I would like to discuss Irish opposition to the war in Vietnam in
the 1960s-70s.

I know there were at least two Irish organisations formed to
protest against it- Irish Voice on Vietnam, which had Dan Breen,
Peadar O'Donnell and Moira Woods (the doctor later involved in
a scandal) in it.

Another group was the Cork Vietnamese Freedom Association,
whose members included Jim Lane
(IRSP and Cork Workers' Club activist) Jim Blake (ITGWU activist), and
Jack Lane (in UCC branch of Labour and a Housing Action Committee).

Anybody know more about the Irish anti-Vietnam movement?

Originally Posted by Starkadder

I would like to discuss Irish opposition to the war in Vietnam in
the 1960s-70s.

I know there were at least two Irish organisations formed to
protest against it- Irish Voice on Vietnam, which had Dan Breen,
Peadar O'Donnell and Moira Woods (the doctor later involved in
a scandal) in it.

Another group was the Cork Vietnamese Freedom Association,
whose members included Jim Blake (ITGWU activist), Jim Lane
(IRSP activist) and Jack Lane (in UCC branch of Labour and
a Housing Action Committee).

Anybody know more about the Irish anti-Vietnam movement?

I think there were quite a number of groups - I know a lot of Union figures were involved too.

I went on a few myself - though most marches only had a few hundred people on them I'm glad I went.

That being said looking back now I would see a lot more shades of grey in that conflict (as any conflict really) than I did then.

Ireland was very much on the side of the USA back then though most people did I think realise that America got itself into an awful mess over there.

I was born long after the war ended, but I am interested in this period of
history.

Jack Lynch made a statement in the sixties saying Ireland supported the US on Vietnam,
which was of course a hugely controversial policy.

There was a couple called Neville Keery and Anne Keery who were active in the
IVOV organisation-I think they later published an Irish pacifist magazine called
"Dawn".

The Jack Lane who was involved in the CVFA is the same guy who was
in the Cork Housing Action Committee. He was later in B&ICO, the Ernest Bevin Society and the Aubane Historical Society (see the book "Letters to Angela Clifford by Muriel McSwiney", pg. 47).

Originally Posted by Starkadder

I was born long after the war ended, but I am interested in this period of
history.

Jack Lynch made a statement in the sixties saying Ireland supported the US on Vietnam,
which was of course a hugely controversial policy.

There was a couple called Neville Keery and Anne Keery who were active in the
IVOV organisation-I think they later published an Irish pacifist magazine called
"Dawn".

I'm sure the Jack Lane who was involved in the CVFA is the same guy who was
in B&ICO, the Ernest Bevin Society and the Aubane Historical Society.

I do remember that the North Vietnamese Government issued an invitation to RTE to send a TV team to North Vietnam as we were a neutral western Country!

Javk Lynch vetoed it which led to some controversy as media teams around the world were queing up to get in there and here were we turning down a special invitation to do so!

I know communist party and worker's party were very involved. Both keep good enough records and will probably let you access them during that period, they would mention the different organisations and who they had inside them (probably)

Labour arn't so good for records (there's a habit of getting rid of them during clean outs).

So again your best bet are the CP and WP, talk to some of their older activists who would have been involved too

Oh and if you get anywhere with old newspaper peices on the protests, Particularly the ones where there was violence between the Gardai and protesters could you please PM me, (theres a picture I really want to find for personal reasons) Thanks!

Originally Posted by Starkadder

There was a couple called Neville Keery and Anne Keery who were active in the IVOV organisation-I think they later published an Irish pacifist magazine called "Dawn".

I didn't know the Keerys were involved with Dawn, but it doesn't surprise me since they are Quakers; see here.

Is this the same Neville Keery who was a Fianna Fáil senator in 1969?

Dawn was a fantastic magazine and I was privileged to know some of the people involved. I think it's true to say that it was important for the Irish peace movement, and, in turn, shaped the thinking of the Irish Green Party to some extent.

Right now it does seem as though the Green Party has kissed goodbye to pretty-much all traces of pacifism...

That's interesting, soubresauts. I think the history of Peace and Green Movements in
Ireland has been neglected.

I must have a look at the book "A Journey to Change" sometime, about the history of
the Green Party.

Originally Posted by DavidMurphyperson

I know communist party and worker's party were very involved. Both keep good enough records and will probably let you access them during that period, they would mention the different organisations and who they had inside them (probably)

Labour arn't so good for records (there's a habit of getting rid of them during clean outs).

So again your best bet are the CP and WP, talk to some of their older activists who would have been involved too

The CP have a new archive open in their HQ in temple bar. Go in to Connolly books near the project theatre and ask them about it. They are very obliging.

John

The Cork Vietnamese Freedom Association picketed the US warship "Courtney" in 1967.

The next year, Jim Lane led a branch of the CVFA to Tipperary to protest against the American Ambassador Raymond
Guest-
apparently the Gardai drove the protestors away.