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8/31/1970 - People’s Democracy in Northern Ireland by Barbara W. Bright

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS BWB First Ave Apt H People Democracy New York N Y 10009 Northern Ireland August Mr Richard H Nolte Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York N Y 10017 Dear Mr Nolte What student political groups tried little success other countrles within established system elect their political power student People Democracy Northern Ireland accomplished sending Bernadette Devlin Westminster That April electlon articulate young civil rights champion hesitated enter because caught oarllamentary politics people chance Look PD political careerists anybody This June Bernadette stood election again bettered election tally almost votes without overt support People Democracy What began upswelling interest civil rights issues among students Queens University Belfast progressed through bloodiest least understood riots world evolved tightly socialist group young laborers students working grass roots level factories slums small towns But People Democracy rejects electoral contests pointless moment since nominating socialist candi dates should fraction total activity Intrigued Miss Devlin description politics Northern Ireland The Price M_ Soul eager examine student political activity there I visited Belfast several prior June elections To outsider religious conflicts color Northern Ireland economic social problems almost medieval Religious civilized British Isles century What peculiar Idea ecumenism tolerance preached generally practiced other parts Anglo Saxon world enlightened Ulster northern counties Ireland refused Republic Ireland broke Great Britain The Emerald Isle predominantly Catholic indeed Protestants counties Republic suffer discrimination under special status given Catholic Church there But Ulster thirds Protestant years governed Unionist Party Protestant aristocrats power under strategem divide By feeding Protestant fears third Ctholic minority conservative Unionists successfully prevented emergence broad radical liberal party persuaded majority their countrymen politics equates religious loyalty In Ulster religious differences mother schools clubs organizations trade unions neighborhoods separate along sectarian lines The demarcation ingrained Ulstermen claim Catholic Protestant sight Catholics sloppy Protestants clean industrious Such attitudes bring idioms language When something looks Protestant young Another atheists labeled Catholic Protestant atheists according which church rejected In terms current civil rights struggle Ulster could compared Southern United States The Catholics niggers housing votes Protestant workers slightly deprived economi cally rednecks white trash whose badge superiority their Protestant religion virulent these Orangemen comparable Ku Klux Klan White Citizens Councils In context electing Bernadette Devlln Westminster roughly equivalent Georgians sending Julian Bond U S Congress But comparisons sticky As Liam Paor Dublin historian writes introduction excellent Divided Ulster In Northern Ireland Catholics Blacks happen white skins This truth It oversimpli fication facile analogy But better oversimplification which struggle conflict Northern Ireland terms religion Catholics Protestants quarrelling another cause matters theology faith There burning either convert other faith strike member other thereby purged theological errors become better candidate heaven The Northern Ireland problem colonial problem racial inction actually imagined racial between colonists natives pressed terms religion To explain colonial religious problem Irish history where custom Protestants lording native Irish Catholics That England ScOttish Presbyterians colonize Plantation Ulster The Irish first colony explained Kevin Boyle professor Queens University early leader People Democracy And uneasy hostile While people there getting George decided revolutions never succeeded Indeed system Protestant landed gentry underdog Catholic peasantry survived series rebellions Protestant Wolfe Tone which included oppressed religions fighting against merchants landowners The national effort British contr Easter Rising produced first socialist leanings Labor leader James Connolly among Irish socialists armed workers allied Citizens Volunteers Army center Dublin But communications supporters other parts Ireland failed defeated revolutionaries executed After bloodshed England persuaded offering independence Ireland dividing awarding counties Ulster lndependent status their parliament Stormont deputies Westminster Maintaining their England little better average Ulster economic position Unemployment chronically average household income below England The traditional industries agriculture linen shipbuilding declined In their place Unionist government followed policy enticing foreign mostly Am erican investment thereby extending economic colonization beyond Great Britain Living standards miserably Almost houses Ul baths water quarter toilets fifth running water Emigration among Catholics remains loyalist payrolls local governments shield Protestants unemployment In Catholic majority Fermanagh school drivers Catholic although Catholic birth Fermanagh higher their major decreases every through emigration After Belfast Londonderry civil rights uprisings Unionist government promised through policy elections Until votes apportioned according ownership property Only householders local elections explained Miss Devlin Subtenants lodgers children living without quarter electorate disenfra cised until govern promises reform through local housing councils should longer perpetuate their Protestant usually Cthollc majority building