Independent Media Centre Ireland     http://www.indymedia.ie

Belfast - You raise me up so I can stand on Mountains

category antrim | history and heritage | opinion/analysis author Friday November 30, 2007 09:44author by Davy Carlin

This is the final Part of the Indymedia Series.

1977 - 2007, from 7 year old until 37 year old

-30 - - -years -


The End - A New Beginning

Picture of me Falls Road 1979 –

http://www.phoblacht.net/davyc.jpg

Picture on Falls Road 25 years on–{Lost a stone or two since then, and as handsome as ever!}

http://www.anphoblacht.com/news/images/2004/08/05/Anti-...k.jpg

-This will be my last time engaging on Indymedia and all other such sites, to such an extent, for the foreseeable future - as I now begin, at last, to sit and finalise my 'Memoirs

And as I sit here I think back to the 13th June 2007 and to where I had sat to finalise my speech for the 14' th June 2007.

And it was as per that Link below, 'that that once child of the Ghettos, now the man, arose to his feet, under the roof of the once Bastion of unionist mis-rule – and in the council chambers of Belfast City Hall -and at this Journeys end – to the words of –

…… ‘let‘s welcome our distinguished guests…. ‘Davy Carlin…………….. Founding member, organiser and spokesperson of the Stop the War Coalition and Movement …….. Founding member, Chair, and spokesperson of the Anti Racism Network, and Movement…… Founding member, Chair of the Make Poverty History {NI-} Movement. ….. ……

Link - http://davycarlin.allotherplaces.org/?m=200706

And I remember also while raising to speak, of the several 'manned Video cameras at various points in the room - to capture that meeting of the times.

- Now 170 days later, on Nov 30 and at the end of the year 2007 I sit and finalise this piece to go up later today.

And as that one child of the Ghettos now the man had now sat a short time in his office in the Citadel of learning, that of Queens University Belfast, he again arose to his feet and went over and briefly looked out the huge office window.

In doing so he looked across directly at Queens Student Union and to how some things change little, as he had seen students on their megaphones raising concerns ranging from student fees to that of far of wars – as I had done similar at that very place a decade and more past. Then I looked down below me and to just out side that magnificent entrance of the University and there stood Gerry Adams, President of Sinn Fein {and a once Ballymurphy {Murph} estate lad like myself} getting his Photo taken with Fire-fighter, Ambulance personnel - and Members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, all of which where going to a meeting in the Conference room beside me.

And I had thought then - how much other issues had changed.

And, as I look back to the 70’s and 80’s to my childhood and youth, I remember those historic moments that I had been witness to and had attended, and of the major figures that I had known within that recent Irish War. Then I look at my recent activism through the 90’s and to the present and I remember back to some of those moments.

I remember organising locally in West Belfast, going into work places and addressing workers up and down the Falls and Andersonstown Road against a recent Sectarian killing by Loyalists. And such grassroots work, with others within communities and unions, was to result in the largest Anti Sectarian Rally ever seen in the North’s History, with tens of thousands of citizens, Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter pouring onto the streets, {and our such work to help bring such about was acknowledged at the time}.

Yet back in the 90’s I remember standing on a Chair outside Belfast City Hall next to my Branch Secretary of Branch 8 {NIPSA - Civil Servants}after we had organised with others, workers to ‘walk out ‘against ongoing threats. Indeed whether they came from Loyalist or Republican we would seek Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter, to stand together against them.

And it was to be but several years later that I was leading off Branch’s 8 banner on more 'unofficial walk outs’ through the streets of Belfast city centre{as workers on high opened up their windows and cheered , clapped and held solidarity fists in the air}- and in which Ministers and Management had called our actions ‘illegal and ‘wildcat.

And so Branch 8 where once again at the forefront of seeing hundreds and indeed thousands marching through Belfast streets in such action - in what was termed as the most important workers struggle in twenty years.

