C. Desmond Greaves
Encyclopedia
Charles Desmond Greaves was an Irish
activist
and historian
. He wrote a number of books on Irish history
as a Marxist historian.
Greaves studied at Liverpool University where he graduated in chemistry and botany, he worked as a research chemist at Powell Duffryn.
In 1934 he joined Communist Party of Great Britain
.
In 1941 he joined the Connolly Club which became the Connolly Association
, he became the editor of its magazine The Irish Democrat.
His library of Irish books is held at the Working Class Movement Library
in Salford, deposited by his executor Anthony Coughlan
. The Desmond Greaves summer school is held each year as a forum for discussing topics which exercised him, such as Irish left wing, and republican
politics.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
activist
Activism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
. He wrote a number of books on Irish history
History of Ireland
The first known settlement in Ireland began around 8000 BC, when hunter-gatherers arrived from continental Europe, probably via a land bridge. Few archaeological traces remain of this group, but their descendants and later Neolithic arrivals, particularly from the Iberian Peninsula, were...
as a Marxist historian.
Greaves studied at Liverpool University where he graduated in chemistry and botany, he worked as a research chemist at Powell Duffryn.
In 1934 he joined Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
.
In 1941 he joined the Connolly Club which became the Connolly Association
Connolly Association
The Connolly Association is an organisation based among Irish emigrants in Britain which supports the aims of Irish republicanism. It takes its name from James Connolly, an socialist republican, born in Edinburgh, Scotland and executed by the British Army in 1916 for his part in the Easter Rising...
, he became the editor of its magazine The Irish Democrat.
His library of Irish books is held at the Working Class Movement Library
Working Class Movement Library
The Working Class Movement Library is a collection of English language books, periodicals, pamphlets, archives and artefacts relating to the development of the political and cultural institutions of the working class which were created by the Industrial Revolution...
in Salford, deposited by his executor Anthony Coughlan
Anthony Coughlan
Anthony Coughlan is a left-wing academic, retired Senior Lecturer Emeritus in Social Policy at Trinity College and Secretary of the The National Platform for EU Research and Information Centre....
. The Desmond Greaves summer school is held each year as a forum for discussing topics which exercised him, such as Irish left wing, and republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
politics.
Books and Publications
- The Life and Times of James Connolly (1961)
- The Easter Rising as History (London 1966)
- The Irish Crisis
- Liam Mellows and the Irish Revolution"(1971)