Coolock Remembers the 1916 Rising

24/03/13

Since 1916, Easter has been an important period for Irish republicans at home and overseas. It is then that republicans remember and honour all of the men and women who have given their lives in the struggle for national liberation. This Easter marks the 97th anniversary of the Rising and like every year it will be marked with hundreds of commemorative events across the island.

Over the last week éirígí activists in Coolock have been hard at work erecting posters and banners of Jim Larkin, James Connolly as well as the Easter Lily around the local area. These posters and banners are designed to encourage the local community to remember Ireland’s patriot dead with pride. Activists have also distributed copies of the Spring edition of éirígí’s Poblacht na nOibrithe newsletter to more than 5,000 homes throughout the Coolock and Darndale areas over the same period.

This year éirígí Coolock have organised a public meeting on the subject of “Dublin and the 1916 Rising”. The meeting will take place at 7.30pm on Monday, March 25 in the Kilmore West Community Centre in Coolock.

Speaking from Coolock, éirígí’s Dublin North-East spokesperson Ciaran Heaphey said, “Easter is an important time for Irish republicans around the world who wish to remember the brave martyrs of 1916 and all those who have fought and died for Irish freedom. Like many working class areas in this city, Coolock has a long tradition of republicanism which the people of this area are rightly proud of.

“The response that our activists have received when erecting posters and banners or selling Easter lilies confirms that the people of Coolock remain deeply committed to the ideals of the 1916 Rising.”

Heaphey continued, “This year éirígí in Coolock are organising a public talk about the Rising which will include a slide show and contribution from a local historian. In organising this meeting we are hoping to provide people with an opportunity to find out more about the Rising and those who took part in it. I would encourage people from the area and further afield to come along to what promises to be a very interesting event.”

Coolock must fight back !

Since the collapse of the so called Celtic Tiger and introduction of savage budget cutbacks across this state, the Coolock area is a classic example of a working class community under attack by the Twenty Six county government.

The unemployment rate in Coolock and Darndale is well above the national average of 14.6 and shows no signs of decreasing.

In recent years ‘slash and burn’ cutbacks have had a heavy impact on Coolock. The closure of of the Olhausen factory in Coolock was a major blow to the area, which meant the loss of with 45 jobs. The factory had provided employment to the local community for decades. This is just one of the many examples of job loss in the local area.

Coolock has also been hit hard by cuts in education which have effected local primary and secondary schools. The local healthcare system has also come under attack, with the vital Darndale Health Centre having its resources for the local mental health service snipped, something which could be a matter of life for death for residents.

Over the past few months there has been a unfortunate rise in “Illegal dumping” by the public in certain areas of Coolock and Darndale. These regrettable actions come as a direct consequence of extortionate price hikes by greyhound following the disastrous privatisation of Dublin City’s waste management service. Since privatisation Greyhound has treated the people of Dublin with contempt. Their outrageous actions since then includes failing to collect litter from designated collection points and most recently, the introduction of new green bags in packs of six  at a cost of 9 euro. The story behind the privatisation of Dublin’s waste management system is a clear example of why our communities should fight to defend our public services!

Over the last year éirígí has been heavily involved in the community, through our involvement with the local Coolock/Santry C.A.H.W.T (Campaign Against the Household and Water Taxes)  and the  holding of our weekly information stall at the Northside Shopping Centre every Saturday. éirígí has also held many successful and informative public meetings about issue’s that effect the local community aimed at organising and mobilising the working class!

We would urge everybody in the Coolock and surrounding area that is angered by budget cutbacks and austerity to join the fight back and join éirígí.

CAHWT Occupies Northside Civic Centre

On Monday February 18th up to fifteen members of the Campaign Against the Household and Water Taxes [CAHWT], including a number of éirígí activists, occupied the Northside Civic Centre in Coolock to protest against the proposed introduction of home and water taxes.

The protest, organised by the local branch of the CAHWT, was timed to coincide with the monthly Dublin North Central Area Committee Meeting, which was taking place in the Civic Centre. The Area Committee Meeting is a monthly meeting attended by local Dublin City Councillors to deal with issues affecting the North Central area. The protestors made sure that the growing opposition to home and water taxes was top of the agenda on the day with loud chanting of ‘No way, we won’t pay!’, ‘Can’t pay, won’t pay!’ and ‘Fine Gael-Labour, Out ! Out! Out!’