Indeed we where branch 8, {known by some as the Red branch} and respected not only around NIPSA but across the trade union Movement itself.

'Which is why I believe it is of no co-incidence that when management and government started suspending Northern Ireland civil servants, they started and directed their attentions whole scale against us in Branch 8.

We where Branch 8 - made up of up to 30 committee members, many from the Catholic and Protestant working class heartlands.

Such local work I have long believed was always important and I am involved in such grassroots activisms to effect real change, which has happened and is happening, as recorded elsewhere throughout these links. Yet from trade union militancy, I then remember my first real local community activism where I had been to the fore along with another grassroots activist from the Shankill road. This in organising solidarity for the local Fire Fighters who where on strike. Our work together was to result in a march which although small, in its deed, it was compared at the time to the Historic Falls and Shankill marches many decades earlier.

For oneself the attempting to bring together Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter and that of working class politics was essential, and this was my first real success at doing so at a community level, working with others. The march itself showed how difficult and dangerous it could be in those days to attempt such. And this was reflected in the fact that as we headed of the lead banner together which was entitled ‘’The Falls and Shankill in support of our Fire Service’, the march either side and behind had seen police in flak jackets, openly carrying machine guns in both hands.

Yet the engagement with Loyalism{ to an extent} I also believed was important, and in them days I was never even afforded the support of my own Political leadership, so I had went it alone, knowing the difference between rhetoric from afar and the reality on the streets – {as I had lived it}, and in doing so built up 'relationships..

Indeed, I believed to attempt to effect real change all needed to be understood, and I never baulked from the National question, and visibly stood time and again with those against state repression however hard it was to do at times, while pointing out what disagreements I had with their tactics.

Yet I was to find that even when I did so, personal support and solidarity from the wider Movement {Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter} was always forthcoming, as many of them knew that my politics was of uniting Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter and working with activist's in a genuine way, and so had build up trust and respect from all sections of our communities -– and this was to be essential in recent times -

- This though while not fearing to constantly and visibly take on the harder issues – that many of the local ‘Revolutionary left’ had failed to do through -out their histories

Concentrating on economism, syndicalism, and far of Imperialism is but to be, a socio – economic, far of Anti Imperialism Socialist. And while such can and is doing good work, it did not get to the root and local higher form of the problem in such circumstances.

Indeed as I had written within Diary Input –

{Step by Step to Journey’s End -A New Beginning - January 17th, 2007}

‘Indeed I had acknowledged {years prior}that the hope and aspirations of future generations should not be held back by what had happened to many such like oneself and that a more equal and just society should not be a dream but a reality that could be lived – and to that end I would play my part’.

Link to complete article - http://davycarlin.allotherplaces.org/?m=200701

-Then I remembered the first ever such Anti Racism Movement and rallies ever seen in the North of Ireland. And remember the brutal times, with the minority ethnic community beaten, attacked and brutalised.

I remember the disappointing times, such as Unionist politicians attempting to put the blame on me for several days of rioting and roadblocks in a loyalist area, simply for me speaking there against the racist attacks.

Then I remember the inspiring times and the mobilising of citizens against such, within and throughout the streets and communities of Belfast. I also remember the debates and interviews around the world I had done, and remembered being flown to London for a morning show to be interviewed live in front of millions - as part of Black History month.

Many other such memories are held within this and all links provided – and more to come in my book.

- - - Now we have ‘Peace though, and it will be for those experienced journalists and historians in the decades ahead, that can knit together the facts of our very recent times - and as to how such was, in its entirety - moved to happen.

In effect it had seen hundreds of years of war and conflict, in reality brought to an end - in such terms- and so such need not arise again.

Indeed back in 2003 not long after I had started writing I had wrote,

‘War for me had been witnessed on many fronts yet for oneself it is not only a question of remembering or trying to explain, but to use that experience to seek such change - so such need not arise again’.

Yes,

indeed,

the times they are a changing for the better.

