize in 2021. You’ll find Emma’s website at emmacampbell.co.uk, where you can see some of the work discussed, and the Array Collective at arraystudiosbelfast.com. The Alliance 4 Choice website is at alliance4choice.com.

In this episode we talk to anarchist activist Gregor Kerr about the Dublin Anarchist Bookfair. The bookfair was first held in 2006 and organised by the Workers Solidarity Movement (WSM) and continued for a number of years. After a hiatus of a few years, the Irish Anarchist Network (IAN) and independent anarchists have come together to organise the fair for 2023, which will take place in the Teachers’ Club on Saturday 20th May. Gregor Kerr is an anarchist activist and trade unionist who was involved with the WSM when the original anarchist bookfair started and is part of the group organising this years’ event. We discuss the panels and workshops taking place this year and the organisations and campaigns that will be taking part. We also discuss the history of the Dublin Anarchist Bookfair, how it helps to bring campaigns together and its role in campaigning and organising, and the orientation towards international anarchists and other parts of the broader left. The bookfair is on Saturday 20th May 2023. You can find more details on the IAN website or follow on Instagram @anarchist_bookfair_dublin. If you’re interested in anarchism in Ireland, we previously spoke to Aileen O’Carroll of the Workers Solidarity Movement in episode 31,Jason Brannigan of Organise! in episode 38, and to members of the Irish Anarchist Network a couple of months ago in episode 47.

In this episode we talk to Dublin City Council historian-in-residence Mary Muldowney about left approaches to history. Mary discusses her research and public dissemination of history; her advocacy of oral history and its particular utility in bringing out working class histories and history ‘from below’; attitudes to history in Irish academia and how they have changed; and some of the events of the left and trade union movements that merit greater analysis and recognition. We previously spoke to Mary about her own political background and experience as an activist and trade unionist in episode 7 of the podcast. Mary mentioned the Robert Tressell Festival, which is taking place in Liberty Hall on 6th May, and includes panels and talks on Tressell, his novel The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, and on contemporary organising, as well as music and drama. You can find out more on the website at tressellfestival.ie.

In this episode we speak to two members of the Irish Anarchist Network, Nestor and Saornil. The Irish Anarchist Network was formed in 2022 by a number of independent anarchists. We discuss the formation and growth of the network and how they went about organising and structuring it; their orientation towards direct action and the balance between practical activism and theoretical discussion; their own individual backgrounds and attraction to anarchism; and contemporary issues in Irish society and approaches to the far-right. You can find out more about the Irish Anarchist Network on their Instagram @irish_anarchist_network or Twitter @acrataireland. Our guests also mentioned a trans squat in Dublin, which you can support by getting in touch on Instagram :@macabratz.

In this episode we talk to Mickey Moran. Mickey is a member of Éirígí and is the party’s representative for the midlands. He has been politically involved since his late teens, initially in activism in Limerick and Cork with animal rights, anti-war, anti-fascist and anti-globalisation campaigns. Moving to London in 2008, he was involved with the anti-fascist movement and then joined the Revolutionary Communist Group (RCG). He subsequently joined Éirígí and returned to Ireland where he has been active with the party since. We discuss Mickey’s background and the left political scene in Limerick and Cork in the early 2000s; experiencing the European anti-fascist movement when playing gigs with a punk band in various countries; working with anti-fascists in London and countering the EDL; joining the RCG and what drew him to party organising; joining Éirígí and the politics and campaigns the party focuses on; and how Republicanism informs his politics. This interview was recorded in November 2022.

In this episode we talk to academic and author Michael Flavin about his novel, One Small Step. Published by Vulpine Press, the novel tells the story of a young boy from a Northern Irish catholic background growing up in Birmingham in the 1970s and the impact of the 1974 Birmingham bombings. We discuss Michael’s own background, coming from an Irish family in Birmingham, which he drew on for the novel, and his research into the Troubles, which also led to publishing the academic article, “Four Typologies of Leadership Applied to a Survey of the Provisional IRA and Sinn Féin in the Troubles”.Michael Flavin is a Senior Lecturer in Global Education at Kings College London. As well as his novel, his academic publications include two books on technology enhanced learning and two on nineteenth-century literature, as well as several articles, with a focus on Disruptive Innovation theory and the study of leadership.One Small Step is available from Vulpine Press.The article from Terrorism and Political Violence discussed in the episode is an open access publication and available to read here: “Four Typologies of Leadership Applied to a Survey of the Provisional IRA and Sinn Féin in the Troubles” The Irish Left Archive Podcast looks at Left politics in Ireland, talking to activists, writers, historians, politicians and others involved in Left organisations and movements about their experiences of participating in Left parties and campaigns. The podcast is hosted by Ciarán Swan and Aonghus Storey. View this episode on our website: #45: One Small Step, by Michael Flavin.

