Category Archives: Uncategorized

“there was a belief, I could do things” .Women in the Irish in Britain Representation Group; genuine grassroots activism.

Posted on May 10, 2024 by lipstick socialist

This is the text of a talk I gave for the Women’s Grassroots Activism Conference. I am  an activist, not an academic. I am Mancunian and  second generation Irish. From 1985-2000 I was a member and a National Officer of … Continue reading →

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From Women’s Liberation to Irish Liberation: making the links.

Posted on February 24, 2024 by lipstick socialist

This is a picture of me in 1977 picketing Hull Irish Catholic MP Kevin McNamara’s surgery alongside other women and men  in the local National Abortion Campaign branch.  Later, he was as useless for the Irish community in Britain as … Continue reading →

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Margaret Mullarkey of Bolton Irish in Britain Representation Group; her life seen through the eyes of her children.

Posted on January 17, 2024 by lipstick socialist

  In the history of the Irish in Britain Representation Group many women were active; but,  as in other organisations,  their role has been often  marginalised and underestimated. One of those women was  Margaret Mullarkey of Bolton IBRG. Sadly, she … Continue reading →

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My review of “The Sky is Falling” by Lorenza Mazzetti

Posted on September 24, 2023 by lipstick socialist

Lorenza Mazzetti (1927-2020) was a  writer, filmmaker,  and theatre puppeteer who wrote this, her first novel,  in 1962, published as II Cielo cade. It was only published in this country in 2022. “The Sky is Falling” is a fictionalised account … Continue reading →

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Every Badge tells a Story; Armagh Women and the Strip Search Campaign

Posted on September 10, 2023 by lipstick socialist

  The Working Class Movement Library  collects badges as part of archiving the history of the labour movement. Recently a new collection of Irish badges was donated. As a member of the Irish in Britain Representation Group whose archive (and … Continue reading →

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My review of “Rewriting the Troubles War and Propaganda Ireland and Algeria” Patrick Anderson

Posted on August 25, 2023 by lipstick socialist

The formation of the Irish in Britain Representation Group, a national grassroots-based community organisation in the 1980s, challenged the  traditional Irish organisation  – the Federation of Irish Societies  – and its toadying to the Irish Government over the relationship between … Continue reading →

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My review of “Isaac and I: A Life in Poetry” and “The World is in Our Words” by Chris Searle.

Posted on August 19, 2023 by lipstick socialist

Chris Searle is a poet and a teacher. This is his autobiography, spread over two books.   In the first book he writes about his greatest influence the East London Jewish poet Isaac Rosenberg. Chris, unlike Isaac, came from a lower … Continue reading →

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My review of “Mater 2-10” by Hwang Sok-yong. Translated by Kim-Russell & Youngjae Josephine Bae

Posted on July 27, 2023 by lipstick socialist

How many novels have been written about Korea, communism, and trade unions? Few, if any.  This award-winning novel by HSY is a revelation to many of us in the west who, like me, might be trade unionists, have worked  alongside … Continue reading →

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Kath Grant; Journalist and Trade Unionist

Posted on May 9, 2023 by lipstick socialist

Kath is from a Lancashire radical working-class tradition. Born in Rochdale in 1950,  she spent her first five  years living with her parents and grandfather in “The Mount”,  the Irish area in the centre of the town. Her grandparents were … Continue reading →

Posted in human rights, labour history, Manchester, Middle East, North of Ireland, Northern ReSisters Conversations with Radical Women, political women, trade unions, Uncategorized, women, working class history, young people | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My review of “Where are the Elephants” by Leon Rosselson

Posted on May 4, 2023 by lipstick socialist

Leon Rosselson has been writing and performing songs  for over sixty years. In this memoir we find out about the man, his motivation for his songs and his views on society and politics today. Born into a London Jewish family, … Continue reading →

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