As we gather here in this sombre place, where the unthinkable happened and the young revolutionary Seamus Costello was murdered by a reformist assailant under orders, I think it’s appropriate to read this poem by a comrade who shared the internment camp on the Curragh. This poem is his tribute.
One of the few in ’56,
A youth only, you struck,
Defying the hated enemy,
You passed for the last time,
Through prisons and prison camps,
Perfecting your education and your trade,
By experience, ever to be repeated.
In the hard, quiet years, you slowly unfurled the Starry Plough,
And finally nailed it to the masthead,
Fighting in the streets and council chambers for the workers.
And when the guns spoke anew,
You were again, as always, in danger's gap,
Surviving the hate of capitalists and imperialists,
The parting of brothers and ex-comrades’ murderous bullets,
To die in a quiet street, cut down by an unknown hand.
Boy-General you will always remain now,
No age, no passing season will ever touch you,
The cold and silent grave and our memories,
Will guard you forever in your strength and prime.
I can recall that one o’clock news very well just as people recall where they were when Kennedy was shot or the Twin Towers. I was working and on my lunch break listening to the one o’clock news as usual and the newsreader said a man had been shot in Dublin. But before 1.40 at news summary he said it had been confirmed that the man shot in Dublin was Seamus Costello and he was confirmed dead. Pure shock and disbelief and the sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach which was the same for all his comrades. But for his wife Maoiliosa and their four children aged 12 to 4 years without experiencing it oneself you can’t imagine the loss and grief.
Messages of sympathy poured in from home and abroad from comrades and socialist groups and even political adversaries who respected his honesty and hard work and total commitment of his vision of a socialist republic. Even the Special Branch made home calls to gauge our grief or should I say sneer. One commented 'I suppose you will go back to “The Stickies”,' to watch my response. Even the day we laid Seamus to rest they were harassing mourners.
Little they knew about revolutionaries. Tone, Lalor, Connolly, Mellows, Costello will go on inspiring people for generations long after they are forgotten. Or maybe they do know true revolutionaries will inspire youth not yet born until we have an economic, social and just society worthy of the sacrifices of generations of our forefathers.
Seamus’s perspective on power was not to hold it over you but to bestow it on you and awaken the freedom fighter from within. Mindful that no one party or individual, only the collective will of the people have the power. With this in mind even attempted assailants could not deter him from the important work of building a broad front.
Seamus was convinced, and rightly, we will not achieve our goal without inter party co-operation between socialists and anti imperialist groups. He drafted a document representing his consistent and clear cut political views on how we together can achieve national and social liberation and presented it to the broad front talks for discussion in 1977.
Twelve years previous in 1965 at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis the social and economic programme and the national unity and independence programmes were produced and passed.
And twelve years previous in 1953 a similar programme was produced. The objective of Sinn Fein at this time was to publicise these programmes throughout the country and thereby gain the support of the people. Equal attention was to be given to both. However most Sinn Fein spokesmen at this period tended to concentrate on national unity and ignored the social and economic aspects.
Seamus throughout his life believed in the absolute imperative of the two strand approach: the national question and the class struggle as two inseparable parts of our struggle for national and social freedom coupled with his vision about parliamentary politics and its limitations. He set about building the movement in Wicklow and in practice showing the way of using the ballot box for electoral purposes then using the system as a platform to advocate the socialist alternative.
Seamus was a revolutionary and advocated revolt in the council chamber and on the streets and exposed corruption, injustice, and inequality in the political system thus undermining people’s confidence in it as the first steps towards undermining it and proving to his less than enthusiastic comrades the way forward.
As a young man he had a mountain to climb and many in the movement still had to be convinced that it was no longer sufficient to appeal to the purely nationalistic instincts of the people and that we must show by example that political independence will mean more to them than simply a change of rulers.
We believe that capitalism whether it is native or foreign must be made subservient to the rights of the Irish people.
In conclusion I would like to say Seamus Costello’s vision encompasses both the theory and absolute imperative and unique practical application of revolutionary leadership formulated and practised by Tone, Lalor, Connolly and Mellows - a chain of leadership linked by history to break the shackles and set us free.
