The James Connolly Memorial Lecture 2021 will be given by world renowned historian, journalist and Marxist scholar Professor Vijay Prashad. He is an executive-director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and the Chief Editor of LeftWord Books. The author of over 30 books, Vijay will be discussing Capitalism / Imperialism, the global crisis and the relevance of national struggles in the fight against Capitalism / imperialism today.

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill

Hosted by Three Castles Burning 

Historian Donal Fallon sits down with Eugene McCartan of the Communist Party of Ireland to discuss the history of Connolly Books and look back on the centenary of communist activity in Ireland.

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill

Recorded live at The New Theatre 

Tune in for a spoken word and poetry session curated by Emmet Kirwan with guests. Rapper Lethal Dialect takes to the stage for what promises to be another roller coaster performance. DJ set from the inimitable Handsome Paddy.

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill

Hosted by Trade Union Left Forum 

The Arts industry has been on its knees since the onset of Covid-19. With venues, festivals and many other artistic outlets shut down, the future for the arts and artists in Ireland has never been so precarious. The struggle to make ends meet is very real for many artists today and the prospects of being able to forge a living wage from the arts industry seems to be a losing battle for many. Our guest speakers will be discussing this very subject, coming from a range of artistic disciplines to get their particular perspectives on how working in the arts post-covid will look like.

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill

Hosted by Peadar O'Donnell Socialist Republican Forum 

Established a century ago and now, the future of the Six County political entity has never been in such doubt. Challenged by demographic trends, British disinterest, an Irish sea border and the distinct possibility of a border poll, the ending of partition and the union with Britain are very much on the political agenda. 

Here, three political activists: Eugene McCartan general secretary of the Communist Party of Ireland, Paul Stewart author and political scientist and Tommy McKearney of the Peadar O'Donnell Socialist Republican Forum discuss the current situation with and likely future of the North of Ireland.

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill

Hosted by Peadar O'Donnell Socialist Republican Forum 

A century ago, the political entity that is Northern Ireland was established through a confluence of interest between British Imperialism and the North’s Protestant bourgeoisie. To effect their project, they cynically exploited ancient sectarian fears and prejudices, the consequences of which we live with to this very day. 

To recount the history of that seminal time we have with us, two eminent historians; Liz Gillis and Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh.

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill

James Connolly Festival 2021 - Roundtable Discussion  

There is a long-established link between economic crises and increases in gender-based violence, and the COVID pandemic has only served to accelerate the next global economic crisis, thus worsening the situation for women and girls around the world. 

Members of the Communist Party Of Ireland Women’s Committee have a round table discussion, bringing a Marxist-feminist analysis to gender-based violence, contending that the root cause is the capitalist economic system, which utilises patriarchy and misogyny to create divisions based on gender within the working class.

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill

Workers in Ireland are faced with a number of important struggles in 2021. Not least among these, the resurgence of far right politics, racism and fascism in Irish society, a cause for significant alarm. What shape have these reactionary forces taken in today's world, and what can we do to combat them?

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill

Hosted by Bang Bang Cafe. We launch the 2021 James Connolly Festival with a discussion around the privatisation of football and pose the question: Can member led clubs prosper?

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill

Michael Roberts, worked in the City of London as an economist for over 40 years. He has closely observed the machinations of global capitalism from within the dragon’s den. Since retiring, he has written several books. The Great Recession – a Marxist view (2009); The Long Depression (2016); Marx 200: a review of Marx’s economics (2018): and jointly with Guglielmo Carchedi as editors of World in Crisis (2018).

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Artwork: Moira Murphy

Music: Eoghan O'Neill