Léargas

  Economic Self-government is the future. Last Friday, as this column noted, Sinn Féin published a new discussion paper – The Economic Benefits of a United Ireland.  At the heart of the paper is a belief in economic self-government. The right and the ability of the people of Ireland to plan, manage, and develop our island economy in our best interests. It makes sense. Whatever differences may exist between the political parties on this island it is clear that they would prioritise economic policy in the interests of those they represent. On the other hand British government’s rule in British interests and take political and economic decisions that suit their objectives and not those of the people of the North and of this island.   The ‘Economic Benefits of a United Ireland’ confronts the first question usually posed by those who are opposed to Irish Unity or those who are uncertain of that goal;  ‘can we afford a   United Ireland?’ The answer is yes. A...

  Economic Benefits of a United Ireland In four weeks (23 December) we will mark 100 years since the Government of Ireland Act, which partitioned Ireland, was signed into law by an English King. Six years earlier James Connolly, writing in the Irish Worker in March 1914, warned that partition “ would mean a carnival of reaction both North and South, would set back the wheels of progress, would destroy the oncoming unity of the Irish labour movement and paralyse all advanced movements whilst it endured. To it Labour should give the bitterest opposition ...” The northern state that emerged following partition delivered all that Connolly feared. Political Unionism and its business class built an apartheid ‘Orange’ state on sectarian divisions. They turned worker against worker and introduced a system of structured political and economic discrimination which continues to impact on northern society today. Partition also inflicted great hurt on the southern economy. Places like Sli...

Make Voting Easier Joe Biden is now the President Elect of the USA. Kamala Harris – the first woman to hold thís post – will be the new Vice President. There is always huge interest in Ireland about US Presidential elections. The well known family connection between Joe Biden and Ireland has reinforced this interest. Kamala   Harris also has Irish roots as well as Tamil Indian and Jamaican family connections. Her mother is from India, her father   from Jamaica.   By coincidence both the President Elect and the Vice President Elect share   the same family name. Joe Biden is the great grandson of Owen Finnegan from the Cooley peninsula in County Louth. Kamala Harris’ Jamaican great grandmother’s first husband was Patrick A Finegan, the mixed race son of an Irishman of the same name. Their story is the story of Ireland’s diaspora and our global connections. Their family history must be a fascinating tale. The next phase of it will be even more...

  A   Palestinian   internee hungers for justice   I want to welcome the end of the remarkable 103 day hunger strike by Palestinian Maher al-Akhras. Last   week   as we remembered   the deaths on hunger strike 100 years ago of   Terence MacSwiney, Michael Fitzgerald and Joseph Murphy,  Maher was in an Israeli hospital on hunger strike protesting against his detention. There is a close affinity between the people of Ireland and the Palestinian people.   Both have a long history of being colonised. We have been the   victim of occupation, state violence,   discrimination and forced emigration.   The experience of struggle has also been similar.   Maher was arrested on 27 July and spent 103 days on hunger strike. He ended his hunger strike last Friday – 6 November – having received a commitment from the Israeli authorities that his detention would not be extended and that he would not be subject to further admini...