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Archive for 2011

Manchester Calling 4: “Trotskyite Activities” in Ireland (1943)

Posted in Dublin History, Miscellaneous on June 24, 2011| 3 Comments »

Jay Carax will be in Manchester for the next two months but he’s hoping to post irregularly on Dublin and Irish related topics.

The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) kept detailed files on as many Trotskyites and Trotskyite group as they could, right through the 20th century.

One file came that I came across had a snippet on Ireland. The confidential report on “Trotskyite Activities” from May 1943, under the “Colonial”,
section as this to say:

“Socialist Appeal has recently devoted great attention to Ireland, including special reports from Brian Aherne in Belfast. Young Jim Larkin at a recent Connolly Club meeting in London is reported to gave included a number of Trotskyist ideas in his speech. Socialist Appeal is now being sold in Dublin with no apparent interference from the authorities, who strictly maintain the ban on Communist publications. The Workers’ International League (W.I.L.) is reported (May 1943) to have formed an Irish Bureau.” CP/CENT/ORG/12/01

Harry Pollit (1880 - 1960) who was General Secretary of the CPGB from 1921-1939 and 1941-1956.

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S’pose a riot is out of the question?

Posted in Uncategorized on June 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Welcome back, Ding Dong Denny O’Reilly.

Great line in this one, about how the closest we’ve come to a social revolt was the anger over a handball in Paris. That’d be the Irish.

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They’re getting ready in Parnell Square.

Posted in Uncategorized on June 22, 2011| 3 Comments »

Just spotted this for sale via the Sinn Féin shop online. It is, quite literally, a t-shirt of people dancing on Margaret Thatcher’s grave.

It can’t be long now! Get ready for the big day

Stone reads: Margaret Thatcher Tyrant and Murderer

Sign Reads: Dancers Please form an orderly queue

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Rockin’ (and rollin’) through a recession

Posted in Music on June 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

The Shakin' Pyramids at The Magnet, 30 years ago.

It’s often said that recessions ignite music scenes. (Certainly in the last while, we’ve seen the proliferation of underground Dance events in Dublin.)

Music does seem to have that extra edge when it’s written and performed beneath the dark background of economic and political crises. It seems that from the explosion of punk in the summer of 1976 to the birth of the acid house movement in 1988, all decent Irish (and British) music was characterised by bands, imagery and lyrics that told the (often depressing) story of what was going around them – unemployment, inner city riots, boredom and that consistent feeling of ‘no future’. The Blades’ ‘Downmarket’ immediately springs to mind, as does The Specials’ ‘Ghosttown’, The Pogues, UB40, Dexys Midnight Runners, two-tone, reggae, punk, Oi! The list is endless.

What I’ve found interesting recently is that it seems recessions  often reignite music scenes as well. People become more nostalgic, they look back to the ‘good old days’.

In Dublin, in the last eighteen months we’ve seen major reunions of both the 1980s Mods (who I’ve written about before) and the 1980s skinheads whose HQ was ‘The Fox and Pheasant’. Now, it’s the rockabillies and teddy boys turn.

McGrattans (off Baggot St.) sees a reunion on August 27 2011 for teds, bikers and rockabilly fans who frequented the legendary Magnet on Pearse Street. For background, see my feature on Stompin’ George and The Magnet.

No doubt it’s going to be a great night.

The Magnet 31 years ago…

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‘Clash Of The Rovers’

Posted in Uncategorized on June 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

God, I love this. A nice nod to Roy Of The Rovers from Sligo, whom welcome Shamrock Rovers to the west on Friday.

They’re exciting times here on the southside of the Liffey, with both Shamrock Rovers and Saint Patrick’s Athletic flying high, and only a point between them. Pats fans have of course been here a few times in recent seasons with nothing to show for it, but we’ve been a joy to watch recently and we’ve had six victories in our last six away games, not to mention a great run at home.

While all sides have Europe on the mind, the most important game is always the next one. Roll on Friday.

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Keep Going Sure It’s Grand.

Posted in Uncategorized on June 22, 2011| 6 Comments »

Via Keep Going Sure It’s Grand Facebook.

