Radical Politics of the late 1960s-70s Marxists- Anarchists & Saor Eire.

by Mick Healy Sun Aug 25, 2013 15:28

Irish Republican Desmond Swanton Commemoration, Cork, 1964

Volunteer Desmond Swanton of the Irish Republican Army was killed in a premature explosion, at the Republican Plot Cork in the early morning of March 17th , 1963.

The Desmond Swanton Commemoration Committee, Cork, held a commemoration on the 17th March, 1964, the first anniversary of Des Swanton’s death. The parade led by a Colour Party marched from the Glasheen Road, first to the Republican Plot, in St. Finbarrs’ Cemetery and then onto the Swanton family plot nearby. The colour party consisted of Brendan O’Neill (Parade Marshal), Gerry Higgins (Bugler), Terry O’Neill (Flag Bearer), Roy Keating. and Jim Lane, (Piper).

In addition, members of the Swanton and Madden families, including Gerry Madden, who was badly injured in the explosion in 1963, were waiting at the Republican Plot for the marchers to arrive.

Speeches were made and Jim Lane read a statement from the Irish Revolutionary Forces, outlining the political background to what occurred in 1963.
(Gerry Madden can be seen in the crowd, he is the person with the eye patch)

The camera people on the day were, Mick O’Connell and Rosalie O’Callaghan

Music : Mise Eire

Caption: Video Id: 7XV2RwYaVDY Type: Youtube Video
Irish Republican Desmond Swanton Commemoration, Cork, 1964

by Mick Healy Fri Aug 09, 2013 09:56

Jim Lane Socialist Republican and Revolutionary.

This is the story of Socialist Jim Lane who joined the Army (IRA) Sinn Fein and the Cork Volunteers Pipe Band in1954, he subsequently participated in Operation Harvest in 1956.

Lane was also involved with the Unemployed Protest Movement in the late 1950s and was instrumental in establishing the Cork Vietnamese Freedom Association in the 1960s.

He was a leading figure in the Irish Revolutionary Forces throughout the 1960s,the Cork-based group produced an influential newsletter called An Phoblacht.

In addition the Irish Revolutionary Forces established Saor Éire (Cork) in 1968 and produced a paper called People's Voice.

Subsequently Lane joined The Cork Workers Club who published a series of historical reprints of socialist classics.

Jim Lane was central in the anti-H-Block movement in the Cork in the 1980s and became the chairperson of the Cork City and County National H-Block Committee.

He joined Irish Republican Socialist Party becoming its national chairperson in 1983.

This is his story in his own words .

Caption: Video Id: 45i1FgDBE3M Type: Youtube Video
Jim Lane Socialist Republican and Revolutionary

by Mick Healy Mon Aug 05, 2013 17:05

This is the story of veteran Republican Liam Sutcliffe who joined the IRA in 1954. Within a few months he was an IRA agent in Gough barracks Armagh during `operation Harvest'. Sutcliffe later left the IRA and operated with the breakaway Joe Christle group during the 1950s Border campaign.

In 1966, on the 50th anniversary of the 1916 Easter rising he was involved in an operation to blow up Nelson's Pillar in O'Connell Street Dublin.

In 1970 Sutcliffe joined Saor Eire. He was instrumental in organising the funeral in Mount Jerome Cemetery of Saor Eire member Liam Walsh, who was killed in a premature explosion at the rear of McKee army base in Dublin.

This is his story, in his own words.

Caption: Video Id: XqqRgIdBDAM Type: Youtube Video
Embedded video Youtube Video