Roddy Connolly: political odyssey of a socialist republican

by Charlie McGuire Sun Oct 30, 2005 13:01 mcguire_charlie at hotmail dot com

In 1916, James Connolly entered into a temporary alliance with advanced republicans, in order to overthrow British imperial rule in Ireland.

Between 1973-77, Roddy Connolly supported a Labour/Fine Gael coalition which was pro-British imperialist and which supported all of the measures undertaken by the British state in its war against Irish republicanism.

At no point in his life did James Connolly ever find himself in such an ideological or strategic position in relation to British imperialism.

He died at the hands of it, in fact.

by JC - GLHG Mon Jun 20, 2005 12:09

Just to emphasise that the lecture will focus on the career of Roddy Connolly (& not on that of Dermot Lacey)

by Dermot Lacey Mon Jun 20, 2005 10:48

I don't know where you get the idea that I am anti-campaigning. Far from it. In my time I have been Chairperson on one Save a Hospital Campaign - which we won. A member of another Hospital campaign - that we lost. First Chairperson of the Ringsend and District Response to Drugs campaign, and the Anti Amendment Campaign - when it was far from popular - just to mention a few.

I respect the role and enthusiasm of many people actively involved in campaigning against injustice and support many of them. As an elected representative however I have an additional role which I try to do as best I can. Many readers on indymedia cannot accept the legitimacy of my position on issues or the intergrity by which I take them. I regret that. However I put myself before the electorate and twice they have re-elected me. I am delighted by that.

I have explained my position on the "Bin Tax" so often that I will not waste time here by doing so again. But I have no regrets on that one - other than that the outcome of the protest is that the power on this issue now rests with the Manager who will increase it far more than Councillors ever would.

by historian Mon Jun 20, 2005 09:59

In fairness, Cllr Lacey makes a good point and RC was actually quite consistent in his inconsistency! Anyone familiar with his earlier carreer as a "revolutionary socialist" (he was always quite hostile to the republican movement per se) will know that RC was a bit of a dillentente and was recognised as such by the Comintern when he tried on several occassions to convince them that he was the Irish Lenin.

by Irish Worker Sun Jun 19, 2005 00:52

Fair dues to Dermot, he always puts his piece on Indymedia without fear or favour but I think its fair to ask him has he ever read anything that James Connolly wrote and can he quote anything Connolly wrote to justify his ultra-parliamentary/anti-campaigning position on almost everything? (And before you avoid the question I am not a Trotskyist/Leninist/Anarchist...or amenable to any of the labels you usually throw at your opponents). So come on, lets hear it...chapter and verse.

by Barry Sat Jun 18, 2005 21:23

just got very old, very tired and gave up fighting . He tried his best in the past and fair play to him . no ones a saint .

by Bronstein - Liberal Catholic Ceili Band Sat Jun 18, 2005 18:28

As one who has been pro-coalition and obedient to the Labour Party leadership (with regard to bintax), I am surprised that Dermot regards either of these terms as disparaging.

by Dermot Lacey Fri Jun 17, 2005 19:08

I don't know why you had to be offensive to Roddy Connolly in relation to his subsequent Pro-Coalition stance - it was as legitimate as the other views he had expressed over a long and courageous Political life. After all his father James was the first Coalitionist in the Party when he entered into a "temporary little arrangement" with the IRB and colleagues in 1916 and Fair Play to him says I.