Jim Fitzpatrick signed Limited Print of Elizabeth O’Farrell | Health and Care in a New Ireland | An Act of International Piracy

Solidarity Works Forty years ago this month, ten workers from the Henry Street branch of Dunnes Stores in Dublin's city centre went on strike to protest against the selling of produce from Apartheid South Africa. A year later, the group was joined by another worker, Brendan Barron, from the Crumlin store, bringing their number to eleven. The strike lasted for almost three years. I remember it well. I joined the picket line a few times and Sinn Féin and An Phoblacht were firm supporters of th...

21 Juli 202415min

AN OPEN LETTER TO KEIR STARMER Keir a chara, Congratulations on your election as British Prime Minister. I wish you well in the many challenges facing you and your government. The world is very divided at this time with many violent examples of injustice, poverty, hunger and violence. I hope you will use your office in a positive and progressive way. From the Middle East to get ceasefires and stop the genocide against the people of Palestine to Ukraine and other troubled p...

14 Juli 202415min

NO PASARAN! Across Europe, in the USA, the Middle East and in England regressive political elements are gathering strength. In the North of Ireland we have always had to contend with these forces. And historically the right wing have played a significant role in our affairs across the island. They were well represented in the conservatism of the Catholic hierarchy which like its fundamentalist protestant counterparts in the North, had a privileged position for far too long. Every...

7 Juli 202415min

Pádraic Fiacc The first book I wrote was Falls Memories. Brandon Books led by the late Steve Mac Donagh was my publisher. I asked Steve if we could include drawings by Michael McKernon. I didn’t know Michael but I was familiar with his fine line drawings. Steve indulged me, Michael obliged and Falls Memories was produced, enhanced by his artistry. That was decades ago. In 1990. Can We Afford A United Ireland? I have written before about the work of Sinn Féins Commissio...

30 Juni 202413min

A Great Showcase for Unity The SSE Arena in Belfast was buzzing with positivity last Saturday as several thousand people participated in one of the largest public discussions held recently on constitutional change and the potential for Irish Unity. Over ten thousand more joined online. The organisers did a remarkable job in bringing together a first class panel of academics, political leaders, artists, economists, protestant voices, comedians, trade unionists and Gaels. Their success can be ...

23 Juni 202418min

This Too Will Pass All of this is grist to the mill of our opponents. But we do not begrudge them that. One of our political achievements is to expose the sameness of these parties interests and policies. We now have to create an alternative. So we have to play our own game regardless of what the naysayers claim. Unlike the southern parties Sinn Féin is currently fighting the British general election in the North. So we have to bend our will to that before gathering ourselves for what comes ...

16 Juni 202415min

IRELAND'S Future has an event in the SSE Arena in Belfast on Saturday, June 15. Entitled Pathway to Change, it has all the makings of a seminal moment in our discussions about the future. It will be the largest gathering by Ireland’s Future since its enormously successful, ground-breaking meeting in the 3 Arena in Dublin in October 2022.

9 Juni 202416min

Irish Unity makes economic sense Last month a report by the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) caught the headlines with the claim that Irish Unity could cost the South up to €20 billion annually. The analysis was quickly challenged by other economists and last week those with different opinions had their opportunity to address the Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. We are running out of words to describe what is happening in Gaza.” ...

2 Juni 202417min