IRA OUTSIDER

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis

Friday January 07, 2011 17:58

by The Outsider - ...that great and respectable class, the men of no property". ...

Just and Unjust War

Don't walk in front of me,
I may not follow.

Don't walk behind me,
I may not lead.

Walk beside me and be my friend.

Albert Camus - Author of the Outsider

Ireland is presently in many ways at a crossroads. Its youth now generally face economic slavery, to the international corporations and bankers or emigration. They are also at a crossroads of either embracing a peace process or another attempt at revolution.

Don't walk in front of me,
I may not follow.

Don't walk behind me,
I may not lead.

Walk beside me and be my friend.

Albert Camus - Author of the Outsider

By nature I am a pacifist, for example I cannot kill any of the insects that invade our home and some would say I cowardly ask others to dispose of invaders, such as snakes in our garden, yet despite all of this I volunteered three times for the IRA, in the full knowledge of all the consequence to everyone including myself.

I am fifty eight years of age now and I still never cease to be amazed by the contradictions of my own life and life in general as I have experience it. Ireland is my country although I have spent close to half my life outside of it.Ireland itself abounds with contradictions, I both love and hate its current identity and people with a passion.

Ireland is presently in many ways at a crossroads. Its youth now generally face economic slavery, to the international corporations and bankers or emigration. They are also at a crossroads of either embracing a peace process or another attempt at revolution.

I have been actively involved with the Workers Revolutionary Party, Irish Republican Socialist Party and Sinn Fein, yet despite all of this inter-activity, I have always strongly identified with this term the 'Outsider'. A lot of people who have known me would use every derogatory term under the Sun to describe me but one thing is certain, I was born a rebel, it's in my genes.

What is a rebel? A man who says no.
Albert Camus, L'Homme revolte (The Rebel),

I could not tell any young person in Ireland what is the correct path for them but after my own experience but I would suggest that they watch the above interview with Sean McBride and read the article below by Howard Zinn......read more and see interview @

Caption: Video Id: AJ9-woyjetg Type: Youtube Video
John Pilger interview with Amnasty Internatial Founder Sean MacBride

Comments (1 of 1)

them contradictions, outsider...

by opus diablos - the regressive hypocrite party

Sat Jan 08, 2011 16:53

might be stemming from that inherent belief that 'Ireland is my country'. Its not actually inherent, its culturally learned(five thousand years ago your loyalty and sense of belonging might have been conditioned to your valley or tribe, rather than the entire island). We just get convinced because(like the church)it comes with the nourishing mother's milk, literally.
The next step is 'this my planet'. Then we can start to integrate the potential. Meantime we gotta stop defining the enemy by his general's flag. Its more likely your biggest enemy is your commanding officer.

You must have come across Camus's 'Myth of Sysiphus'. The task is never complete. Give Brindsley McNamara's 'Clanking of Chains' a read, if you have'nt already. A nicely jaundiced scope on the early (Circa 1910) jackals to the nationalist feeding frenzy. They haven't........