And while I would have actively sought such peace, I would and will never forget my roots and that proud working class community in which I was reared. Indeed I would have, and do seek continual change for the benefit of such communities, may it have been environmental, educational and community regeneration and renewal – while constantly and visibility standing with them for justice and against state repression.

-Then I sat down, and continued to look across at the Students Union and had seen a student protesting about student Poverty, with that I had thought of Street Seen and how when formed, that we with others had organised the largest such Anti Poverty rally seen in the North through the Make Poverty History Movement, while inspiring and mobilising the largest such mobilisation from these shores.

Also we had seen in Dublin homeless and houseless persons on the march and in direct actions against their conditions and deaths on the streets, while in Belfast we gave other such support and seen other actions taken.

An issue that was even more close to heart given the fact that at one time, for a very brief period in my life, I to had been homeless - and had been afforded, food, warmth and hope from others

- And so it began -

Also around this time, {and within - throughout, the ARN network, lists} and indeed eventually - another step, towards the securing of the Assembly, was the issue of Water charges which where to play a central role in that election at that crucial time.

And as per my online diary input of Jan 17- 07,

Link - http://davycarlin.allotherplaces.org/?m=200701

- it describes how on Nov 27- {06} that real momentum, once again, was created and moved to happen, this from the West Belfast meeting, with calls for support and solidarity.

This was in tandem with ongoing MPH actions, that all can be read, throughout and within, this link at that time, -

- From Belfast to Scotland to Dublin. {'Visible and otherwise - step by step}.

Link - http://www.indymedia.ie/article/69964

- - - And so next to him was another student seeking petitions against the occupation of Iraq and with that I had remembered doing a local radio interview before that War and was asked, ‘Davy if they attack Iraq will youse organise actions against it.

To which I replied, ‘there will be, there will be, there will be actions if they attack’.

Indeed not only where we to organise the largest Anti War marches, rallies and Movement in the North’s history but had seen all the direct actions around Belfast at the time.

And with that I remember leading of with a huge banner at the front of one of our marches of thousands of citizens towards the building in which the then British Prime - Minister Tony Blair and the United States of America President, George W Bush, had sat, just outside Belfast to continue their War plans {A banner in which the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, leadership - had also asked if I would lead off with}

-Out on the lamppost outside the Students Union I had passed earlier in the morning there was a placard in which it had advertised a meeting on ‘Capitalism or Socialism’, and in looking at it I had remembered the very first such ‘Anti Capitalist marches and actions through Belfast streets, {and seeing a front page picture of oneself in a National Newspaper ‘Storming’ a Multi National - aahhhhhh those young activists days}.

And I remembered oneself having taken a meeting at the time in a backroom in Belfast City Centre to ‘Plan’ for our travels to Genoa.

Yes Genoa – ‘Indeed the governments called it the worst riot that Europe had seen in over thirty years, and released a statement saying that the protests had ‘descended into anarchy’.

In fact it was an inspirational coming together of our anti capitalist movement'.

And as for Anarchism – {and Libertarian Socialism}

I had joined Organise! - And our first actions –

-Solid working class Representation at the Organise! called picket in support of sacked Dunnes worker Joanne Delaney. - - -

80 people attended the picket in Belfast called by Organise! over the lunchtime hour.

We had seen also halfway through cheers going up as we were joined by 10 or so striking postal workers.

In attendance, we had seen dozens of rank and file workers from various unions many in work uniform. We also had seen key personal as well as official representation from various unions ranging from UNISON to NIPSA as well as leadership figures from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and Belfast Trades Union Council in attendance.

Anarchists where joined by six {I think} political parties and their Representation.

This was a great solid show of support --and we ran out of the many hundreds of Organise! leaflets.

It was also good to see so many people not only taking our leaflet - but engaging with us - and supporting the collective stance taken’

-And with other rallies and pickets around Ireland Joanne was re –instated, in what was termed as an ‘historic victory at the time by some.