Great post is,nt it amazing how all those with the ability and leadership skills and quality like Seamus Costello,Joe Mc Cann, ,etc..were taken out of the equation before they had the chance to organise and gel socialist republican resistance here,the end result of the deaths of so many inspiring and influential people is the piece of shit called the gfa,which would never have been contemplated had such people like Seamus Costello been alive.
ReplyDeleteIt is a great post. As always Sean pushes the social justice buttons. I wonder what some of the Workers Party people feel about this killing when they look back; those who retained a strong sense of social justice throughout their activist lives whatever else their party led them into.
ReplyDeleteFeuds destroyed the IRSP capacity to build. They had so much to offer. Their members who were most like the Provos had least to offer. Those members with a strong social radical streak that they brought with them from the Sticks had most to offer. I guess the drawback of militarism yet again.
Many of the Sticks are interesting to talk to. They seemed to have such wierd political ideas but in the social sphere I found them energetic and helpful.
One thing we can't deny the Sticks is that they are great drinking partners. Some of our best sessions were with them. And for such a diverse and contentious past that polarised us, this was all the more amazing. If I was to travel to Belfast tomorrow for a drinking session I would want it with those Sticks and Tommy Gorman! Craic was 90.
AM, have you read the "lost revolution" brian harvey about the workers party. Very interesting read? very switched on people.
ReplyDeleteI went to their conference for the first time this year and was impressed with their analysis of stormount and anti sectarian stance
ReplyDelete'Many of the Sticks are interesting to talk to. They seemed to have such wierd political ideas but in the social sphere I found them energetic and helpful.'
ReplyDeleteSpot on.
I didn't know any Sticks when I was growing up, or if I did meet any I didn't know they were Sticks, but over the last few years I've befriended a few and I find that they're the salt of the earth... Couldn't have imagined myself saying that out loud as a kid though or I'd have gotten a quarter crack round the jaw!
Don't know how many times recently I've heard republicans joke and say 'sure we're all Sticks now, aren't we?'
Funny old world.
James,
ReplyDeleteI have the book in the house but it is not one I have managed to get to yet. Brian Hanley and Scott Miller by all accounts have done a good job.
I was pleasantly surprised at some of the analysis that came out of their conference this year. They made a very useful left critique.
Belfast Bookworm,
ReplyDeleteI discovered when I got out of jail that many of them had a social conscience which quite a few of those I was in jail with did not have. When look at some of their people involved in community work I see a concern about people. I compare this to what many of our own ex comrades are doing - with them is is often power and access.
And like you I made friends with Sticks and went on the tear with them, socialised in their houses, and they in mine. Politically, I don't like what they did, their Stalinism and intolerance of dissent but that social conscience that I experienced had a lasting impact on me.
Anthony; 'their Stalinism and intolerance of dissent'
ReplyDeleteNow where have I heard that just recently?
Belfast Bookworm,
ReplyDeleteI guess this is why I refer to the Stick virus that has infected republicanism. Your earlier point that many say sure we are all Sticks now' is so true. John Kelly said it while still a MLA many years ago.
All sticks and all Free Staters.
ReplyDeleteYeah, their political ideas are pretty much the same as cuba on housing, health, education, and a system of government which is for the people- very little careerism with them after the crew that left for democratic left. I found their analysis refreshing on tax avoidance, and how SF and the dup have basi ally been having sham fights in the public to maintain their own power up on the hill. They also mached up the shankill a few weeks back on a anti sectarism march fo rthe workers. Really funny story there. SF joined the parade on royal avenue, by the time they hit the shankill road the magically disapeared only to magically re-appear for the photoshoot on the other end of northumberland street - then back into town. lol. I was on the march and seen it with my own eyes.history revisionism at its best. Yes AM in my opinion your analysis of SF is nothing short than spot on, especially in your book, great read. The biggest crime throughout the toubles was for the sf leadership to lie to their grassroots, the people who endured the most. I class myself as a republican based on the european tradition in which tonne et al formed theirs. Military or reformist, who got it right in the end? One thing for sure the hyprocracy of SF peace process is simply breath taking for me.
ReplyDeleteThe '50s campaign was shunned by a nothern RC population more interested in rights within the UK than the border. The Provos eventually went the same way as the sticks after the british made a
ReplyDeletedogs dinner of things early on with massacre internment etc. Are we seeing that in 2012 the British have learned sweet FA in thirty years with selective internment and prison beatings? Or are they just determined to treat northern RCs as 'natives' not citizens?