hoses awarding tenancy according religion With issues housing employment voting rights civil rights campaign People Democracy movement plunged right political little theorizing philosophizing abstract educational social characterized student movements Germany France We involved outside society German students others Kevln Boyle I sought office shortly arriving Belfast sunny June We transition other student groups still talking about But People Democracy pointed never really dents group terms university politics Their first meetings university students involved PD never interested student power demands Indeed Queens University still experienced strikes disrupted British universities during Conquering university first socialist philosophy anyway Boyle This revolution through chancellor philosophy reflected complete isolation students local nunity But university spawn working radicals headed People Democracy Boyle maintains Westmlnster introduction welfare state factor which contributed civil rights uprisings Northern Ireland Emigration rates higher before Westminster established Providing tuition grammar schools universities allowed members working class education And these working Catholics emerged leaders rights People Democracy truggle Bernadette Devlln father Cookstown roadsweeper England carpenter Kevln Boyle father dustman I think slgnlflcant emigration radicals group people educated thoroughly disaffected situation And civil rights explosion moved right forefronts Boyle The Cwil Rights Association formed people Boyle Eamonn McCann Michael Farrell Bernadette Devlln CRA young women would become socialist supporters civil rights struggle observed their first peaceful protest meetings I Cambrldge N recalled Boyle America where I Chicago Most kicking Northern Ireland while wouldn The situat after march Derry October which police brutality galvanized attention world Ulster conflict Derry vanized Queen University On following Tuesday univer began Miss Devlln relates I Belfast thinking I changed I found everybody The atmosphere Queen joltlngly different The silence barrier Derry being talked about lecture rooms tutorial rooms snackbar dinner cloakrooms showers People talking thinking about society living intellectual exercise realistically emotionally mattered In atmosphere following student march through Shaftesbury Square which turned extreme rightist followers Rev Ian Paisley People Democracy PD recalls Boyle sloganlzed grievances leaflets The tudents stand civil rights qulescent students never shown political interest before issues encouraged people We enlist people We someone PD every community students there meeting PD obsessed direct democracy around anyone wanted speak Bernadette I PD north But organized committees PD afoul older civil rights leaders thought students ideas agitation propaganda vlolence direct democracy wouldn They wanted parade marshals would extraneous elements PD demonstration demonstration everyone turns organization You should consult people their support vlolence agree letting committee decisions consulted about The civil rights groups realized nonetheless PD force reckoned after Derry march Boyle Farrell elected posts leadership Conservative voices however complained PD began about housing tension increased After second summer violence hettoes Belfast Londonderry student enthusiasm PD A shocked More thousand families burned dozens killed They maybe responsible They scared PD broke student movement One students broke PD Rory McShane gregarious young sollcltor Boyle introduced walked Student Union lunch McShane describes himself person returned normality sanity I think PD quick nowhere It become Introve obsessed theory N But McShane desert politics PD weeks prior elections organization supporting Miss Devlln While sandwiches drank McShane jumped Boyle PD decision publicly support Bernadette We theoretically opposed elections Boyle retorted elections should politics Working constituency bogus election Work constituency should candidate responsible constituency Instead meeting press Westminster Bernadette should bring problems She admitted Mid Ulster enough People Democracy backs Bernadette explained other relevant short advantage years haven built militant socialist organizati there change The impression Bernadettes could elected situation would remain unless socialist organization provided opposition Unionist government Ulster I think going socialist republic years But I talking about socialist organ ization counties voice people thing recruited Ideally I socialist candidates parliaments And socialist Boyle means totalitarian governments conjured Western The socialist govern ments China Russia socialist They another organizing underdeveloped country McShane dismissed Boyle arguments brisk reminder hustings I asked I might along We planned Bernadette Stewartstown about McShane Newry clean shirts apprentice papers local lawyers indicating would three years accepted solicitor He quite trouble finding explained drove through Irish countryside I student politics years I chaired first PD meeting president Students Representative Council Queens I civil rights campaign against banning Republican Clubs Queens Republicans support county Irish Republic including Ulster formed defiance government foolish rldiculous The farce Then I involved PD I graduated politics graduate sociology I getting because political Nobody would touch I tried journalism local paper Belfast belongs Lord Thompson Iguess London hands I planned field And I polltlcs maybe I office myself We parents miles border County Armagh father builder Republlcan talked about Bernadette I pulls through elder McShane because Unlonlst never anywhere radical socialism Ireland farmers capitalists