British and Irish Communist Organisation (BICO)
Years Active: | 1971– |
---|---|
Groups & Sections: Info | Aubane Historical Society
…
Close Association
Athol Books … Publishing Imprint Northwest Labour Publications … Publishing Imprint The Workers' Association (1972–) … Close Association |
Documents in Archive: | 18 |
Publications: | Workers' Weekly, The Northern Star, The Irish Communist, The Communist, Irish Political Review, Communist Comment, Comment, Church and State |
Precursor: | Irish Communist Organisation |
Other Related Organisations: | Communist Organisation in the British Isles, Campaign for Labour Representation, Socialists Against Nationalism |
Timeline: | View in the timeline of the Irish left |
Discuss: | Comments on this organisation |
About
The British and Irish Communist Organisation (BICO) was a communist party led by Brendan Clifford and based largely in Dublin, Belfast, Cork and London. It developed from the earlier Irish Communist Organisation (ICO).
BICO produced a large number of publications, under the BICO name as well as several publishing imprints. Its activity in Northern Ireland was largely through the Workers’ Association.
BICO adhered to a “two Nations” position on Northern Ireland, which supported the autonomy of Unionist NI from the Irish state. Its members had a prominent role in the Campaign for Labour Representation (which sought to get the British Labour party to run in Northern Ireland) and Socialists Against Nationalism,
Members were also involved in the foundation of the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), and later in the Labour Coalition (which represented Left and Labour groups in the NI peace process), though by that time the BICO name was essentially defunct.
As the activity of BICO declined in the 1990s, members subsequent activities are largely through the publications of Athol Books, the Aubane Historical Society, and the Ernest Bevin Society in the UK.
Other names, groups or sections
Aubane Historical Society
The Aubane Historical Society was originally formed as a local history organisation, but expanded to publications opposing the “revisionist” movement in Irish history. It publishes work from former B&ICO members Brendan Clifford, Jack Lane and others.
Athol Books
Athol Books is the publishing imprint originally associated with BICO, though continuing after BICO essentially dissolved. It publishes Church & State and Irish Political Review.
The Workers' Association
The Workers’ Association was established by the British and Irish Communist Organisation in Northern Ireland in 1972. It published Workers Weekly. Though generally using the shorter title, the group’s full name was Workers’ Association for the Democratic Settlement of the National Conflict in Ireland.
Identifiers
British and Irish Communist Organisation | |
---|---|
ISNIInfo | 0000 0001 0068 886X |
VIAFInfo | 149780934 |
Wikipedia | British and Irish Communist Organisation |
Aubane Historical Society | |
VIAFInfo | 146737858 |
Wikipedia | Aubane Historical Society |
Website | aubanehistoricalsociety.org |
Athol Books | |
VIAFInfo | 315692027 |
Website | atholbooks.org |
The Workers' Association | |
VIAFInfo | 159418049 |
Documents
Show: By publication | Chronological list
The Irish Communist
Comment
Workers' Weekly
Workers' Weekly, Vol. 2, No. 8
1974
The Workers' AssociationWorkers' Weekly, Vol. 2, No. 30
1975
The Workers' AssociationWorkers' Weekly, Vol. 2, No. 32
1975
The Workers' Association
The Communist
The Communist, No. 88
1975
July 1975
Church and State
Church and State, No. 10
1982
Athol Books
Irish Political Review
Irish Political Review, No. 1
1986
Athol Books
The Northern Star
The Northern Star, Vol. 7, No. 6
1993
Athol Books
Others
Press Poisoners in Ireland and Other Articles
1972
James ConnollyWarmongering! The 'Irish Press' and the troubles in Northern Ireland
1972
The Workers' AssociationWhat Happened on the Twelfth?
1975
The Workers' AssociationThe Ulster General Strike (1974): Including Strike Bulletins of the Workers Association
1977
The Workers' AssociationPolitical Freedom and the Siege of Derry
1996
Northwest Labour Publications
- 1972 - Press Poisoners in Ireland and Other Articles
- 1972 - Warmongering! The 'Irish Press' and the troubles in Northern Ireland
- 1973 - British and Irish Communist Organisation Literature List
- 1973 - Comment, Vol. 2, No. 3
- 1973 - The Irish Communist, No. 94
- 1974 - Comment, Vol. 3, No. 4
- 1974 - Workers' Weekly, Vol. 2, No. 8
- 1975 - The Communist, No. 88
- 1975 - The International Socialists and the Russian Revolution
- 1975 - What Happened on the Twelfth?
- 1975 - Workers' Weekly, Vol. 2, No. 30
- 1975 - Workers' Weekly, Vol. 2, No. 32
- 1977 - Communism in Ireland
- 1977 - The Ulster General Strike (1974): Including Strike Bulletins of the Workers Association
- 1982 - Church and State, No. 10
- 1986 - Irish Political Review, No. 1
- 1993 - The Northern Star, Vol. 7, No. 6
- 1996 - Political Freedom and the Siege of Derry
Related Material
Items about British and Irish Communist Organisation.
British and Irish ‘Communist’ Organisation – Trotskyite Thugs, Sham Marxist-Leninists and Agents of British Imperialism
1977
Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist-Leninist)Northern Ireland - For Workers' Unity
1974
Militant
Publications
A list of known publications from British and Irish Communist Organisation, including those not represented in the Irish Left Archive collection.
Name | Years | Organisation(s) |
---|---|---|
A Belfast Magazine | 1986–1995 | Athol Books |
Church and State: A Journal of Secular Opinion | 1980 c.– | Athol Books |
Comment: For the working class - the class that holds the future in its hands | 1973 c.–1983 c. | British and Irish Communist Organisation |
Communist Comment | 1969 c.–1973 c. | Irish Communist Organisation, British and Irish Communist Organisation |
Communist Review | 1974 | British and Irish Communist Organisation |
Communist Times | 1975–1976 c. | British and Irish Communist Organisation |
Communist, The | 1967–1986 | Irish Communist Organisation, British and Irish Communist Organisation |
Heresiarch, The: A journal of anti-theology | 1992–1999 [Irregular] | Athol Books |
Irish Communist, The: A theoretical journal of the British and Irish Communist Organisation | 1965–1986 | British and Irish Communist Organisation |
Irish Political Review | 1986– | Athol Books |
Northern Star, The: Incorporating Workers' Weekly | 1988–2004 c. | Athol Books |
Two Nations, The | 1971–1974 c. | The Workers' Association |
Worker, The [BICO] | 1969 | British and Irish Communist Organisation |
Workers' Weekly: Workers' Association Bulletin | 1972–1988 | The Workers' Association |
Comments
No Comments yet.
Add a Comment
Comments can be formatted in Markdown format . Use the toolbar to apply the correct syntax to your comment. The basic formats are:
**Bold text**
Bold text
_Italic text_
Italic text
[A link](http://www.example.com)
A link