(answers on the back of a postage stamp)
Will people voting for the disgraceful SF stop the Brits snatching defeat from the jaws of an easy victory AGAIN?
If so inteligent and sociable company may be bugger all use to anyone.
No disrespect to this very good article, but the sad thing in Ireland is that Socialism isn't of interest to the Irish people. I don't think it ever will be.
ReplyDeleteTalking of socialism I'm reminded of hearing the tail-end of a radio interview last week during the US election and a Romney-ite was almost hysterical when it was suggested to him that Obama might win.
ReplyDelete'Socialism, or something EVEN worse! Is that what Americans want?!'
Made me chuckle.
Larry,
ReplyDeleteI believe in my heart of hearts that the socialism idealogy is very misunderstood in Ireland. Put simply it is by the majority working class people for the benefit of the working class people. When you ask people what do they think of socialism they simply shug their shoulders and go "nah", but tend not to understand it. Ideologies are shaped through the sociolisation process from education, church, media, peers, family. In this capatalist society having the label of being a sociolist or leaning to the left have have serious reprecusions on the quality of your line in the form of employment opportunities. One thing is for certain there is more solidarity with the rich and maintaining there status quo than the poor trying to reshape their form of government here in Ireland. I also believe that people do suffer from a class consciousness here in the form of if you are buying your own home and have a car probably through one form of debt or another people automatically beleive they are middle class when in fact they are not. That was a master stroke by that c..t thatcher in the 1980's letting people buy their council house and they wil think they are middle class, in effect in my opinion if you have to get up in the morning and have to work pay for your material belongings you are working class.simple.
James; don't disagree with a lot of what you say except that I think class, like socialism is a mindset.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the registrar generals scale, or Thatchers PR stunt, I'd be labelled as middle class; I own my own home, ie its mortgaged to the hilt, I have a degree, a car.. All that. But I am most certainly working class and a socialist. Many people I surround myself with would also be in similar circumstances, but they're all working class socialists.
We had to buy our own homes because the chronic lack of social housing for nationalists meant we'd be on the waiting list for years and then if we ever did get housed, neglect by statutory agencies would mean substandard housing.
I have to say I have never been accused of being middle class by others either and think you're perhaps under rating people's comprehension of class and class issues.
Belfast Bookworm,
ReplyDeleteI cant get my head around what you are saying here.
"I have to say I have never been accused of being middle class by others either and think you're perhaps under rating people's comprehension of class and class issues". A great book to read on the subject is "Chavs" The demonisation of the working class" by Owen Jones. It was voted no1 politics book of the year and it simply charts from thatcher to the present day. Fantastic read. In my opinion and my experience, there is a relentless pursuit for people to aspire to be middle class - this is supported via the media, what tool this is in shaping peoples mindset.Just look at the new GAA. I dont own my own home, but like you I have been through the education mill with masters, degree and various other professional qualifications and all I ever learned from them was to place profit before the people. I am not having a go, but could you tell what you mean by the sticks having weird political ideas? One thing for certain I trust these people by what the claim in their manifesto, they would never implement tory cuts thats for sure and their princliples seem to be constant for the last 30 years, they havenet hit the 360 u turn by the leadership of the PSF thats for sure. I find it astonishing that SF in stormount are implementing tory cuts. Now dont get me wrong there are a fair amount of champagne socialists knocking about.
James,
ReplyDeletein many things they did the 360 degree turn the Provos did. They did it in relation to Stormont, unionism, the British State, the RUC. I think one of the reasons that the Sticks have not implemented the Tory cuts in the North is because they don't have the chance to. They are not poweful enough. And when they get powerful enough, as they did in the South, they end up like Eamonn Gilmore and Pat Rabbitte, the mudguard of the right wing austerity revolution. One of the reasons I feel that the Provos ended up as they did was because they were infected by the Stick virus.
Now the question we need to ask of ourselves is if the Stick virus is a product of physical force republicanism or stand alone. I think the militarist mindset slips all too easily into the Stalinist one - and then people are just on the road to where the leadership takes them. And where both Stick and Provo leadership has taken their people is into the debacle that exists at the minute. It is also very interesting to me that many who were with the Sticks now vote for SF at election time - although these are the people who ended up as the ORM.