- And in recent times we had seen over 150 citizens attend the very first such Belfast book fair we had Organised with ‘Just Books.

And so as I sat on my chair I had sipped on a cool glass of water and as I got up to leave I briefly looked at the road outside the Students Union and remembered a large picture of oneself in a newspaper on a megaphone leading the sit down protests against student fees, and as I now dandered into our back office I had looked out the window at the Administration Building.

{And on that brief dander I also briefly remembered the first such 'Political Picture I was in, and it was a picture that had went around the world – like others would do decades later. It was a picture of me in childhood looking upon the face of Bobby Sands in his coffin {Irish Republican and Hunger striker} – in his home and in the estate that I had lived}

Indeed a decade or so ago I remember Marie and I and Comrades being moved and dragged out of the Administration building by Guards and dumped in the dirt after a several day occupation of the building. Indeed Marie had been there on the Anti Globalisation demo in Geneva and had also marched and rallied against racism and poverty in Belfast, and recently had sat on the friends of the Falls Park Committee.

Yet earlier that day as I had flicked through a news-paper I had seen a full page feature on Marie and the essential work she does in helping out some of the most disadvantaged in the area that we live, that of the Upper Springfield.

Indeed such grassroots work to effect change is what real politics is all about, and for me I had moved from almost solely collecting petitions, marching around and around, and trying to pull of the next 'big public meeting - and in doing so effecting little change, To that of effecting real change - in the community - in wider society, and in part at times - internationally, for generations to come.

That is what I judge ones activism on, on what one has seen in and delivered in real terms through various tactics.

Formula Politics and Ideological and Organisational Purism is something I do not embrace -

Yet on the past, lessons do need to be learnt, so such need not arise in such a way again - and as to understanding as to where the problem lay.

It lay with Colonialism, and Imperialism, then most recently the continual discrimination, injustice and inequalities of the old Stormont regime, with then seeing peaceful protest for change brutalised and repressed - all that selfish interest - was indeed the real problem and root cause, there is no if’s or but’s about that.

Indeed in oh so many ways, some are still the problem

To attempt to suggest otherwise is quite simply wrong, and those famous Socialist – Republican’s such as James Connolly knew what side of the fence they stood on in that regard, and where the real Problem lay.

And I can also understand how those can be driven into the politic of the gun as a means of defence and to fight back because of the Problem thrust upon them, and seeing they believe, no other alternative but this form of defence - as their loved ones are brutalised and murdered before there eyes – and no justice forthcoming.

Yes, that basic human instinct of defence for friends and loved ones.

Indeed, there is no doubt that the problem lay at the door of those who had drove working class citizens to re act and not at the door of those working class citizens who re- acted, in such above circumstances, and so seeing many driven into various organisations and methods of defence, and to strike back.

As I had described such, in real terms, years back -

'It was late 1977 another day of rioting, it was though relatively quiet now and I had ventured from my door down to the bottom of my street, from number 6 Sevastopol Street {on the Falls Road - where the famous Mural of Bobby Sands now looks out from a cable wall at the bottom of the street - and but a few doors down in which we had onced lived in the old slum houses, now demolished}.

Looking up and down the road I then went amongst the debris to attempt to build up my collection of rubber (rubbers) and plastic (plastics) bullets. Then from Lesson street a young man ran up and I heard a jeep raving behind him, I dropped my newly acquired collection of rubbers and plastics and ran up my street a bit. Then across the road at the bottom of my street the young man slipped and fell, he was a boy of around sixteen whom I knew from the area.

The jeep then caught up with him and out jumped a snatch squad and they started to beat him brutally with batons as he screamed out for help and for his mother. I ran down to the bottom of the street screaming at them across the road to leave him alone while screaming for help. I could see the blood pouring from his face as they dragged him into the jeep. He held on in one last vein attempt to the door but a baton crushed his fingers as he was trailed inside by the hair. I by now had edged almost onto the Falls Road and a few others were coming out onto the street.