Laura Whitmore wearing the great ‘Keep Going Sure It’s Grand’ effort on MTV, spreading the message to the British telly audiences that we’re open for business and all that. Pity she’s from Bray. The posters are showing up in a surprising selection of Dublin boozers, last spotted by us in L.Mulligans (Stoneybatter) and The Bernard Shaw (Portobello)

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It’s a long way from Inchicore.

Posted in Uncategorized on June 20, 2011| 2 Comments »

Shamrock Rovers have drawn Estonian side FC Flora Tallinn, and Saint Patrick’s Athletic are off to Iceland to play ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar. That’s their stadium above. Feck. For the northsiders at Dalymount, it’sv Sirogi of Bosnia or Olimpia Ljubijana of Slovenia. Not a single handy trip there for the capitals teams.

It’s looking like a wild one, keep an eye on extratime.ie during the day for more.

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Infamous 2, Jim Larkin 0.

Posted in Uncategorized on June 20, 2011| 4 Comments »

Ad for Infamous 2 computer game

This is the ad doing the rounds for upcoming computer game ‘Infamous 2’.

O’Connell Street a burning blaze, the spire split in half and poor Jim Larkin no more. This is the oddest computer game advertisement in a while. I like how they left the GPO alone, how sensitive of them.

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A few quick snaps on a lazy Saturday afternoon

Posted in Miscellaneous, Photography, Pubs, Reviews, Uncategorized on June 20, 2011| 1 Comment »

This June weather is great isn’t it? Hail, wind, then sunshine, then rain, some thunder and then sunshine again. Such was yesterday in Dublin. Hail in Swords, but to be fair, the City Centre wasn’t too bad and myself and the DFallon lad went for a leisurely stroll and took in grub and a few pints.

Boojum, for anyone who hasn’t yet sampled their delights, is quite simply the business and is becoming my favourite spot for a Saturday morning hungover burrito for breakfast. Located in Mick Wallace’s “Italian Quarter,” you can’t go too far wrong at €6 for an absolutely packed burrito with shredded beef, pinto beans, rice, salsa, guacamole and cheese. Throw in a bottle of beer and you’re laughing. I strongly advise people to give it a go.

Burritos for breakfast

Crossing the Millennium Bridge I spotted the below, a great, simple piece that I’d love to see more of in the city. The glut of bloody ugly buildings with boring facades that popped up over the last two decades could do with a bit of brightening up.

(more…)

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What we’re doing this Saturday night

Posted in Events, Music on June 16, 2011| 3 Comments »

TV Smith

This Saturday sees the return to these shores of TV Smith, co-founder of 70’s British punk legends The Adverts. The Adverts, who in their time shared stages with The Damned, The Jam and Generation X, were pioneers of a burgeoning late seventies British punk scene, and led the way with anthems like “Bored Teenagers,” a classic whose lyrics, “We’re just bored teenagers. Looking for love, or should I say emotional rages” still hits me like a thump in the chest. Love it.

Also on the bill are Dublin punk stalwarts Paranoid Visions, still going strong after close to twenty nine years, and and relative newcomers Liz Is Evil. While both TV Smith and Paranoid Visions will be playing their own sets, there are plans afoot for collaboration wherein the two acts collide and a concoction of The Adverts with a very definite Dublin twist will take the stage. Look forward to that one!

The gig takes place in O’Byrnes / Ruta (formerly the Four Seasons) on the junction of Capel Street and North King Streeton Saturday at 8. CC is €10. Might see yizzers there!

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You have seen the Joyce love letters yeah?

Posted in Uncategorized on June 16, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Via the excellent harkavagrant.

If you haven’t seen the love letters, maybe today isn’t the day to google them. Get into Dublin, and enjoy Bloomsday. Shame about the weather.

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This is why god gave us YouTube…

Posted in Uncategorized on June 14, 2011| 2 Comments »

…Dublin in the late 1950s. Incredible footage. Many thanks to YouTuber ojsor for uploading this amazing footage. It’s criminal that this has less than 300 views.

Snapshot in time of Dublin City Centre probably about 1958. Shows Trinity College, Nassau Street, Grafton Street, St Stephens Green, O’Connell Street Bridge and College Green finishing inside St Stephens Green.

I am, as we say in this part of the world, up to my eyeballs. Regular service will resume shortly.

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