On the wierd politics: stages theory in the North; the role of the multinationals in the South as a means to industrialise; The Irish Industrial Revolution proved to be a deeply flawed document and was taken apart by the CPI. Their uncritical support for the RUC and the supergrass system. Their support for censorship and the suppression of internal debate. Their organised lying in respect of their relationship to Group B.
And yet many of them continued to retain this strong social conscience which I benefitted from.
There is so much I found wierd James. In the years since I got out and got a chance to befriend some of the Sticks, their own reflections proved invaluable. They could be very critical.
James;
ReplyDeleteThis relentless pursuit of middle class you've mentioned in your second post is simply what I was trying to address in mines.
Perhaps some people are pursuing middle class-dom but I was merely trying to demonstrate that there are many who are technically middle class (according to the RG scale) but neither aspire to it or consider themselves part of it. Other forces were at work that pigeon-holed them into that bracket and I used the social housing example to illustrate my reasons for believing this.
You said you believed socialist ideology was misunderstood in Ireland and I was responding to this.
James
ReplyDeleteAgree with what you say there. Socialism isn't wrong. It has been demonised to the extent the mere mention of it is a turn-off. Like 'republicanism' for many people. Ask people if they want cuts to pensions, welfare etc and there's a different reaction. The socialist dog has been given such a bad name people don't even want to know what he looks like before rejecting him. Banging on about it is self defeating from the get-go.
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE i think.
When I watched tanaiste Eamon ex stick/oira Gilmore laying a wreath in Belfast today,to commemorate those who executed the men of 1916, butcher the innocent in Derry ,Ballymurphy, and the New Lodge, then I realised why people like Seamus Costello and Joe Mc Cann had to taken out of the equation, more willing to be associated with the oppressor than the oppressed these people and I will include Adams and Mc Guinnes here along with their cronies in quisling $inn £ein would never have achieved their low ambitions had real revolutionaries been allowed to live,which then begs the question was it always their game plan to arrive where we find ourselves today,or were they just to weak and cowardly to continue the fight..
ReplyDeleteSuper Dollars?
ReplyDeleteJust finishing the book stakenife by Ingram and Harkin and although i've read most of the material elsewhere it does crystalise things. The brits and their agents were doing most of the killing here. So for Liam Adams to be promoted in spite of what was known about him and for marty+gerry to be where they are today is no accident nor down to good operating practices on their part. It is all by design. END OF.
ReplyDeleteMarty,
ReplyDeleteit is a sign of the times where fidelity to the past becomes a hard to trade commodity. Kenny and Gilmore are performing statecraft.
What woud have been truly sickening is Adams or McGuinness turning up with their blood dripping wreath, saying that it was the IRA they were not part of it that did it.
Joe McCann and Seamus Costello were deliberately taken out to deprive the struggle of key radical leaders and allow other leaders 'we can do bisiness with' to emerge in their place.
So very true Anthony
ReplyDeleteAM,
ReplyDeleteJoe McCann and Seamus Costello were deliberately taken out to deprive the struggle of key radical leaders and allow other leaders 'we can do bisiness with' to emerge in their place. I can see this now. It definately was a dirty war, I read the other day that there are only 22 countries in the world that the brits didnt invade or had strategic interests. What gets me is that, I cannot see where it is going to end,stormount for me is just a talking shop,there are 108 MLA's here governing 1.5 million people than the whole of the US seanate and multi millions of amercians. So when they are up on the hill talking about cuts needed to balance the books, what in effect are they talking about,given the fact that capialist america is in debt to the tune of 3 trillion to china,just to keep the system afloat. Just look at the influx of new recruits to SF, I really cannot see the differnce between them and sdlp these days. they are doing alright with their cosy salary and "live for free expenses". Professional liars. When I was a child I used to go to pantamines and laugh at the people on the stage,in costume and what silly things they say, whereas today the people on the stage seem to be laughing at us. mental really. They generally do believe us to be fools. I had a debate the other day with a shinner about stormount is not delivering and is simply cost ineffective. I was hit with the classic and frequently used "There is no other solution". How can you vote against the cuts in public and then implement them on the other and say it is for the good of the people. In relation to costello and mccann, the people I spoke too have varied opinions on the two. I also beleive if history tells us anything a military solution to freeing Ireland is not a realistic option. Even if it was free, what does free mean, free like the system of goverence in the south, christ not for me.Only my humble opinion.