As the jeep took off with the back doors still swinging open I seen gun butts, batons and boots being savagely laid into the boy who was squealing for help with his face completely hidden by his blood. As it took of down the road, I don’t know why as I could do nothing to help him but I took off after the jeep, shouting, screaming and crying.

I ran down the Falls a bit then stopped,

I went over then to a corner,

I covered my face,

I sobbed deeply.

I cried because I was angry, because I felt helpless, because they could do this and there was nothing I could do. After a while I walked back up the Falls in the middle of the road and looked upon the boys pool of blood, I lifted up the few teeth that lay there belonging to the boy amongst chucks of his hair and put them in my pocket, I went back up my street.

Two or three days later, I was sitting at the top of Sevastopol Street with a childhood friend Michael, who lived also in the street. A foot patrol was coming up the street so instinctively I put my toy machine gun behind my back and sat up straight against the wall of a house. When they reached there, my mate asked one of the Brits could he hold his gun, to which the Brit replied 'no'. Michael then stated that his toy gun (which lay openly on the ground) and my toy gun was better than his so he didn’t care, which got the Brits attention as he looked at me in hopeful anticipation. Guessing by my suspicious stature that mine was behind my back he asked to see it to which I said no, he then stated that I could hold his gun if I would let him see mines, I again said no. He then kicked my foot and asked more aggressively to which again I said no. He then pulled me away from the wall quite roughly and as I stood up he lifted up my toy gun.

He looked at it then laughed then threw it back at me and continued to laugh while making a racist remark about myself to one of his chums.

I lifted the toy gun up and aimed it at him and pressed the trigger and the little whirling sound it made came out. The Brit laughed again, I continued to press the trigger, I pressed and pressed it as I continued to aim at him. His face had changed now to one of puzzlement.

I then let out a squeal aaaaahhhhhyaabastard, while still pressing my toy guns trigger.

I did not look at his face I just ran and he and they did not follow me. I went around the block until they disappeared then went into my house and went out the back to our outside toilet. Now shaking uncontrollably, pissing and shitting one self (literally). All my anger at the almost daily racism towards myself by them, seeing the brutality dished out to those I knew or loved, being treated like dirt and humiliated and much more had driven me to squeal out like that and had directed my behaviour. I had stopped shaking, in fact I now felt good, I walked back into our kitchen and took a glass of water, and with now a smile I looked into the cracked mirror.

Now once again in my life I was now seeing eyes of defiance and also now of hate emerging as I looked into that mirror. From fear, to tears, to a smile, and of now slightly laughing to oneself at my image in that mirror, I then walked back out the door of my home and made my way down my street onto the Falls road to join the gathering crowd, but now this time,

- for the first time,

stopping to pick up bricks and any unbroken bottles I could find on my way.

- I was but seven years old, yet I had taken enough - .

I was generally a passive kid yet their (the state) continual actions even in me forced a physical and emotional reaction. For me therefore although I may not agree I though can understand (although many cannot) why many individuals, in the main coming from social and economically deprived working class areas, felt the absolute last alternative left to them was to hit back physically (through desperation, self-defence, anger, frustration and growing hatred) as to what was happening to both them, and their loved ones and those around them.

Given the nature of the state and its continual brutal actions towards many innocent persons many were then ‘driven’ into the politic of the gun.

And to do that they joined organisations who could and would provide the means and the direction.

Therefore I can understand it not only within a political context, but also at that time actually feeling {the emotions}and being driven to re-act, albeit in a much lesser scale even as a passive child.

Fortunately by the time I was in my late teens much of the daily conflict was away from my sight and the overt state racism towards myself lessened, also an embryo of a peace process was in the making and some very limited change was forthcoming'.

Had it happened when I was older I may well have sought other means and been driven to re act in other ways - such was the sheer brutality being unleashed by the state onto innocents, men women and children alike.

