Review
A socialist and trade unionist view of the 1968 civil rights march adds an interesting counterpoint, says Verbal.
- Spirit of '68: Beyond the Barricades
- Guildhall Press
Brave New World
It has become too easy to fall into the trap of assuming that all the events of the Troubles can be explained away by the ‘interplay of Orange and Green traditions’.
However, for many of the socialist and trade unionists involved in the civil rights movement in Londonderry, issues of class politics and the international struggle for economic and social rights were far more significant factors in their own involvement. A commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the 5th October civil rights march in the city; Spirit of ‘68 goes some way to redressing that balance. Through a series of essays and smattering of wonderfully evocative photographs, the contributors here- including Eamonn McCann and Bernadette McAliskey try to put the events of 1968 into an international and local context. Looking not only at the impact of the march and its aftermath on the working class Protestants, but also dealing with the issues the civil rights movement raised for the women’s movement and gay rights struggle also. A brave attempt to highlight their own contribution to our history, by a group often overshadowed by the twin behemoths of Unionism and Republicanism.
Verbal Arts Centre