Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland: Loyalists join in anti-migrant pogroms

The outbreak of rioting in England gave renewed impetus to a mounting wave of violence in the six counties

Workers Power  ·  04 September 2024

Racist riots spread to Belfast

Northern Ireland's sectarian culture has proven fertile ground for the spread of racist bigotry towards Muslims

Bernie McAdam  ·  07 August 2024

The return of Stormont

The DUP have returned to power sharing. Who benefits?

Workers Power  ·  06 March 2024

Northern Ireland: escalate public sector strike

By Bernie McAdam OVER 150,000 public sector workers went on strike on Thursday 18 January in the biggest strike action the ‘Northern Ireland’ state has ever seen. Workers from 16 trade unions involving public transport, education, health and the civil service walked out for the day over an outstanding pay award. A near General Strike […]

Workers Power  ·  02 February 2024

Good Friday at 25: celebrations can’t mask failures

The GFA promised much but delivered little—except a breathing space for British imperialism

Bernie McAdam  ·  24 April 2023

Windsor Frameworks leaves Stormont in limbo

UK-EU deal sidelines reveals decorative nature of Northern Ireland Assembly

Bernie McAdam  ·  28 March 2023

Does Sinn Fein victory bring a united Ireland any closer?

Sinn Fein victory runs into Unionist veto

Bernie McAdam  ·  31 May 2022

Bloody Sunday: 50 years without justice

On 30 January 1972, Bloody Sunday, the British Parachute Regiment shot dead 13 unarmed civil rights protesters in Derry and wounded 15 others.

Bernie McAdam  ·  30 January 2022

Bobby Sands: Irish freedom fighter 1954-1981

Forty years ago, the death of Bobby Sands reverberated throughout the world in a way that no other event has done in recent Irish history.

Dara O'Cogaidhin  ·  05 May 2021

Unionism in crisis as Loyalists lash out

For a workers' republic of Ireland.

Bernie McAdam  ·  21 April 2021

Brexit talks hang in the balance

Deal or no deal, the working class loses.

Tim Nailsea  ·  13 November 2020

1920: the Irish war of independence

100 year anniversary.

Bernie McAdam  ·  15 October 2020

Double bluff or full throttle towards the Brexit precipice?

What happened to the "oven ready" Brexit?

Dave Stockton  ·  13 September 2020

Workers must take control of the lockdown

Coronavirus is demonstrating the essential basis upon which our society exists: the working class and the necessity of labour. Workers and their unions must take the lead and control this lockdown.

Bernie McAdam  ·  31 March 2020

Northern Ireland: Healthworkers battle on

ON 18 DECEMBER over 20,000 Northern Ireland health workers from four unions, RCN, Unison, NIPSA and Unite were involved in strike action in pursuit of pay parity and improved staffing levels. This was the first strike ever mounted by the Royal College of Nursing. In the new year this was followed up with further strikes […]

Bernie McAdam  ·  01 March 2020

Playing the Orange Card

The Brexit campaign has been directly responsible for a huge spike in national chauvinism and racist violence. To deny or minimise this, as some on the left do, is to completely ignore the impact of reactionary arguments like “needing to take control of our borders”, “stopping free movement from the EU” and “restoring national sovereignty” that have dominated the Brexit agenda. There is no progressive dynamic here but a reactionary harking back to Britain’s imperial past and accepting the myth that migrants are to blame for economic woes.

Bernie McAdam  ·  19 November 2019

Abortion and Same-Sex Marriage Finally Legal in Northern Ireland

At midnight on 21 October, abortions and same-sex marriage were legalised in Northern Ireland. The new law was passed in Westminster rather than Stormont as the devolved administration hasn’t sat since January 2017 amid political deadlock. The legislation, proposed as an amendment by Labour MP Stella Creasey and passed by 332 votes to 99, was the culmination of a campaign by backbench MPs and women and LGBT rights organisations to bring civil rights in NI in line with Britain.

Rebecca Anderson  ·  19 November 2019

Ireland: Brexit and the Border

As Brexit talks stumble on the intractable backstop to the British border in Ireland, Bernie McAdam calls on British socialists to fight for the only internationalist response, abolish the border altogether!

Workers Power  ·  06 March 2019

Ireland 1968-69: Mass revolt against the Orange state

On 5 October 1968, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) savagely beat a peaceful civil rights march off the streets of Derry. This police riot was flashed over television screens throughout Ireland and Britain that very evening. Among the defenceless marchers was Westminster MP Gerry Fitt, with blood streaming down his face after being truncheoned. Some 96 people needed hospital treatment.

Workers Power  ·  05 October 2018

The Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland’s sectarian peace

By Bernie McAdam THIS YEAR marks the twentieth anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA). The ‘peace process’ that this initiated between the British state and Sinn Fein/ Irish Republican Army (IRA), with ceasefire followed by decommissioning of IRA arms and recognition of the police, was crowned with a power sharing government […]

Workers Power  ·  30 April 2018

Coalition of chaos: who are the DUP?

POLITICAL EVENTS in Northern Ireland are generally given scant coverage in the popular British press or broadcast media.

Workers Power  ·  21 June 2017

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