As the Gaza death toll breaks the 1,000 mark and a full one tenth of the population find themselves homeless Fionka Gallivanti take a look at how the Israeli military benefits from the diamond trade. Your Facebook feed – like mine – is probably overflowing with shared and re-shared images of unimaginable horror: sobbing mothers, blackened bodies, cratered streets and the blank, wide-eyed stares of shell-shocked children. Maybe you join in … Read More
US Corporate Crooners.
Back in June, the US embassy fell foul of a Twitter storm when they offered grants for pro-TTIP projects. It looks like their brethren in Dublin are getting in on the online propaganda war too. They brought in this all male choir to hype the trade deal in a Youtube video. Back in April The Yale Spizzwinks (oh god, I had to restrain myself from a deliberately infantile misspelling there…), croaked their … Read More
Should You Pay As You Go?
Following reports in the media over the weekend that Pat Rabbitte was requesting the Dept. of Social Destruction install ‘pay-as-you-go’ electricity meters in people’s homes that are struggling with debt, we saw some replies that they were a good idea. We also received some responses from people who had used them in the past or abroad and were under the impression that they end up costing more, which is hardly … Read More
Garden’s Where D8 Is.
Activists from the Tom Kelly Flats in Dublin’s Charlemount Street are dismayed over a suspected attack on a community garden. The grounds the garden were established on had been ignored by Dublin City Council. Speaking to the Dublin 8 Housing Action Committee page, Tony Nicoletti said: “Myself and some family members together with other residents decided to start up the community garden as a project.The project quickly gained support and we moved … Read More
Ruin Fetishism: Documenting Europe’s Derelicts.
With the number of ghost estates across the country estimated at over 900, Stephen Bourke talks to photographer Lisa Furness about her work documenting derelict buildings & squatting in Ireland, London & Spain. The big criticism of Urban exploration and the like is that it’s ‘ruin fetishism’. How do you respond to that? I see a lot of pictures that make empty buildings look dramatic and exciting. I see a … Read More
TTIP Don’t Believe The Hype.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership could be the most destructive, and most secretive, legislation that nobody’s talking about. Cillian Doyle breaks it down for us. If I was to ask you about the TTIP negotiations, would it ring any bells? Probably not. The legislative process of the European Commission isn’t the sexiest of subjects. But we need to understand what the Commission does, as it’s the only one with the … Read More
Breaking: Paris Bakery Occupation Ending.
GREAT news for #ParisBakery workers: just got official confirmation from Revenue that they’re stepping in, so the workers can FINALLY leave! — MigrantRightsCentre (@MigrantRightsIR) June 10, 2014 This literally just in. A press release from the Migrant Rights Centre saying the Paris Bakery Occupation is ending at 17:30. The occupation was 19 days in. The workers had spent part of yesterday talking about the possibilities of a co-op. According to … Read More
Exploitation Baguette Solidarity
The practically omnipotent Paula G strikes with another video insight on fightbacks here. Tara Keane, a former La Senza worker (remember them?) had this to say: I was working for La Senza, a highly successful retailer in Ireland. We worked all through Christmas, all through New year without being paid and then one night we got a phone call from England saying “don’t come to work tomorrow.” We made the decision … Read More
It Was A Very Crusty Protest.
‘No pay is not ok. Enda must act!’ Big protest at Dáil now as #ParisBakery workers demand justice. @MigrantRightsIR pic.twitter.com/fotZ8oxLrc — Ruairí McKiernan (@ruairimckiernan) June 4, 2014 #ParisBakery workers and supporters at the Dáil pic.twitter.com/MgdJSzW4hl — Workers Solidarity (@WSMIreland) June 4, 2014 Good support for the #ParisBakery workers demonstrating outside Leinster House @labouryouth @YoungWorkersNet @siptu pic.twitter.com/rPEG2vJASE — Marty O’Prey (@MartyOPrey) June 4, 2014 They came armed with baguettes and supporters. … Read More
#rabbleReels: Gralton, Grabbers and Gramophones.
As Ken Loach’s Jimmy’s Hall makes its way through cinemas, here’s a little known doc that recalls the dances, politics and classes that took place in the hall. Apparently it had one of the first gramophones in the country. One Youtube commentator, Edwina Guckian recalled how she showed the documentary to her 95 year old grandfather who grew up around Effrinagh: He was at Drumsna mass that day Fr. Cosgrove … Read More