The
Irish Republican Socialist Party was established by Seamus Costello and
other Irish revolutionaries in December 1974, at a meeting in the
Lucan Spa Hotel, Dublin. The aim of the party founders was to establish a
new revolutionary vanguard that would combine the class and national
struggles and take up the vision of James Connolly. The party was named
in honour of Connolly's Irish Socialist Republican Party. This was to be
a genuine party of the working class.
Later that same day Costello presided over the formation of a new
republican army, an organisation he hoped to mould as the armed cadre of
the working class. This organisation was known firstly be as the
National Liberation Front but would soon become known across the world
as the Irish National Liberation Army.
Many of the founding members of the IRSM were veteran
republicans. Following the 'stickies' slide into counter revolution,
whole cumainn resigned on mass to join the new organisation.
Seamus Costello was its driving force. He succeeded in recruiting many
of the leading republicans, socialists and trade unionists of the day
to its ranks.
The forces of reaction in Ireland soon took note of the emerging IRSP
and decided to crush the movement at birth. State repression and counter
revolutionary attacks would be unleashed on the new party which stunted
its growth, but not its revolutionary message.
Costello himself would be murdered in cold blood by counter
revolutionaries in 1977, an event from which the IRSM never really
recovered. With the murder of Seamus Costello Ireland lost its greatest
revolutionary leader since James Connolly and the struggle for national
liberation and socialism was set back for generations.
Much of the founding statement of the IRSP remains as relevant to Irish
socialist republicanism today as it was when written almost forty years
ago. Within the short statement there are many fundamental truths and a
draft guide to action for socialist republicans. Its message should be
studied by all genuine Irish revolutionaries today.
For that reason, today we republish the founding statement of the IRSP.
We hope it is widely read and studied by modern socialist
republicans. We must learn well the lessons of our history so our
historic struggle can be carried forward to victory.
IRISH REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST PARTY
Páirtí Poblachtach Sóisialach na hÉireann PRESS STATEMENT: 13.12.'74.
At a meeting held in Dublin on Sunday, 8.12.'74, a decision was made to
form a new political party, to be known as THE IRISH REPUBLICAN
SOCIALIST PARTY. The inaugural meeting was attended by approximately 80
delegates from Belfast, Armagh, Co. Derry, Derry City, Donegal,
Dublin, Wicklow, Cork, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary.
It was unanimously agreed that the objective of the Party would be to
"END IMPERIALIST RULE IN IRELAND, and ESTABLISH A 32 COUNTY DEMOCRATIC
SOCIALIST REPUBLIC WITH THE WORKING CLASS IN CONTROL OF THE MEANS OF
PRODUCTION, DISTRIBUTION AND EXCHANGE".
To this end, it was agreed that the Party would launch a vigorous
campaign of political agitation and education, North and South, on the
following issues:
SIX COUNTIES
1/ Recognising that British Imperialist interference in Ireland
constitutes the most immediate obstacle confronting the Irish People in
their struggle for democracy, National Liberation and Socialism, it
shall be the policy of the Party to seek the formation of a broad front
on the basis of the following demands:
A/ That Britain must immediately renounce all claims to Sovereignty over
any part of Ireland and its coastal waters, and should immediately
specify an early date for the total withdrawal of her military and
political presence from Ireland.
B/ Having specified the date for her total withdrawal from Ireland,
Britain must immediately withdraw all troops to barracks, release all
internees and sentenced political prisoners, grant a general amnesty
for all offences arising from the military campaign against British
Forces or through involvement in the Civil Disobedience Campaign,
abolish all repressive legislation, grant a Bill of Rights which will
allow complete freedom of political action and outlaw all
discriminination whether it be on the basis of class, creed, political
opinion or sex. Britain must also agree to compensate the Irish People
for the exploitation which has already occurred.
C/ It shall be the policy of the IRISH REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST PARTY to
seek an active working alliance of all radical forces within the
context of the Broad Front in order to ensure the ultimate success of
the Irish Working Class in their struggle for Socialism.
D/ It will be an immediate objective of the Party to launch an intensive
campaign of opposition to the E.E. membership. We, therefore, intend
to play an active part in the E.E.C. referendum in the Six County area
and through our support groups in Britain.
E/ Recognising that sectarianism, and the present campaign of sectarian
assassinations arises as a direct result of British manipulation of the
most reactionary elements of Irish Society, we shall seek to end this
campaign on the basis of united action by the Catholic and Protestant
working class against British Imperialism in Ireland.