Republican sentiment strong among Ulstermen border explained The government planned scenic route through forest yesterday wanted Union Jack The local citizens forest So postponed opening They British troops forestall trouble There British troops Northern Ireland wouldn enough handle trouble Back Rory about Bernadette campaign Four candidates themselves Unlonlst count there split The Unionist candidate Miss Devlln opponent Neville Thornton accuses being Republicanism causing trouble Londonderry He constltuency enough Miss Devlln continued campaigns program sectarian politics proposes county socialist republic attacks large landowners large factory owners The people appreciate articulate Unlonlst voice And violent campaign months In Castle Derg people threw bottles Tabermore But there heckling One heckler Tabermore asked Am erica raise money If socialist socialist workers country China Russia Cuba Her reply McShane could perhaps Cuba thinks workers country trying doesn consider Russia China workers country Besides dollars currency people Northern Ireland Another asked about Yugoslavia there interesting experiments workers control Yugoslavia socialism either Bernadette problem wants remain independent McShane She I Mid Ulster independent claim neither Labor Tory achievements But getting B Speclals private Unionist Protestants recruited Orangement Ulster Defense forces Our conversation turned student politics McShane Queens University students miles behind student participation control curriculum faculties concerned We might demonstrations along But People Democracy formed talked about student power Most students interested civil rights campaign would counter revolutlonary deflect interest student power We arrived Stewartstown about before Devlln group scheduled appear A obviously poverty strlcken farming reminded deserted mining I remember early childhood Appalachia Perhaps dozen empty stores fronted square which graced statue soldiers killed World War I Since supper seemed appropriate Stewartstown instead dinner McShare inquired where might sandwiches shabby hotel I haven sandwiches mlddle apron informed weary friendly But tomatoes We seats cloth covered dining tables I looked around flowered wallpaper buzzing flies corner cabinets filled sIver utensils smelling musty reminding grandmother hills Tennessee After McShane I across square Bernadette meeting chance classmate Queens whose parents operated local taverns We invited kitchen sandwlches obviously compared tomatoes where chatted about Devlin supporters better watch polls people Unionist candidate seems voting registers voting common practice Waiting Bernadette waiting Godot Some thirty people assembled square disappointed I Devlin campaign workers announce forced legal advisor She found afternoon sentence trial inciting riots summer would announced Friday election results would known But McShane heard another reason Miss Devlin refused Stewartstown because local supporters guarantee speaking platform truck afraid being stoned After another driving through backroads Mid Ulster arrived Arbaugh where Miss Devlln scheduled speak We pulled parking community center front announcing Bingo Tonight waited until calls I B ended Some people meandered building milled around outside waiting Berna dette When McShane grabbed asked since Bernadette Devlln caravan pulling crossroads A moments later worked through crowd pretty splrited looklng earnest dressed plece dress She waited while Paddy Devlin MP Falls Belfast warmed crowd Berna dette Devlln people candidate apathy defeat people crowd Catholics cause think their votes wasted But should majority Westminster The sacrifice communities thing Torles Westminster Another speaker crowd known throughout world someone represents interests common Irish people Then Bernadette Kicking shoes climbed stocking I stand I stood months I believe In Irish people equals peace within country I clear I socialist Every ordinary working person socialist That extremist someone behave fashion I socialism really Then launched expose Unionist policies typified large inland Lough Neagh which James Chlchester Clark Unionist aristocrat prime minister Dutch Engllsh company called Toome Eel Fishery Company Local fishermen around squeezed Toome company Where people Lough Neagh Miss Devlln asked outraged tones It Irish The people slaves Toome Fishery The Dutch English people Lough Neagh The solution fisherman stand neighbor against those oppress The farmers unite farming cooperatlves factory workers Turning broader economic situation Ulster Unionist government exports I million every returns Northern Ireland million pounds That money comes labor The government taking L5 notes pockets giving penny return We people alluding emigration money I promise miracles concluded I promise future The crowd applauded Bernadette crowded around promise their election She seemed tired almost mldnlght hurriedly planned picket Chief Justice house Belfast protest Unionist maneuver delivering sentence votes counted climbed return campaign headquarters She promised citizens Stewartstown McShane I speak Arbaugh Stewartstown appearance cancelled arrange there before election The I walked through areas Belfast Shankill Road Falls poverty which Catholics Protestants I balked printer washing liberal Unionist candidate election defeated The Unionist party infiltrated Palsleyltes charged Robert William Guilfoyle I wouldn doubt there Unionist candidates where Paisleyl supporters extreme rightist Free Presbyterian mlnister ticket Although Paisley equally vehement about Bernadette Devlln Devlln constructive criticism They party interested image themselves Nor words student support civil rights My contention students state should forced Students should