Socialist Appeal
The Marxist voice of Labour and youth
John Hume – founding member of the SDLP in the North of Ireland, and key architect of the Good Friday Agreement – died recently, on 3 August. The establishment has been full of posthumous praise. But his lasting legacy has not benefited the working class.
Socialist Appeal recently spoke to Paul Murphy, Irish TD (MP) for Dublin South-West, who discussed the need to fight back against the bosses and big businesses that are attempting to profit from the COVID-19 crisis.
Ben Curry reviews Peter Hadden’s book on the history of the class struggle in Ireland, and asks: how should Marxists approach the national question?
Ireland was previously hailed by liberal commentators for bucking the trend of political instability. But it has now caught up with a bang. The rise of Sinn Féin has delivered the establishment and the two-party system a decisive blow.
The results of the general election show that Ireland has caught up with the rest of Europe in terms of political polarisation and the collapse of the centre ground. The country is set for a new period of instability.