40th Anniversary of Civil Rights march in Derry

[Podolski]

I am somewhat surprised that there has been nothing on P.ie on the 40th anniversary yesterday of the Derry civil rights march.

While this wasn't the first civil rights activity in the north it is seen as a turning point and was the subject of an hour-long documentary on BBC1 tonight. The march was stopped and brutally suppressed by the RUC and photos & video of their batoning of the marchers flashed around the world.

There's an interesting article here on the recently launched Garibaldy blog at Garibaldy Blog

This is certainly an event which seems to have been largely ignored in the south on its 40th anniversary.

[Parnella]

I am somewhat surprised that there has been nothing on P.ie on the 40th anniversary yesterday of the Derry civil rights march.

While this wasn't the first civil rights activity in the north it is seen as a turning point and was the subject of an hour-long documentary on BBC1 tonight. The march was stopped and brutally suppressed by the RUC and photos & video of their batoning of the marchers flashed around the world.

There's an interesting article here on the recently launched Garibaldy blog at Garibaldy Blog

This is certainly an event which seems to have been largely ignored in the south on its 40th anniversary.

Come, come now. Not polite to be bringing up these types of things in the Free State media unless you can provide some sort of loose link to Sinn Fein criminal activity....doesn't have to be any way accurate....I'm sure many on here can manage it.

[Podolski]

Come, come now. Not polite to be bringing up these types of things in the Free State media unless you can provide some sort of loose link to Sinn Fein criminal activity....doesn't have to be any way accurate....I'm sure many on here can manage it.

I am talking about the struggle for civil rights. What the hell does Provisional Sinn Féin got to do with that ?

[jfk2008]

Interesting interview with Bernadette MacAliskey in the London Independent:

She hates dwelling on the past. "I am interested in now!" So she is unlikely to be among those marking the 40th anniversary today of the first major civil rights march ever to be held in Northern Ireland. "Why celebrate 40? You only do that if you're so full of yourself you think something must be done before you die."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/pe...rl-951825.html

[Keith-M]

This is certainly an event which seems to have been largely ignored in the south on its 40th anniversary.

Yes heaven forbid that we should focus on the real news that's happening all over the World right now. Far better that we concentrate on the historical obsessions of our neighbours

[múscailte]

Yes heaven forbid that we should focus on the real news that's happening all over the World right now. Far better that we concentrate on the historical obsessions of our neighbours

He who ignores history is condemned to repeat it. Had the likes of RFK and MLK not been murdered and worldwide Civil Rights protests been met with reform and decency rather than oppression then recent history and current world events might have been much more humane and peacefull. As global crises loom and the establishments tighten control we may well be looking to the lessons of Civil Rights activists in the near future.

[Podolski]

Yes heaven forbid that we should focus on the real news that's happening all over the World right now. Far better that we concentrate on the historical obsessions of our neighbours

It is only a generation ago. Many of those involved are still alive. It showed the sheer sectarian nature of the Northern state and the civil rights campaign achieved more in a few years of peaceful marching than decades of sterile sectarian murder, viz:-

* Disbandment of the B Specials
* Disarming of the RUC
* total change in housing allocation
* end of gerrymandered local councils such as Derry Corporation

History is as much a roadmap to the future as a guide to the past.

[goosebump]

This is certainly an event which seems to have been largely ignored in the south on its 40th anniversary.

Correct.

Its not as if marches in the North are infrequent events.

Any chance anyone up there might go out and do a day's work any time soon?

[Aindriu]

I am somewhat surprised that there has been nothing on P.ie on the 40th anniversary yesterday of the Derry civil rights march.

While this wasn't the first civil rights activity in the north it is seen as a turning point and was the subject of an hour-long documentary on BBC1 tonight. The march was stopped and brutally suppressed by the RUC and photos & video of their batoning of the marchers flashed around the world.

There's an interesting article here on the recently launched Garibaldy blog at Garibaldy Blog

This is certainly an event which seems to have been largely ignored in the south on its 40th anniversary.

I opened a thread about last week. As for NICRA, it is well known that they had good intentions but were incredibly naive - Eamonn McCann has admitted as much. They ended up being run by those who had other ideas about achieving civil rights and 30 years + of bloodshed occurred.

[Aindriu]

It is only a generation ago. Many of those involved are still alive. It showed the sheer sectarian nature of the Northern state and the civil rights campaign achieved more in a few years of peaceful marching than decades of sterile sectarian murder, viz:-

* Disbandment of the B Specials
* Disarming of the RUC
* total change in housing allocation
* end of gerrymandered local councils such as Derry Corporation

History is as much a roadmap to the future as a guide to the past.

Sadly, the RUC had to rearm to protect themselves from the IRA as they were routinely murdered in cold blood in front of their families even with weapons.