heard everything But students anything reforns It people themselves One getting other The Ulster working according Guilfoyle getting uppity causing trouble Give worker thinks entitled The workers should respect theIr trade unions trade unionists should They What having going barking But Guilfoyle doesn reforms promised discrimination It right I employ Further Shankill Road I talked Catholic women butcher Unity Flats housing project The project accomplished purpose which integrate Catholics Protestants Catholics frequent Catholic owned stores Protestants Protestant shopkeepers I asked women thought about British Army armed soldiers patrolling turbed Of course Army especially children replied It means lives But Protestant working different The barbed barricades tourist attractlon You wouldn wlndow would I think increases tension Then pointing rubble street Protestant T piling bonfire July Orangemen celebrate Battle Boyne Stewartstown Waiting Bernadette Unity Flats Where soldiers uneasy peace Barrlcade Shankill Road It I Protestant dingy houses grimy tattered Union Jacks others English window picture Queen walls painted Welcome Ian Paisley No Surrender On Sunday I attended morning services The Martyr Church Raven Hill Road Free Presbyterian church which Rev Ian Paisley preaches flock scrubbed whlte gloved children flower hatted Christians The driver across street church cautioned skirt I could Paisley parishioners approve sklrt fashlon I better I anything press I drove repor photographer London newspaper turned Trying demure I between whlte haired laddies kindly offered Bible point service congregation minister reading Scriptures During prayer which followed I screwed courage notebook surreptitiously possible Oh Lord bring Harold Wilson government bellowed Paisley He promoted program permissiveness there nothing Protes Christian imagery Harold Wilson government forces against cannot compared power Lord The prayer concluded Paisley continued cheered sional congregation I believe Lord going victory I Enoch Powell coming thank God honest prepare God people politics country devil God called conflict We battle fight there God heaven Eventually Paisley began preach about Daniel walked God could immediate decisions But continued plugs Christian splrlt jellyfish Christians shouldn break I God rather against God Later sermon betrayed narrow interpretation God promised protest ecumenical meeting which Protestants Catholics would Canterbury Cathedral When happens England God nation lamented When happens means nation going popery going devil It Communion Sunday I after sermon break bread Palsleyltes I recalled Bernadette Devlln writing there Christians Northern Ireland And quotes American interesting thing about Holy Ireland people other Jesus Christ The public baths cinemas virtually entertainment closed Sundays Belfast dlverslon chance People Democracy members I PD picket front public poorer section afternoon A group PD members turned lettered posters No Splash Sunday planned march front building But supervisor charming whlte halred couple shook hands round through closed building engaged young socialists discussion explaining opening baths Sunday lower prices would group decided block picket there answering questions passerby chanced wonder No Splash signs clothing store While walked Martin Rogers student whose family working class explained another project PD supportlng strike cement factories towns Belfast Cement Limited owners factories I million profit which I1 shareholders remainder reinvested plant But cement factory workers maintain redundancies overtime The workers manufacture cement receive opposed workers cement building They striking twenty weeks strike PD trying Boyle earlier about other PD projects series which PD members rented drove children picnic country estates Protestant aristocrats festivals within unities which PD tries point validity Irish culture Protestants Cathollcs Irish beautiful approach housing action committee started Catholic areas rotestant committee formed together And Eamon O Kane later cleared questions Lough Neagh fishery dispute which friend Bernadette spoken Lough Neagh Europe richest largest inlad yield years Chlchester Clark Dutch English consortium right The fishermen fought through House Lords Because agitation however fisherman bought themselves share company Toome bought whole I their investment years The fishermen supposed marketing facilities become increaslnly People Democracy leading campaign expropriation fishermen association difficult fisherman cooperates PD They issue licenses anyone protests present arrangement license PD offices fishery company about Now fishermen In talks PD members I impressed Realpolitlk approach Ulster situation They impression having their homework facts figures parameters possible protest They seemed determined stick through educational program socialist goals O Kane PD member teacher Belfast school Realpolitlk approach peculiarly Irish But civil rights struggle added broken historic religious differences Civil rights hammer The harder drove wedge between classes Until workers religions persuaded their problems caused economics greed capltalist Unlonlst factory owners landowners problem increase In The Price My So Miss Devlin states problem clearly Our system which basic divide thought along religious lines which quite rational believe sentenced unemployment crime being Catholic But He sentenced unemployment because there enough there enough because investment grounds profit grounds people needs But convincing difference barrier Intractable O Kane The people Connolly first Irish socialist But workers republic would bring socialist PD already support Catholic working class tenuous links stewards religions They radical