These left wing parties, such as the SWP and the SP, claim that there are pro-working class solutions available to the Irish state within a capitalist paradigm. In making such reactionary claims they are merely attempting to fool the working class. There are only two solutions: a capitalist or a communist solution. read full story / add a comment

Special needs child, 11 year old Angel Mc Donagh faces into another week without schooling because of the failure of the Department of Education to provide the necessary resources to St Michael’s House, the special needs school, which her father was told could cater for her needs. read full story / add a comment

Novelist/playwright John Arden will read his new short story read full story / add a comment

END POLITICAL INTERNMENT IN IRELAND NOW!
FREE COLIN DUFFY!
POLITICAL STATUS FOR REPUBLICAN PRISONERS! read full story / add a comment

“Earlier today a Republican Network for Unity Ard Comhairle delegation, returning from a series of meetings in Glasgow, was detained at Belfast International Airport arrivals by a group of approximately twenty (20) uniformed and plain clothed RUC/PSNI members. As one an Ard Comhairle member from Derry was being questioned, the plain clothed RUC/PSNI man menacingly told him that he was well aware of the make up of the individual’s family and of the details and names of his children. The same plain clothed RUC/PSNI man then inquired if he had any information on those he was travelling with and/or of the RNU in general.
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Yassamine Mather writes on how workers confidence has increased in the ongoing demonstrations in Iran. While the militias beat many protesters, they were also opposed and in some cases forced to retreat. Full text at link.

No-one in Iran will ever forget November 4 2009. It was the day when illegal demonstrations in at least six separate locations in Tehran and 20 cities and university campuses throughout the country overshadowed the state-organised event. As the national broadcasting service was showing live pictures of the gathering outside the former US embassy, shouts of “Death to the dictator” from protesters on neighbouring streets and squares were so loud that it was difficult to hear the minister’s speech. In Tehran the six locations were Enghelab Square, Ferdowsi, Haft Tir, Enghelab Square, Vali Asr and Vanak Square.
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Scéalaíocht le Máirín Mhic Lochlainn cois tine
Club Áras na nGael, 45 Sráid Dominic, An Gaillimh
21 Samhain óna 2-4 iarnóin
Saorchead isteach (ach glacfar le deontais).
Fáilte roimh chách. read full story / add a comment

Lost Souls Variations - tales of the dead and the undead.
Featuring Adam Wilson and The Oh-Aissieux
Library Bar Extension, Central Hotel, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2.
Tuesday 17 November. From 8 to 10.30 pm. Doors 7.30.
Admission EUR 6 / Concessions EUR 2 / Celtic Tiger victims sneak in the back door. read full story / add a comment

A landfill, a waste transfer site, a World Heritage site, two masts and turf-cutting read full story / add a comment

Heather Milton Lightning from the Indigenous Environmental Network Canada will be discussing the campaign against enviromental desctruction in Canada by Shell and BP. read full story / add a comment

From boom to bust.
Public Forum. read full story / add a comment

The IBCC has organised a Spanish Civil war - lecture and wreath laying, Dec. 5th All welcome read full story / add a comment

Yassamine Mather interviews Ali Pichgah a leader of the Iranian oilworkers strikers during the revolutionary period.Ali emphasises the importance of opposing all Imperialist sanctions. Full text of interview at link

How do you evaluate the recent political protests and the role of the working class in them?

The protest against the regime’s rigged elections took such dimensions because the majority of the population are opposed to the absence of political freedoms in Iran. In particular the youth, who constitute a high percentage of the population, feel contempt for the way the religious state interferes in their private lives. People are losing patience and in general opposition to the regime has reached unprecedented levels. I think what is different this time is the terrible economic situation. Inflation above 25%, mass unemployment, the growing gap between rich and the poor ... and from this point of view one can say that the relentless workers’ struggles of the last two years against job losses and poverty, against non-payment of wages, as well as the demonstrations by teachers, nurses and so on against the economic policies of the government, were precursors to the huge demonstrations we saw this summer.

Of course, many of these protests were defensive (wage-earners trying to maintain what little they had), yet the working class has remained the most persistent opposition to the entire regime over the last few years, in the run-up to June 2009. Coincidently we see the continuation of the mass protests of early summer in the unprecedented level of workers’ struggles in recent weeks, the victory of the Iran Khodro workers (where the regime clearly retreated), the revolutionary tactics of Pars Wagon workers (from ransacking the refectory to mounting hunger strikes), workers bringing their families along to demonstrations .
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The Whittemore Peterson Institute, Reno, USA recently discovered a strong link between retrovirus XMRV and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or ME as it is also known. Their findings are some of the most significant in recent medical history, especially for the millions of ME/CFS patients worldwide, who have struggled with the controversy and skepticism that has surrounded the illness for many years. read full story / add a comment

As an event in The Irish Times Celebrity Concert Series 2009/2010, Frederica Von Stade gave a recital of songs last night (121109) in The National Concert Hall. She was accompanied on piano by her friend Laurana Mitchelmore. The concert started at 20.00 and finished at 22.00. The audience was appreciative but a little more reverence and hush would have improved matters both for the performers and for those trying to get to grips with the performance. read full story / add a comment

Proposals which could see the DNA profiles of those acquitted of engaging in activities aimed at securing Irish national liberation retained for life have been criticised by Republican Sinn Féin. read full story / add a comment

An Bord Pleanála Board has overruled its own Inspectors and given the go ahead for a high voltage power line to run through South and West Donegal. This ESB Networks and Eirgrid project is not, as they maintain, to supplement the energy needs of County Donegal but rather to facilitate wind energy developers in their rush to profit at the expense of people in Donegal and their environmental heritage.
However local opposition is strong and Donegal Alternatives to Pylons is not going away. read full story / add a comment

In its 30 years strugle to form itself Turkish Student Union face another legal setback by the state.

Here is info read full story / add a comment

Transition Galway meeting to organise local Transition events. All welcome. read full story / add a comment

Bassem Abu Rahmah was a non-violent anti-Apartheid Wall activist from the West Bank village of Bil'in. On April 17th 2009 he was murdered by the Israeli military when he was shot at point blank range in the chest with a tear gas canister. This film looks at the situation in Bil'in through the lens of Bassem's short life.
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