Death of Tomás Mac Giolla

[corelli]

Is this a political discussion site, or a love-in?

Whatever about his personal convictions, I detested the Workers' Party. We may never be 100% certain to what extent was Mac Giolla's involvement in the seamier side of the Workers' Party project (compared to the activities of that viper, Eoghan Harris). I would acknowledge he was very influential in his day, as was Cathal Goulding. They were both betrayed by those ambitious Young Turks, Pat Rabbitte and Éamonn Gillmore, who created a political vehicle for themselves to assist their entry into yet another organization: Labour. I would consider much of his life's work to have been a failure: no socialist, United Ireland and the downfall of Soviet Communism. Instead, his movement sundered and were gobbled up by the Labour party/Irish Times (or, was it the other way around?)

He was a useful stick for the British, if you'll pardon the pun, to beat Republicans with.

It is traditional here to mind your manners in a RIP thread. Substantive threads where you can vent are for another day. In the meantime, manners Timothy!

[citizen pat]

It is traditional here to mind your manners in a RIP thread. Substantive threads where you can vent are for another day. In the meantime, manners Timothy!

I agree....
A sound politican, a fine human , he had other choices in his life, he didnt take the easy road but lead from the front.

What a rare activist- A man true to republican principles .

[bradán feasa]

I disagreed whole heartedly with Tomás on the question of Irish independence and the about turn he made, creating the split.

In anything I read of him in the last few years I also noticed how shockingly bitter he was against Rabbite, McManus, De Rossa, Gilmore et al. It’s amazing how ideologically and politically fractured his wing of the split became in later years!

I don’t doubt his sincerity though. God rest his soul indeed.

[H]

A rare thing in Irish politics, an honourable man
R.I.P.

[bogtrotter]

I knew Tomas in the mid sixties when I was involved on the fringes of Sinn Fein....He was a true gentleman and a genuine republican......He lost his way in the seventies but I genuinely believe that he regretted some of the decisions he made. He was a man of conviction who tried another path to avoid blood shed in order to accomplish his goal of a united socialist Ireland.....I believe that unwittingly he was led down the garden path by a group of political adventurers.....Tomas was a gentleman and a patriot....

[Born Again Sticky]

While I was in the presence of the man this year at Bodenstown, I was new to the party and wasn't formally introduced to him. Long before I ever got involved with the WP I had great time for him, by all accounts a great man and politician.

[SevenStars]

I disagreed whole heartedly with Tomás on the question of Irish independence and the about turn he made, creating the split.

In anything I read of him in the last few years I also noticed how shockingly bitter he was against Rabbite, McManus, De Rossa, Gilmore et al. It’s amazing how ideologically and politically fractured his wing of the split became in later years!

I don’t doubt his sincerity though. God rest his soul indeed.

He didnt create the spilt (the spilt was over absentionism which the Provies dropped anyway in 1986 and the Official IRA remained both bigger than the Provos and engaged fighting the Brits for a few years after...) and he always believed in Irish national liberation (though he had a strange way of showing it).

[Lazarus]

Always loved that man. Knew him for a number of years. I recall him telling me about one of his trips back from the North, this in the very early days of the trouble. He was wanted for questioning up there, so he was a bit rattled as he sat on the train, waiting to move off from Central Station. Because of his prominent bald head, a comrade supplied him with a hat so he would not stand out. Looking down the length of the carriageway, he realised he was the only soul wearing a hat. The laughs of him when he told this story.

A good man. May he rest in peace.

[Digout]

RIP - A good man, a true Irishman.

[RepublicanSocialist1798]

A pity about his party's policy on the 6 counties. Still I don't doubt that he was a genuine socialist.

R.I.P.