This on top of the 'ills of the old Stormont Regime - and how it treated us like dirt.

-There is a difference between that re -action though, and those then going on the military offensive and trying to bomb and shoot ones way through an opposing majority, and into a united Ireland, which seen much needless slaughter.

Yet one may ask of the difference between planting such a bomb by hand in the pursuit of ‘National Liberation and those that dropped bombs by air in the pursuit of a ‘War on Terror?

Indeed both have slaughtered 'innocents and the 'War on {of} Terror' continues to do so and seeing vastly many more innocent brutalised and slaughtered, yet my words have always been the same, and that is that the murder and slaughter of 'innocents is wrong.

Yet - as I read back at the past I see though that Propaganda tries to put the root 'Problem of the conflict on the oppressed rather than the oppressor.

Indeed much was done wrong by all sides, but it is on which side of the fence one stands when it comes to the harsher realities of conflict and that of the National Question, and more importantly as to the reasons for re- action.

Yet as I sit in my office I wonder, that what we have now could have happened decades ago with out such continual slaughter from all sides. Indeed that Northern Ireland neo -liberalist centre right governance is already seeing working class struggles against it, as I had written previous that it would see.

And as I had also pre-written -

'But one has to remember that there is an awful lot of difference to being radical outside of governance and being ‘pragmatic within governance. Financial constrains and the realities of governance, over time, will increasingly be spoken to whatever ‘community loses out, in many cases by those very people who have been elected by that community, and who now sit in such governance'.

Indeed -

Link to full article here - http://www.phoblacht.net/DC140807.html

And in addition as raised before, one would hope to see the 'Visitors centre etc, at the Giant's Causeway in Public hands.

{Yet that step away from the continual slaughter on our streets, was another step forward, and that continual struggle for the betterment of those most in need continues – as the Assembly gets time to bed in}

Indeed the struggle against such neo -liberalism and centre right governance is only beginning.

And that struggle is for the most vulnerable onto which we need to - feed and favour, and such needs, need to ascend above that of - flag and fanfare, of whatever hue.

Yet that {War}is over us, but as held within the links are those innocents and their continual struggle – still - for justice, and all the histories of all such Movements-Campaigns and more.

I also think back over the decades and remember those I had known, and the friendships and good times. I think also of how much I have changed from giving it the welly on dance floors all around Europe and further afield with a friend on travels - to now. And how a walk on a crisp autumn evening in the park with my partner and wee dog, with the crunch on leaves underfoot is, something that I enjoy.

Even after the surprise party we had held for Marie's 33rd' birthday last night, we still had went outside {as friends and relatives chilled in the outdoor heated hot tub} to look out from the huge balcony on the side of a relative's house on the mountain, and onto the changing city of Belfast - before a dander around the gardens in that crisp damp Autumn air.

Of course I still love to travel and will do plenty more in the years ahead, but it is to chill, to sight see, and to take in new histories and culture, that I prefer now. I suppose many of us change as we get older and more experienced in life.

For example, I remember only Marie and I looking at a beautiful sunset - as we sat on a deserted golden beach on the other side of the world as the green waters lapped at our feet- as we chilled. I remember also of us sitting at a camp site in another far of land beside a lake and snowy top mountains, but it was really warm.

And lighting a camp fire and sharing a beer and a smoke with other back packers from all over the world around that fire. And knowing that we may never meet again, but for that one moment in time as our paths crossed, listening to each others stories, each others songs strung out on a guitar, - and to each others dreams, hopes and aspirations for the future.

Yes, such memories chill me, and bring a smile to my face.

-Sitting here in ones office in this citadel of learning, {and now having also embarked on evening studies in the same University} I think of what a good way of showing such continual change, as that of seeing this once child of the poverty stricken Ghettoes, {and now a relatively young man in his mid thirties} - beginning to get my entire notes and chapters together and to begin the final stages of my first book.

As so to write the history - of that Epic Journey - and of that change.

