Irish Election Literature

… what you maybe meant to keep…

Proinsias DeRossa – Workers Party Euro 89 October 16, 2009

Filed under: Euro Elections,Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 11:07 am
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The 1989 Euro elections, a breakthrough as Proinsias DeRossa wins the seat. The style and content of this leaflet was refered to in ‘The Lost Revolution’. The centrepiece where he has the three people was novel at the time.
“Sean is from the Southside ..Dolores is from the Northside..” I wonder where they are now?

Also the leaflet is addressed to my family rather than to each of the then 5 voters in the house. Similar for the Workers Party General election Candidate, probably illustrates how tight funds were at the time.

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‘Workers Party News and Views’ – Kildare 1990 October 14, 2009

Filed under: Kildare,Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 8:31 pm
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In the late 80’s North Kildare was seen a major growth area of the Workers Party. In 1988 Catherine Murphy and Colm Purcell (who later joined Labour) had been elected to Leixlip Town Commission, although Murphy didn’t do brilliantly in the following years General and European Elections. The recently formed Maynooth branch get a mention at the back. Among them Fiachra O Ceilleachair who served as a Democratic Left and later a Labour councillor in Waterford. Also there is Geography lecturer Prionsias Breathnach who is still a regular contributor to various publications (as well as his own).

1989s marked shift in party policy is illustrated by the welcome given to Intel. Not just that but we have Catherine Murphy acting as a conduit for Intel recruiters. What we also see here is that Water Quality issues are not a recent thing!

 

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Eamon Gilmore – Workers Party- Dun Laoghaire- November 1982 October 6, 2009

Filed under: Democratic Left,Gilmore,Labour Party,Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 3:23 pm
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The now Labour Party Leader .The then 27 year old Trade Union Official in his first election standing for the Workers Party in Dun Laoghaire – November 1982.

In 1985 he won a council seat in Ballybrack, before winning a seat in the Dail in 1989.

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Tomas MacGiolla Workers Party -Euro 94 – Pub Quiz

Filed under: Euro Elections,Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 10:07 am
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There are many gimmicks to get a voter to hold on to your leaflet, it may list telephone numbers of local services, be a fridge magnet calendar , a sporting fixtures guide, a match programme….. and then there’s the quiz!

A nice picture of yourself on the front and A Quiz where you also sneak yourself in as two of the answers on the back!

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Featuring a cool looking Eamon Gilmore….Workers Party 1991 – ‘Do You Remember 1985?” September 30, 2009

Filed under: Gilmore,Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 1:06 pm
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Its from the back of a Marian White Leaflet (the lady on the left of the picture). Its eyecatching to say the least.
Colm Breathnach, Denis O’Callaghan and Eamon Gilmore were elected.
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All aboard “The Condom Train” – Workers Party Maynooth 1991 September 29, 2009

Filed under: Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 8:55 pm
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Its 1991 – Maynooth is rotten with Sex…..

Actually at the time Condoms were difficult to buy, the  Virgin Megastore was one of the few places one could get condoms unless one was married.A Condom Machine had been quite a divisive issue in the College, especially considering at the time 15% of the Student body would have been Clerical Students and there would have also been a good number of ‘lay’ Theology students. There had been student Referendums on the issue (I wish I had kept that ‘Self Control – Not Condoms’ poster) and this Workers Party Group ‘Students For Change’ were trying a number of different protests.
The Condom Train was one of them….

 

(Judge) Michael White- Workers Party- 1983 Dublin Central By-Election. September 28, 2009

Filed under: Dublin Central,Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 10:55 am
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His last of four attempts at winning a Dail seat, the now Judge Michael White poses with Tomas McGiolla and Prionsias De Rossa. He polled a respectable 13% of the vote in the By-Election. He is one of a number of our judiciary that have electoral records, amongst them George Birmingham, Henry Abbott, Adrian Hardiman and Pat McCartan.

 

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Socialist Student (Workers Party) – 1991 September 27, 2009

Filed under: Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 7:32 pm
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An Edition of Socialist Student from 1991. It was to be the “Autumn of Action”….  Features an article by Prionsias De Rossa “…I see no role for the Workers Party as another middle of the road populist party, trying to be all things to all people“…. He writes, Months before the Split.

A wonderful looking Super Hero called ‘Condoman’, alas we cant make out his full  catchphrase. A Trip on “The Condom Train ” is advertised too.

The article on the condoms mentioned Student Referendums in Maynooth on the condom issue. These may well bring back memories to those who studied there at the time. It was always my regret that I never took one of the “Self Control -Not Condoms” posters to add to my collection…

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Liz McManus, Dermot Tobin, Anne Egan -Workers Party 1991 Local Elections -Bray September 24, 2009

Filed under: Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 8:33 am
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From the 1991 local elections, a leaflet for Liz McManus, Dermot Tobin, and Anne Egan running for The Workers Party in Bray.
We also have a smiling Prionsias De Rossa pictured with a happy family. The Workers Party with a new logo and leaflet design. They went back to the old logo (or something very similar) after the split.

“Anne is well known as a Lollipop lady..” .

Liz Mc Manus

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The Workers Party – A Democratic Convention in Defence of Public Life from 1991 September 18, 2009

Filed under: Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 11:43 am
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A proposal from the Workers Party to organise a Democratic Convention against Terror.

Its an interesting read.

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‘Why There is No Alternative to Reconstitution’ -Workers Party Discussion Document February 1992 (pre DL split) September 10, 2009

Filed under: Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 11:26 pm
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‘Why There is No Alternative to Reconstitution’ a letter to members from Prionsias De Rossa and Seamus Lynch prior to the split with the Democratic Left. 
Prionsias De Rossa and Seamus Lynch outline their case for changing the Party from Democratic Centralism to that of being member driven.

It’s language is very much of the dogmatic variety and spells out the direction they want the Workers Party to move in. It also indirectly makes reference to the existence and activities of the Official IRA mentioning ‘unlawful activities in the North’.
The split occurred after the special conference with 6 of the 7  TDs as well as a majority of the parties other elected representatives going off to form a group initially called ‘New Agenda’ which became the ‘Democratic Left’. The Workers Party continued on.

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The Workers Party- Programme for a Democratic Future 1991 September 9, 2009

Filed under: Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 2:38 pm
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A Document from 1991 or 1992.

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‘New Agenda’ (post Workers Party pre Democratic Left) -Eamon Gilmore, Colm Breathnach and Denis O’Callaghan Letter. September 8, 2009

Filed under: Democratic Left,Gilmore,New Agenda,Workers Party — irishelectionliterature @ 10:52 pm
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This is a letter Sent by Eamon Gilmore, Colm Breathnach and Denis O’Callaghan post 1992 Workers Party Split. It outlines the policies  and aims of the group. Polices look like those of The Workers Party but without the Democratic Centralism.

The breakway group  were initailly called ‘New Agenda’ and contested the 1992 Westminister Elections under that name. However the name didn’t last long and the party called then itself  ‘The Democratic Left’, which itself joined the Labour Party in 1998.

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