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I am a long time fan of Woody Guthrie. He is one of the worlds great song
writers in the English language and many of his words are as relevent
today as they were when he wrote them. He was also an American activist
who agitated and educated and sang for social equality, immigration
reform, peace and fairness. He stood against fascism, racism, war,
corruption and for a clean environment. He sang about love, for workers
rights and a better life for all.
He also wrote a lot. I read his Bound For Glory book years ago as well as
his novel House of Earth. And now I am delighted to have a Christmas box
of a magnificent publication of Woody’s ‘Songs and Art * Words and Wisdom’ curated by his daughter Nora Guthrie and historian
Robert Santelli.
This is a large handsome reproduction of some of Woodys drawings, doodles,
scribbled thoughts, songs, poems and political observations on the back of
envelopes, scraps of paper, jotters and dairies. He obviously knew the
importance of these notes because he dates them and in many cases notes
where he is at the time. Woody travelled a lot. These tiny little details add
greatly to the readers enjoyment and knowledge. So do the many fine
photos.
He also has lots of wisdom. Here he is on fascism.
‘ …..all human beings (need) to come always closer and closer
together – to know and understand all races, creeds, and colours better; and
fascism says for us to split ourselves up into the thousand cliques and klans
and beat our own chains of slavery onto our ankles by wasting our strength
fighting our friend and neighbour – and allowing the fascists to nip us off one
by one, little by little, group by group……’
He was equally opposed to racism. He had deep friendships with blues
musicians Lead Belly and Sonny Terry and Brownie Magee who he toured with in
the 1950s. He challenged racism head on. They were often attacked by
the Klu Kluk Klan. They stood up to their attackers. And they played
their music.
And Woodys song’s are still sung today. He
wrote thousands of songs. We are very lucky that recording by him of
some of these are still available. Many of his better known songs have been
covered by Irish singers. They include Deportees, Pretty Boy Floyd, The Ludlow
Massacre, Jesus Christ and many more. Bob Dylan also recorded Woody songs. So
did Pete Seeger, Joan Baez and Bruce Springsteen, The Byrds, Grateful Dead,
Billy Bragg, Fergus O Hare, Willie Nelson and Ry Cooder.
This Land Is Your Land is an anthem and rallying call to working people. It is perhaps his best known work. Woody was also a poet, a painter,
illustrator, novelist, journal keeper, and prolific letter writer.
Incidentally, Woody Guthrie’s ‘Songs and Art * Words and Wisdom’ includes notes by Woody on how to write songs.
It also contains contributions by other singers, artists and
writers. What more could you want?
Woody Guthrie ‘Songs and Art * Words and Wisdom’ is published by Chronicle
Books. www.chroniclebooks.com
Gaza
This column has published this wee poem before. I
wrote it in Gaza City fourteen years ago. Before it was as terrible as it is
now. It’s time to reprint this short verse aris.
Gaza
Rubble on rubble
Twisted metal
And Ghosts
Everywhere
Ghosts of little children
Playing in the ruins
Little ghosts
Páistí bochta
Laughing
Shouting
Crying
And dying in Gaza.
2024
Best wishes and blessings to you all in 2024.
2024 is shaping up to be a decisive year that will determine the political
direction of travel for this island for the next ten years, and possibly even
longer.
The many challenges facing all of us are enormous
but so too are the substantial opportunities for change and progress.
First up will be whether the DUP is prepared to
end its damaging refusal to participate in the power sharing institutions. The
excuse that its negotiations with the British government on the Windsor
Framework and the Brexit mess are still ongoing is now patently absurd.
The
decision for Jeffrey Donaldson will be brought to a conclusion in the next wee
while. The outworking of that decision - whatever it is - will close down
another option for unreconstructed unionism. Meantime the rest of us will
continue the process of change. That includes constitutional change. The
social and economic interests of the people of the North have never been best
served by London.
The
speculation is rife that the British PM Rishi Sunak will go for a May general
election. A crystal ball is not needed to know that the Tories face a
significant loss of seats in the local government elections in England and
Wales on 2 May. A general election with its higher turnout might salvage some
of these but whether the British general election is in May or October the
Conservatives are headed for defeat. The next government in London will be a
Labour government. Let’s not hold our breath waiting for that. With a few
notable exceptions British Labour has not served Ireland well. It never will
until it implements the Good Friday Agreement provision for a referendum on the
Union.
In
the South there will be local government elections in June and elections to the
European Parliament on the same day. These will be a crucial test for all of
the parties as they prepare for the general election in that jurisdiction which
could be held before the end of the year.
In
recent days Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has been setting out his vision for the next
five years – more of the same. A Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Green Party government
with the leaders carving up the ministerial posts as Varadkar and Micheál
Martin play tweedle dee and tweedle dum over the role of Taoiseach.
For
the first time there is the real possibility of a government without either of
them. Successive elections over the last decade have witnessed the consistent
growth in the Sinn Féin vote. In 2020 it emerged with the greater share of
first preference votes. The party is now the largest in the Oireachtas. As Mary
Lou wisely put it her aim is to deliver real change with a fresh government
that will have neither of these parties in it. It’s a doable project. But, of
course it will depend on the voters.
Clearly
there is huge disenchantment with the policies of the current government. Many
people want change. But they want more than just the language of change.
So
the challenge for Sinn Féin is to present and deliver a new vision of the new
Ireland that a Sinn Féin government will seek to construct. That means clear
policies on the economy, on housing, on health and mental health, on the
environment, on investment in and the transformation of education and childcare
and supports for carers. A programme for change that has fairness and equality
at its core. Much of this work is well underway.
But
it especially means for the oldest Republican party on this island that there
is an onus on us to map out the kind of United Ireland we are for – inclusive,
with equality at the heart of policy making and delivery, anti-sectarian,
pro-working family, standing up to the fascists and right wing who seek to whip
up violence and division, and defending the rights and entitlements of all
citizens.
Much progress has been made. But we need to do
more.
An
Irish government has the political and diplomatic resources to advance all of
these propositions – if it has the political will. Irish governments have paid
lip service to a united Ireland. That has to change. 2024 can see that change.
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