Teoiric, No. 10
| Date: | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Organisation: | Sinn Féin The Workers' Party |
| Publication: | Teoiric |
| Issue: | Number 10 Autumn 1980 |
Contributors:
Info | Francie Donnelly, Ellen Hazelkorn, Henry Patterson, Joe Sherlock, Eamonn Smullen |
| Type: | Publication Issue |
| View: | View Document |
| Discuss: | Comments on this document |
| Subjects: | Wolfe Tone |
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Commentary From The Cedar Lounge Revolution
28th January 2008
Seeing as the last Left Archive piece has inspired a lively and - I think - illuminating debate about the legacy and policies of OSF/WP it is probably suitable to have a Workers’ Party piece this week. Fear not, there’s a host of other material out there. If you’re concerned that it’s too WP oriented, well, send other material to our email address. But, for the moment we’ll work with what we’ve got.
So, here, in all its glory is Teoiric, the Theoretical and Discussion Journal of SFWP. It’s an interesting document with a broad array of articles framed within the iconic image of the 1980s, the mushroom cloud.
Inside we see an array of familiar names, from the indefatigable Henry Patterson discussing Loyalism with, shall we say, a slightly BICO esque twist to his thoughts, a fascinating article on Terrorism and the Bourgeoisie which has a very telling introduction. Eamonn Smullen is here to discuss “Intellectuals and the Working Class” and we also have an article about the then contemporary issue of Poland.
The dual article on Honouring Wolfe Tone provides an interesting apologia for why SFWP wasn’t promoting a return to Stormont rule… Read it and judge for yourselves.
In a way it’s a tad predictable but it’s literate, well produced and locks straight into a discourse that would be continued in the Workers’ Party days where an alignment with currently existing Marxism was very much the order of the day. And the design is very much of a piece with Making Sense which was to come later.
Mind you, reading Comment at the front of the journal it’s hard not to see a further resonance with today…
1980 has been a great year for war-mongers. Events in Afghanistan and Iran have been exploited to the full by the enemies of detente….
History shifts forward in repetitive movements, doesn’t it? If the resolution is a bit low please tell me.
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By: Joe Thu, 31 Jan 2008 09:59:31
But WP was also very definitely pro-multinational – certainly in my time in it, late 80s. I recall a very embarrassing incident at an Ard Fheis when some off-message branch proposed a motion that the Party should oppose multi-nationals coming in. It actually was passed on the nod by a sleeping conference before someone spotted it, standing orders had to be suspended, De Rossa got up and opposed it and the sleeping conference unanimously supported him.
Embarrassing not least cos I’d invited an ex-Mili acquaintance along in the hope that he might join. He saw the Party in action in all its glory and didn’t!
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By: CL Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:03:00
Maybe De Rossa was somewhat prescient. In all the brouhaha about Ireland’s connection to England, and about the importance of the EU, one fact is overlooked: economically Ireland is more connected to the U.S. than to either of the other two. Perhaps its time to develop some formal political links to the U.S?.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/frontpage/2008/0131/1201501798166.html?via=mr
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By: WorldbyStorm Thu, 31 Jan 2008 18:08:21
That’s true Joe, do you recall what Ard Fheis it was?
CL… hmmm… I bow to no-one in my affection for the US, but… formal political links? What sort and why?
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By: CL Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:04:44
Ireland as the 51st state. The partition question solved. No longer any state support for religious schools, the beginning of the end for sectarianism, the benefits of the Bill of Rights-not least the right to privacy and a woman’s control of her own body, These are just immediate thoughts, plus two senators from the united State of Ireland perhaps holding the balance of power in the U.S Senate-the most powerful legislative body in the world. Not to make a vulgar ‘base/superstructure type of argument, but as Ireland is more economically tied to the U.S than to either Britain or the EU why not have the benefits of political ties also? (I make these suggestions partially tongue-in-cheek)
Further question: Did the WP also have a periodical called ‘Eolas’? or was that some other group?
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By: Joe Fri, 01 Feb 2008 09:52:06
CL, I don’t remember any periodical called Eolas.
WBS, I’d say that was the 1988 Ard Fheis give or take a year!
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By: John O'Neill Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:14:43
Joe I am almost sure that ‘Eolas’ was an “International Affairs Dept” publication edited by Sean O’Cionnaith. It was an annual publication that was sent out around the world but I don’t think it was circulated to the membership bar a few put into the WP Bookshop.
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By: CL Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:57:39
Thanks John. I thought i did remember it.
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