Republicans laughed rather ourselves radical socialists Although local press liberal coverage PD during civil rights struggle movement content behind scenes You traveling circus O Kane feels Labor government intervention although brought promises reform emasculated civil rights fight They schoolmaster attitude expect being rowdy A study British social scientists R S P Wiener John Bayley London School Economlcs produced conclusion The imtervention British peace keeping force there Roman Ca tholic minority isolated immediate hopes reform according New York Times report yesterday study The scientists further The arrival British Army after civil rights marches proved effective however changed emphasis dispute order The first priority British Army Ulster insure order exactly first priority Catholics previous attack It seemed legitimate Protestant backlash Catholics unable protest longer watch election Paisley establishment powerful Protestant bargaining position The Catholics therefore found themselves worse position started situation created where protest automatically regarded extremlsm Nonetheless O Kane calls instead empty bottle Even though receded level consciousness raised You about socialism forward With problems O Kane prefers going Irish We virtues strict Protestantism still grasping materialists I imagine American society create It overtime drinking money color telev ision Most status conscious And socialist movement Ireland doesn language barrier German students working class We difficulty talking workers I where I brought I still That night I attended People Democracy educational session along twenty students workers heard PD member offer detailed study labor movement Ireland The conclusion reached labor lessly inadequate Ireland The labor movement reflected secta politics present reformist socialist There fight against capitalism Our perspective should class consclous workers labor movement socialist movement After meeting I chance Mike Farrell probably PD leading Ideologue professor Belfast technical college I asked PD sidered itself pacifist revolutionary movement since tried support violent tactics during civil rights marches We support right defense ended pacifism PD general attitude prefer peaceful revolution Then reject prospect infil rating parliamentary system We decided against putting candidates because elections should fraction total activity That objection Bernadette disappeared after election control We supporting content voting We socialist organization Since Bernadette Parliament since birth People Democracy people Northern Ireland understanding socialism I asked Farrell explained fiftieth versary Easter Rising years occasioned revival interest James Connolly writings When I university heard Connolly communist But widely talked about people Connolly badges But communism still dirty It still identified Stalin there little understanding Mao Does PD stimulate theoretical discussion Marx Lenin Mao Castro We favor Bolsheviks Lenin fellow But trying avoid situation where PD members others We avoided talking about Cuba China until about chance catch When think years couldn about socialimm worried about Even Catholic cardinal described himself socialist there priests pseudo Marxlst The socialism backlash reactionary preaching against added Farrell foresees PD movement possible fascist Northern Ireland Paisley forces before conflicts resolved It possible Paisley Chichester Clark Salazar setup secret police outlaw Republican parties People Democracy A united modernized Ireland closely Britain Westminster interest industry South North controlled Britaln there occasions Rhodesia where British imperialism backed We whether Britaln would fight Paisley But Farrell predicts fascist state would short existance since would drive Protestant working class desperation unite He mulled situation added frontation religious lines It could erupt religious civil We wrung concessions government What confronta between workers Paisleyltes would Paisley doesn agree strikes working class Farrell although trade unions sectarian general trend labor unions toward integration therefore People Democracy inter ested gaining trade union support The leadership unions right communist industrial militancy political activity The Irish Communist Party nationalist first socialist second They taken Republican movement We socialism first We rivaled Labor Party May Day march would dangerous could working class power That brought contact trade unions Our support already class consclous Protestant workers through trade unions I asked Farrell thought student politics important PD When situation outside affects housing lives answered concentrate ephemeral things university Some branches PD entirely working class We student support students popular among Catholic working class among Protestants think students I noticed Irish students I haired bearded types associated Germany other countries Farrell reply When something constructive discontent society People Democracy active membership support They serious Boyle longer bandwagon could We socialist issues wherever In pamphlet Struggle North Farrell Agitation houses reach limit within economic system Northern Ireland A stage reached higher wages sociai investment threaten current profit levels constant drain profit Britain A choice between capitalism socialism between continued exploitation British imperialism breaking British economic strangleho That choice could alone because counties economically unviable The struggle socialism would snapping Britain overthrowing rotten capitalist system discarding border rooting British U S economic rialism parts Ireland It would struggle Connolly Socialist Republic cerely Barbara Bright Received New York September I