In this episode we talk to Vincent Doherty. Vincent has been politically active since the early 1970s, having grown up in Derry during the Civil Rights marches and outbreak of the Troubles. He joined the Official Republican movement in 1972 and was involved in Derry until moving to England in 1973. There he was briefly involved in the Socialist Labour League (SLL) before joining the International Marxist Group (IMG), and was centrally involved in the Troops Out Movement.Returning to Ireland in 1979, he joined People’s Democracy (PD), which by that time was the fraternal organisation of the IMG through the Fourth International. As a PD member, he was heavily involved in the National H-Block/Armagh Committee. He stood as a general election candidate on the H-Block issue in 1981 in Dublin North Central. Having worked with Sinn Féin (SF) in the campaign, he argued PD should orientate towards SF, and eventually joined SF in 1982. Leaving SF in the late 1980s, he has subsequently been involved independently in campaigns and in Trade Unionism, for example as co-ordinator of Trade Union Friends of Palestine.We discuss Vincent’s background in Derry and the events which led to his politicisation, his role in the Derry Republican movement and perspective on the Officials and the divisions which led to the formation of the IRSP; his work with the IMG and Troops Out Movement in England; his central role in the H-Blocks campaign during the 1981 hunger strikes; his move towards Sinn Féin and the influence of People’s Democracy; and his perspective on the contemporary left in Ireland.This episode was recorded in October 2022.Many thanks to Vincent for taking the time to talk to us, and for kindly providing some images of his political experience, which we have reproduced below.An IRA Colour Party in Derry, Easter 1972. (Image reproduced with kind permission of Vincent Doherty).A Press Conference in Belfast the day after Bobby Sands funeral. (Image reproduced with kind permission of Vincent Doherty).Vincent Doherty leaving Haughey's office with Liz O'Hara the day before Patsy O'Hara died during the Hunger Strikes. (Image reproduced with kind permission of Vincent Doherty).Vincent Doherty in Coyoacán, Mexico, where Trotsky was assassinated. (Image reproduced with kind permission of Vincent Doherty).Vincent Doherty marching in opposition to the invasion of Iraq with Sinn Féin. (Image reproduced with kind permission of Vincent Doherty).Vincent Doherty on stage at the 50th Anniversary of Bloody Sunday. (Image reproduced with kind permission of Vincent Doherty). The Irish Left Archive Podcast looks at Left politics in Ireland, talking to activists, writers, historians, politicians and others involved in Left organisations and movements about their experiences of participating in Left parties and campaigns. The podcast is hosted by Ciarán Swan and Aonghus Storey. View this episode on our website: #44: Vincent Doherty: Offical Sinn Féin, International Marxist Group, Troops Out, People's Democracy, H-Block Committee, Sinn Féin.

In this episode we talk to Orla Egan and Megan Luddy O’Leary about their recently published book, Diary of an Activist, an illustrated memoir of social activism in the 1980s and 90s. The book draws on Orla’s experiences “journeying through vegetarianism, anti-nuclear and CND protests, feminist and queer activism, lesbian parties, coming out and becoming a parent”, and aims to bring to light and make accessible the history of activism in Ireland in that period. It is published by Cork City Library, and is available from DiaryOfAnActivist.com.Diary of An Activist, by Orla Egan and Megan Luddy O'LearyOrla Egan is the Founder and Director of the Cork LGBT Archive and the author of Queer Republic of Cork: Cork’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Communities 1970s-1990s (Onstream Publishers 2016). She wrote the short play, Leeside Lezzies, in 2018 and is Director of the short Cork LGBT film I’m Here, I’m Home, I’m Happy (2021). She has been active in social change and LGBT activism in Cork since the 1970s/1980s. We previously spoke to Orla about the Cork LGBT Archive project in episode 8.Megan Luddy O’Leary is an Irish artist, illustrator and poet. She draws, animates, writes, and makes things out of clay, collage and embroidery. She is interested in handmade aesthetics, particularly women’s craft work. Her themes include: the domestic, queerness, love and magic. Her work has been featured by Gill Books, Vibe Magazine, GOMA Gallery, Vittles Magazine and UsFolk. Her work can be seen on her website, meganluddy.cargo.site.The video animated by Megan of Orla discussing Loafer’s Bar, which is mentioned in the conversation, can be viewed on the Cork LGBT Archive website. Also mentioned are the clocks page and the back cover illustration of Orla and Megan meeting to discuss the project, which are shown below.A page from Diary of An Activist.The back cover of Diary of An Activist. The illustration shows the writer and illustrator meeting for the first time to discuss the project. The Irish Left Archive Podcast looks at Left politics in Ireland, talking to activists, writers, historians, politicians and others involved in Left organisations and movements about their experiences of participating in Left parties and campaigns. The podcast is hosted by Ciarán Swan and Aonghus Storey. View this episode on our website: #43: Diary of An Activist, by Orla Egan and Megan Luddy O'Leary.

This episode introduces a new project from Irish Election Literature and the Irish Left Archive. Snapshots of Political Action aims to bring together material distributed at individual demonstrations, marches, rallies and protests in Ireland, providing a view of the different political strands and groups that come together in campaigns. We’re joined by Alan Kinsella of Irish Election Literature — whose collection has provided all the material included so far — to discuss public demonstrations in Ireland, the issues and groups involved, and the insight into politically activity we can get from protest materials.You’ll find the Snapshots of Political Action materials on our website. There are several protests added there already, and a lot more to come.Many thanks to Alan for including the Irish Left Archive in this project. If listeners have collected materials from protests that could be included, we’d be delighted to have them. You’ll find Alan’s email and social media links on his website: Contact Irish Election Literature.Alan also spoke to us in Episode 5 of the podcast about the Irish Election Literature project, his collection of political ephemera, and his podast, The Others, in which he tells the stories of some of the smaller groups and parties to have stood in elections over the years. The Irish Left Archive Podcast looks at Left politics in Ireland, talking to activists, writers, historians, politicians and others involved in Left organisations and movements about their experiences of participating in Left parties and campaigns. The podcast is hosted by Ciarán Swan and Aonghus Storey. View this episode on our website: #42: Snapshots of Political Action: Documenting Protest.