James,
ReplyDeletevery little careerism with them after the crew that left for democratic left.
But very little of them left either and what was left has had a negligible impact. They more resemble a cult than a serious political force. I think that has to beg questions of the whole enterprise.
The biggest crime throughout the troubles was for the sf leadership to lie to their grassroots, the people who endured the most.
But do you not think this accentuated the extent to which they have ‘gone Stick.’? That was one of the things I thought characterised the Stick leadership – its incessant lying. I think it seems to go with the revolutionary turf: the so called revolutionaries find themselves eager to abandon revolutionary ground but because of the history, often of lives lost and hardship endured, they want to mask the abandonment.
The peace process is nothing other than the defeat of the IRA. That is why the British embraced it and gave it so much time.
Thanks for your generous words on my book.
Larry,
The '50s campaign was shunned by a nothern RC population more interested in rights within the UK than the border.
The Provo campaign pretty much met the same fate. It was only supported by a minority of nationalists in the North who at the end of the day were prepared to settle up on terms within the NI state.
AM,
ReplyDeleteI did get a little tickle under the arm in relation to this statement.lol. WP "They more resemble a cult than a serious political force". lol. I aint to sure about the cult, bearing in mind any group meeting could be looked as a cult iF you really took it apart either political or no. You are right on the serious political force, but just because they are not strong doesnt mean they are not right on their analysis. I am sure you agree on that one. I found there analysis to be very informative, clear, crisp and and generally factual based. It simply was. Now, I am not a advocate for the WP, I disagree with some of their strategy in which I read about, but I value everyones opinion on their organisation. Everyone has a voice, which needs to be valued just as much as anyones else in my opinion. I have read many IRSP writtings and there is aint much of a difference in theory BAR a military campaign with no success. The CPI may have taken apart the WP stages theory, but I am sure the WP could take apart many of the CPI theory. You also said that the Sticks were great drinking partners, christ now, I find that funny because one stick said to me the provos would plant a bomb on thursday and drink all over the weekend about it with a wolfe tone soundtrack.lol.I would love to investigate this to see if this is factual. My opinion, there were are good and bad in all organisations, one mans friend is anothers enemy. Your book basically told it as it was, and it took courage, I tip my hat to anyone who may have to stand in isolation for the truth. Hopefully, it will lead the way to inspire others, when the people refuse to listen to the SF lie machine "peace process"as an excuse
or get out of jail card when they simply are not much different from the DUP in relation to style of dictorial government at the expense of the electorate. Both these organisations needs sectarism to keep them where they are in power. I wonder will queens be offering a new masters degree on lie and sly -ology for our new young political elite.?
James has left a new comment on your post "Tribute To A Comrade In A Sombre
ReplyDeletePlace":
James,
I think in Ireland like elsewhere people do not understand others’ understanding of socialism. It has little traction because of the manner in which it has been implemented. People have little faith it in. And that socialists are foremost in imposing censorship people don’t get a chance to fully understand it. Many opposed to capitalism simply are not going to make the effort to put another crowd in who will oppress them much as before. I think it was John Kenneth Galbraith whop said ‘under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite.’ I imagine many people think he has hit the nail on the head.
James re Queens offering a" masters degree on lie and sly-ology" brill a cara and guess who the prof would be? yip he has the beard and no it aint santa...
ReplyDeleteLarry,
ReplyDeleteThe socialist dog bit too many of its own. For this reason I always find Animal Farm an all time classic.
James
Just look at the influx of new recruits to SF, I really cannot see the difference between them and SDLP these days.
The SDLP are not as opportunist or unprincipled and they are further to the left than SF. That might not amount to a lot given that it is a relative thing.
if history tells us anything a military solution to freeing Ireland is not a realistic option.
Not much to disagree with there.
James,
ReplyDeletejust because they are not strong doesn’t mean they are not right on their analysis.
When they start to force it down everybody’s else’s throat it is a standard feature of a cult – whether in the WP or elsewhere.