Davy Carlin continues with some thoughts of growing up in West Belfast and his move into political activism.
‘Yea it is’, I replied as I looked out the window. In doing so I had seen a Dragonfly, busying itself on the outside trying to get within the taxi. Our world is made up of so many weird creatures I had thought, as it came to eye level before flying off.
‘Did you see that’ I said to the guy.
‘See what?’, he replied.
‘Oh it doesn’t matter’ I said.
Yet for a brief second and in the distance of mind I heard the young black guy pondering, ‘I wonder what frequency that’s on.’ Maybe he stated this in reference to the tune – maybe not.
My thoughts though continued to go back to the Falls Road, and to the child at war.
My early childhood glazed eyes of war days had seen my more proactive action against the state having been amongst the young {and at times not so young} Irish Republican Socialist Party {IRPS} wider affiliates, of which their army wing would have been the Irish National Liberation Army.
And when I became involved in political activism in later years, I would have had comradely discussion and debate with some of their more political minds within their headquarters at Costello House on the Falls Road. From the writings of Seamus Costello through to the ‘Ta Power’ documents and much more. Much of what they had in theory, and on the socio and economic issues, I actually agreed with.
Similar with the Workers Party {the Stickies} whose army wing was the Official Irish Republican Army {OIRA} of which I knew also in childhood in the Lower Falls, and had read some of their early documents distributed. Again much of what the Workers Party stated on the Unity of Catholic Protestant and Dissenter and on the socio- economic issues I agreed with.
Indeed in my teenage years it was the Workers Party Clubs that were some of my first drinking spots I had regularly attended. And also with encountering Protestants, foreign faces from afar, travellers, gypsies and others for the first time. This had started to give me a glimpse to a wider world. And when I had joined the Socialist Workers Party {SWP} in the mid 90s, in our earliest of years it was to the Workers Party clubs we had went for comradely drinks and debate after the annual Belfast Mayday march. We eventually though were to change this to attending the annual Communist Party function in the CP HQ for years to come.
It was these three organisations that I had written to {and Sinn Fein}, to join, all those years ago but I received no reply back – and so it was to be that I was to happen upon the SWP stall and the rest – as they say, is now history.
Yet many of my mates in those childhood years would have been Sinn Fein {SF} inclined, whose army wing was the Provisional Irish Republican Army. Indeed in youth at one time I was a card carrying member of SF. I was also in childhood going door to door selling their newspaper and ballots and such like for them. In later years I would join in their marches and rallies and be invited to attend ‘family’ meetings {those within and also close to the party} etc., and other such – as I would have been for their transition to peace.
Yet I can fully understand the hurt, anger and sense of betrayal felt by many who were actual activists within that Movement given what that Movement had set out in principle and as to where they are now.
But as I had written before, many more would have seen that shift to peace as being pragmatic within an ever changing world.
For me, I was for peace at that time, and agreed with the step change away from war – and would have actively sought such.
You know they say one person’s terrorist is another person’s freedom fighter, which is so true, as if you come out on the wrong side in history; it is read in such terms by many.
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Excuse me for my ignorance but there is something which I just don't understand about republicanism. There seems to be two completely separate strands of republicanism that co-exist: the progressive secular socialist republican and the reactionary pious uber-gael. IRA men fought on both sides of the Spanish Civil War, the modern Provos had socially conscious leaders like The Dark yet carried out sectarian killings by the score. In the Youtube video of IRA men firing shots over the image of Vol Catney there is catholic iconology. Just how catholic is modern republicanism? Is it still for catholics, protestants and dissenters or have republicans largely given up on that idea?
ReplyDelete"came out on the wrong side of history" Davy?
ReplyDeleteI wonder, have you considered that they might have 'went in' on the wrong side?
Many were only boys of fifteen or sixteen years when they volunteered or were recruited, and given the context we can't be too harsh on them for that.
Also a majority of those who recruited, inducted and trained them had themselves been immersed in the 'movement' from such tender years too so I don't really want to demonise them too much either.
However I'd now contend that we went in on the 'wrong side', fuelled with testosterone and misdirected by a romanticised and distorted physical force republican narrative of history.