The latest protest in Coolock follows a series of similar CAHWT protest occupations of council chambers and buildings in Cork, Dublin City, Fingal, Kilkenny and South Dublin. Such protests are an indication of the rising anger against attempts to introduce home and water taxes and the CAHWT’s determination to lead a militant mass campaign of civil disobedience to ensure the defeat of these austerity taxes.

Speaking from the protest, éirígí spokesperson and member of the CAHWT in Dublin North East, Ciaran Heaphey, said, “Today’s protest has been a great success. The Campaign Against Household and Water Taxes organised today’s occupation to send a clear message to the local representatives of Dublin City Council and to the Fine Gael/ Labour coalition. And that message is that we intend to fight their attempts to introduce unjust home and water taxes every inch of the way.

“Over the past twelve months the CAHWT has built a strong campaign in the Coolock and Santry area. This community has rallied together to organise opposition to the first the so-called household charge and now the home and water taxes. We have no intention of paying unjust home and water taxes or to pay for the greed of a golden circle of corrupt politicians, bankers, speculators and developers. éirígí in Dublin North East has been centrally involved in this work. We believe that the CAHWT is the vehicle that can successfully defeat austerity taxes.”

Ciaran continued, “I would encourage anyone from the local area who is opposed to the introduction of unjust home and water taxes to get in contact with the local CAHWT and get involved. I would also encourage all those opposed to austerity across this state to organise similar protests in your own community and to encourage your family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues to get involved in the fight against austerity.”

Coolock Voices its Resistance to the Home Tax

21/02/13

On Thursday, February 7, the Coolock/Santry branch of the Campaign Against the Household and Water Taxes [CAHWT] met in the Kilmore West community centre to discuss this year’s introduction of the so called ‘property tax’ – Fine Gael and Labour’s latest name for their home tax.

A crowd of over forty residents from the Coolock/Santry area gathered in the centre to discuss the drastic changes surrounding the re-launched home tax. These changes include a decision by the Twenty Six County government to use the Revenue Commissioner’s extensive powers by deducting the tax at source. The original ‘household charge’ was based on self-registration and voluntary payment.

This means that the home tax will now be deducted from wages, pensions and social welfare payments prior to payment of same. And the self-employed will have the property tax added to their tax liability each year. Those at the public meeting reacted to this news with shock and horror. Members of the local community vented their anger by calling for mass opposition to the new tax and pledging their support to help the local and national campaign with pickets, protests and door to door canvassing in the future.

2013 marks the centenary of the 1913 lock out and is an important year nationally for republicans, socialists and everyone who wants to strike back against the Fine Gael/ Labour coalition and their savage cut backs. It’s also an important year for the greater Coolock area, an area that has had to endure some of the worst of the economic downturn.

Local éirígí activist Martin Farrell co-chaired the meeting alongside a fellow activist from the local CAHWT. Martin told the crowd that he was inspired by the drive in the campaign from the local community and urged everyone at the meeting to come on board and join the CAHWT as the campaign goes into the second round against the Dublin government.

Martin also urged the locals at the meeting to engage with local politicians and let them know just how bad the suffering and the fear in many working class homes has become. He pointed out that four government ministers were invited to the public meeting but, in a repeat of their response to last year’s invitations to speak with constituents, they declined the opportunity to engage with the local people yet again.

One of the campaign’s latest tactics was unveiled at the meeting, which involves giving CAHWT postcards to the public and asking them to send them on to their elected representatives with a strong anti austerity message printed on the back.

Speaking after the meeting, éirígí Dublin North East chairperson Ciaran Heaphey said, “Tonight’s meeting is another example of the growing anger in this community. We had over forty members of the public here tonight to listen to the next steps for the campaign and to share their fear and anxieties, to ask any questions they may have and ultimately to get them involved in the campaign. The number of new faces who came along tonight is inspiring and shows this campaign is ready to fight the home and water taxes and resist all government threats.”

* Join eirigi Coolock activists this Saturday the 9th at Cook street, Dublin at 13.30.