TWENTY SIX COUNTIES
1/ We will seek to have a United Campaign of all democratic forces
against repressive legislation in the south, and against the policy of
blatant collaboration with British Imperialism, which is now being
pursued by the 26 County Administration.
2/ THE IRISH REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST PARTY is totally opposed to the
exploitation of our natural resources by multi-national Corporations.
It shall therefore be our policy to give active and sustained support
to the present campaign for the nationalisation of these resources.
3/ Recognising that the rapidly increasing cost of living and rising
unemployment are to a large extent a direct result of our EEC
membership, it shall be the policy of the IRISH REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST
PARTY to actively support the formation of people's organisations to
combat rising prices and unemployment.
ELECTIONS
THE IRISH REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST PARTY is not an abstentionist Party, and
will decide its attitude towards the contesting of any particular
election, on the basis of a thorough analysis of the conditions
prevailing at the time. In keeping with this attitude we have decided,
in principle, to contest the forthcoming Convention Elections in the
Six County Area.
As the vast majority of those involved in the formation of the IRISH
REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST PARTY are people who have recently resigned from
Sinn Fein (Gardiner Place), we feel it may be necessary to give a brief
outline of the reasons for our resignations. They are as follows:
A/ The refusal of the Sinn Fein Ard Comhairle to implement the
democratically decided policies on the National Question as laid down
at the 1972 and 1973 Ard Fheiseanna.
B/ The lack of internal democracy within Sinn Fein. This became
particularly noticeable during the course of the past year when many
dedicated members were purged from the organisation because they dared
to question the reformist approach of the Ard Comhairle on many vital
questions. This purge culminated in attempts by members of the Ard
Comhairle to intimidate delegates to the recent Ard Fheis, when many of
them were threatened with expulsion if they did not vote in accordance
with the wishes of the leadership.
C/ the decision of the Ard Comhairle to contest the Six County Assembly
Elections, when it was perfectly obvious that the elections were
clearly designed to re-establish a British controlled puppet Parliament
for the Six Counties. In our view, this particular decision was
indicative of the reformist and counter revolutionary attitudes which
prevail at Ard Comhairle level in Sinn Fein, Gardiner Place.
D/ The unprincipled betrayal of the internees arising from the decision
to take seats on local councils in the North. This decision was made
despite the fact that the Ard Comhairle had made repeated statements
attacking the treachery of the SDLP for taking their seats.
We are of course aware that the vast majority of rank and file members
are completely opposed to this decision. We urge the ordinary members
of Sinn Fein to refuse to accept this unprincipled attitude on the part
of the Ard Comhairle. We call on all Republican Club Councillors to
stand by the Internees by upholding the peoples' pledge which they
signed before their election.
E/ The general drift towards almost exclusive participation in reformist
activity, and the total abandonment of agitationary political action
in pursuit of their objectives. Under its present leadership, Sinn Fein
has been reduced to a position of almost total irrelevance in the
context of the present poltical situation.
ORGANISATION
Since last Sunday we have had enquiries from practically every area in
the country regarding the formation of branches. During the period
since the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis, at least 14 Cumainn and two Comhairle
Ceantair have resigned in bloc and indicated their intention of forming
IRISH REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST PARTY branches.
We are at present engaged in an intensive recruiting drive, and will
organise a full delegate national conference at the earliest possible
date. A permanent National Executive will be elected at the Annual
Conference.
In conclusion, the IRISH REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST PARTY extends its support
to all peoples struggling for Democracy, National Liberation and
Socialism.
In Ireland, we appeal to all of those who are genuinely interested in
the establishment of a Socialist Republic to re-examine their present
position and give their support to the IRISH REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST
PARTY.
Those elected to the Temporary National Executive are as follows:
Sean Flynn (Belfast)
Manuel McIlroy (Belfast)
John McAlea (Belfast)
Charlie Craig (Belfast)
Seamus O'Kane (Co. Derry)
Terry Robson (Derry City)
Joe Sweeney (Derry City)
Bernadette McAliskey (Tyrone)
Johnny White (Donegal)
Seamus Costello (Wicklow)
Theresa Gallagher (Dublin)
Anne Webb (Dublin)
Mick Plunkett (Dublin)
John Lynch (Cork)
Stella Mackowski (Clare)
Joe Quinn (Limerick)
Tony Quinn (Tipperary
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