{Possible title for book -' Belfast - A Working Class Journey From War To Peace'}

Indeed as I had looked out of the huge office window, I briefly thought of that kid {who was once termed as that Black kid from the white Ghettoes} who had failed his 11 plus, of that kid who had every thing that could have been thrown at him in life, thrown at him, of that kid who had been to some of the most darkest of places in childhood and youth that many in adulthood could not even contemplate.

And as I did, I now knew, for oneself, that all now was at a definitive end.

Yet, with one Epic Journey over, now a new journey begins.

And at the end of the day as I had walked out of the great doors of Queens University with brief case in hand, I had put up my hood as it had started to drizzle ever so slightly. And I made my way across the city and back home to that proud and exceptional community in which I was reared.

And a bit into my Journey home, Black Mountain came into view and I had remembered what I had wrote before –

‘It was not long after Bobby Sands death and others locally that I had went back to the Murph. On doing so I had went back upon Black Mountain one evening and sat and listened to the war and all the events below.

Then it had started to rain ever so lightly and with that I knelt up upon my knees with my arms out stretched, and looked up to the heavens as the rain slowly came down and soothed my skin, and in part my mind. And with that, and from that position, and from the very depths of my soul, from the very core of my being I let out the most almighty and heart wrenching cry which echoed not only around the streets below, but I believed around the city of Belfast.

As a child, I had no gun - but nevertheless, I too was fighting a war’.

-And now as I dandered back home 25 years on from that time, I had took my hood down and looked up towards Black Mountain and the Heavens, and felt that rain ever so lightly once again on my face - but this time I had smiled, as I knew that my War was over.

Yet as I quickened my stride, with my head held high, I put my earphones in my ears and remembered another point that I written many years ago in an article about a speech I had given at a Loyalist conference.

I had ended that article with these words –

‘‘See a united and equal city, see a united and equal country, see a united and equal people, see it all - and be proud.’

And with fire still in heart and spark still off eye, I knew a step had been taken in recent times towards that 'Vision -

Indeed a Journey towards that end continues –

And so looking once more at Black Mountain I further quickened my pace - with one Epic Journey over, {And those historic working class Victories and Mass Movements of Catholic Protestant and Dissenter behind us - and more} - and turned up my volume -.

And in doing so, that once child of the Ghettoes now the man, with heart of fire and spark of eye, {and despite that kid having had everything in life that could have been thrown against him, thrown against him} - he sang out as he strode proudly forward to the words to a song now loudly echoing in his ears, and through his voice now echoing in the streets around him -

– a song, he had also long carried in his heart –

The higher you build your barriers
The taller I become
The further you take my rights away
The faster I will run
You can deny me
You can decide to turn your face away
No matter 'cause there's ...

chorus:

Something inside so strong
I know that I can make it
Though you're doing me wrong, so wrong
You thought that my pride was gone... oh no
There's something inside so strong
Something inside so strong.

The more you refuse to hear my voice
The louder I will sing
You hide behind walls of Jericho
Your lies will come tumbling
Deny my place in time
You squander wealth that's mine
My light will shine so brightly it will blind you
Because there's ...

(chorus)

Brothers and sisters
When they insist we're just not good enough
Well, we know better
Just look 'em in the eyes and say
We're gonna do it anyway
We're gonna do it anyway ... because there's

(chorus)

Comments (1 of 1)

Jump To Comment: 1
author by Davy Carlinpublication date Fri Nov 30, 2007 09:52author address author phone

Here is the link to the other articles for this series for Indymedia {a site that gave me a voice from my naive young activists days, right through to the present}

As Always

In Solidarity

Davy Carlin -

Signing Off

Related Link: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/84450

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/85291

Indymedia Ireland is a media collective. We are independent volunteer citizen journalists producing and distributing the authentic voices of the people. Indymedia Ireland is an open news project where anyone can post their own news, comment, videos or photos about Ireland or related matters.