Category Archives: Ireland

Political Women (4) Pia Feig

Posted on September 27, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Retired active socialist feminist Pia has been a political activist for over 40 years. She did not come from a political family but; They were avowedly non-political, we did discuss politics at home but there was a real fear of … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, Communism, human rights, Ireland, labour history, Middle East, NHS, North of Ireland, Palestine, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, women | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Political Women (2): Mandy Vere

Posted on September 13, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Feminist, campaigner for social justice, mother of 2 grown up children, radical bookseller……….. Mandy Vere was born and grew up in Stockport. Her parents were Quakers and socialists, activists of the Labour Party: I grew up in a Quaker household … Continue reading →

Posted in anti-cuts, human rights, Ireland, labour history, North of Ireland, occupy, political women, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, women, young people | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Classic LPs; The Spirit of Freedom by Christy Moore

Posted on July 12, 2012 by lipstick socialist

In the 1980s concerts by Christy Moore and the Wolfe Tones gave the Irish community somewhere to express their solidarity with the Republican movement. The venue was often the International club in Longsight (a largely Irish part of the city) … Continue reading →

Posted in human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, Manchester, music, North of Ireland | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Eva Gore- Booth: Irish feminist, political activist, poet..

Posted on July 5, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Eva Gore- Booth An Image of such politics by Sonja Tiernan (Manchester University Press) ISBN 978-0-7190-8232-0 Ruth and Eddie Frow were the first people to tell me about Eva Gore- Booth and her companion and fellow activist Esther Roper. They … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, book review, drama, education, human rights, interesting blog, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, poetry, Salford, Socialism, Socialist Feminism, trade unions, women | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Manchester Marxman

Posted on June 27, 2012 by lipstick socialist

To get the most out of life you must be active, you must live and you must have the courage to taste the thrill of being young” Engels 1840 Friedrich Engels, was born in Germany in 1820. He was an … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, Communism, drama, education, films, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester, young people | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

From the Manchester Martyrs to the Birmingham 6…..

Posted on June 20, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Plaque on Hyde Rd in Manchester which marks the spot where the Fenians were freed in 1867. Book Review:The Manchester Martyrs by Joseph O’Neill (Mercier Press, 2012) ISBN 978-1-85635-951-1 The Martyrs were three members of the Irish Republican Brotherhood (also … Continue reading →

Posted in book review, Catholicism, human rights, Ireland, Irish second generation, labour history, Manchester | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Leila Khaled; Icon of Palestinian Liberation

Posted on June 7, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Sarah Irving, Leila Khaled Icon of Palestinian Liberation Pluto Press ISBN 987-0-7453-2951-2 Reading this book reminded me of another icon in my own community, Bernadette Devlin McAliskey. Like Leila, she grew up in an occupied country and has spent her … Continue reading →

Posted in biography, book review, human rights, Ireland, Middle East, Palestine, Socialism, women | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Falling through the craic……..

Posted on May 23, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Manchester IBRG and Lord Mayor Eileen Kelly at the Hearts and Minds Conference November 1987 Review of Irish Blood: English Heart, Irish second generation musicians by Sean Campbell, published by Cork University Press. In this interesting, but flawed, book Sean … Continue reading →

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Stop! Look! Listen! my weekly selection of favourite films, books and events to get you out of the house…

Posted on May 20, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Watch.. Satin Rouge (2002) starring fabulous actor, Hiam Abbass. Set in Tunisia, it’s a sensual story of a widow who finds a way out of loneliness by becoming a belly dancer in a nightclub. For once, in a film, we … Continue reading →

Posted in films, Ireland, labour history, Manchester, Middle East, novels, women | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bill Brand; It is the People who Create………

Posted on May 17, 2012 by lipstick socialist

Bill Brand (played by Jack Shepherd) speaking at a workers occupation Bill Brand, a TV series broadcast on ITV in the summer of 1976, was written by one of Britain’s (and Manchester’s) greatest playwrights, Trevor Griffiths. The drama is the … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholicism, Ireland, Manchester, North of Ireland, Socialism, trade unions, TV drama, women | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment