Patricia McKenna in what I think was her first electoral outing. She was Roger Garlands Dail Adviser and co-secretary of the European Greens.
As an Artist I presume she did the wonderful cartoon herself.
Patricia McKenna 1992-Dublin Central October 2, 2009
Kildare Labour News- December 1989- Stagg, Howlin ,Kemmy
This is an interesting little pamphlet where we have a Labour party ‘a socialist alternative’. Very much of its time in both the articles on the falling of Communism, The National Question, our Health Service, Women at Work and also the ads.
It also features some of the late Jim Kemmys poetry.
Click on the images if you have difficulty seeing the whole page.
Featuring a cool looking Eamon Gilmore….Workers Party 1991 – ‘Do You Remember 1985?” September 30, 2009
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.
(Judge) Pat McCartan- Democratic Left -Dublin North East 1992 September 29, 2009
Another Judge who had a Political Career was Pat McCartan. Elected initially in 1987 for The Workers Party, he retained his seat in the 1989 General Election.
McCartan was One of the Six TDs that formed Democratic Left in March 1992. This Leaflet is for the Novemver 1992 election where he lost his seat. The list of organisations he is associated with is very much of the time, CND, The Irish Anti Apartheid movement etc. The DLs 7 point plan is there also.
Tony Gregory Letter to Constituents 08 /Maureen O’Sullivan 09
This was sent to me by the wonderfully helpful Maureen O’Sullivan. Its over a year on from the letter and 9 months since Tonys Passing on the 2nd of January. I gather it was his last communication with all his constituents. Gracious and humble as ever.
Maureen O’Sullivans literature has the same picture of herself and the Late Tony Gregory as that on the Gregory Leaflet.
Democratic Left – 1992 Abortion Referendum
The newly formed Democratic Left give the arguments for a No to Abortion, Yes to Travel and Yes to Information. The leaflet also gives a background as to why we had the referendum.
(Judge) Michael White- Workers Party- 1983 Dublin Central By-Election. September 28, 2009
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.
‘Workers and Unemployed Movement’ Meeting Poster 1985
This is a poster, I had at home, advertising a meeting to be held on the 12th September 1985 against the ‘Free’ State pay Freeze. A public sector pay freeze had been announced and the ‘Workers and Unemployed Movement’ had organised the meeting. During that period the North Star Hotel was a regular venue for such meetings, it appears to have fallen out of fashion these days. The Blue Tac marks in the corners are due to it being hung on my bedroom wall for a number of years.
The ‘Workers and Unemployed Movement’ was part of the Communist Party of Ireland (Marxist-Leninist). Attached also in the post is the cover of Marxist Leninist Weekly dated September 4th 1985 giving a background to the meeting. Many thanks to Conor for taking the time to get that and helping me link the CPI-ML with the meeting. Thanks also to the others that helped make the link between the ‘Workers and Unemployed Movement’ and the CPI-ML .
Socialist Student (Workers Party) – 1991 September 27, 2009
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…
Liz McManus, Dermot Tobin, Anne Egan -Workers Party 1991 Local Elections -Bray September 24, 2009
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..” .
Leaflet from Tony Gregory -1985 Local Elections -North Inner City September 23, 2009
The late Tony Gregory spent 25 years in the Dail, yet it was for “The Gregory Deal” in his first term that many remember him most for. He was an avid community activist and worker, staunchly anti drugs and was jailed for his stand with the Street traders. This leaflet is from the 1985 Local elections.
Tony Clarke -Independent Socialist – Dun Laoghaire Nov 1982. September 22, 2009
Tony Clarke Independent Socialist Dun Laoghaire November 1982. Although the fashion may be out of date, some of his ideas were slightly ahead of their time. Equal rights for Fathers wasn’t something talked about much then , at least openly anyhow. The salaries of TDs is a common complaint and of course the demand for Irish Unity was mainstream at the time. A demand too for a Divorce Referendum…. He polled 205 votes.
Communist Party Of Ireland (Marxist-Leninist)- ‘Marxist-Leninist Weekly’ Feb 3rd 1988
A copy of Marxist-Leninist Weekly from 3rd Feb 1988. Hits out at Britain and also Israeli Zionism. I’m not sure if this is the full version of the paper or a smaller pamphlet (Tabloid!) version of that weeks edition.
I can only presume that the group organizing the advertised Rally and march to the British Embassy ,”The Spirit of Freedom Committee” was the CPI-ML in ‘disguise’. A theme that runs through a lot of the Irish Left literature I have and I’d imagine internationally.
Click on Images to Enlarge
Grace Lally -Socialist Workers Party – Rathmines 1999 LE September 21, 2009
In the the 1999 local elections, the Socialist Workers Party put forward 8 candidates, none of whom were close to being elected. This is the literature of Grace Lally who stood in the Rathmines Ward. Contains information on the candidate, the SWP Election Manifesto and of course the “Get Involved” form too.
Mick Murphy – Socialist Party 1999 Local Elections Tallaght Central
From the 1999 local elections a flyer from Mick Murphy of The Socialist Party running in Tallaght Central. Murphy polled 753 votes and failed to win a seat.
Tim O’Brien -Independent Socialist Dublin North 1997 September 18, 2009
From the 1997 General Election, running in Dublin North Independent Socialist Tim O’Brien. Tim O’Brien polled 376 votes and failed to be elected.
Here he lists religious figures, Peter McVerry, Sister Stan and Sean Healy as influences
The Workers Party – A Democratic Convention in Defence of Public Life from 1991
A proposal from the Workers Party to organise a Democratic Convention against Terror.
Its an interesting read.
Peadar O’Grady -Socialist Workers Party- 1997 GE Dublin South East September 16, 2009
The 1997 General Election was the first time the SWP put forward candidates to contest an Irish election. It fielded four candidates- Ritchie Browne, Peadar O’Grady, Brid Smith in Dublin constituencies and Jimmy Kelly in Waterford.
Peadar O’Grady ran in Dublin South East. They use being Anti Corruption to try and attract voters rather than advertising that they are a ‘revolutionary socialist group’.
Irish Election Literature 
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