Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America
Encyclopedia
The Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America (IRSCNA) was founded in March 1984 in Saint Paul, Minnesota
as a support group for the Irish Republican Socialist Movement
. In 1998, it was formally recognized as the North America
n section of the IRSM. For most of its history, the IRSCNA was based in San Francisco, California
, but is presently based in Champaign, Illinois
.
There was discussion of whether to establish a distinct, partisan support group for the IRSM from at least 1981, as October of that year was the first time someone was allowed to join the Irish Republican Socialist Party
while resident in North America, but it was agreed that a broad front type of formation best suited the needs of the IRSM at the time.
With the growing and increasingly overt hostility of the Provisional Republican Movement (Provisional Sinn Féin and the Provisional Irish Republican Army
) toward the IRSM, it was determined by supporters in North America that it was no longer effective to attempt to work exclusively through broad front formations and the Ard Chomhairle (National Executive) of the IRSP was petitioned for permission to establish a distinct support group for the IRSM. Brigid Makowski
from Derry
represented the IRSP at the IRSCNA's founding convention.
Formal IRSP sanction and mandate was provided by the Ard Chomhairle of the IRSP in a letter from the IRSP's then General Secretary
in 1986 and recognition of the exclusivity of the IRSCNA's mandate for North America
was reiterated by the Ard Chomhairle in 1987.
At the 1998 IRSP Ard Fheis
, it was resolved that the IRSCNA would be recognized as a component section of the IRSM and its members would be accorded the full rights of members of the IRSP, including participation in closed sessions of an Ard Fheis and voting rights at an Ard Fheis.
In 2005, the IRSCNA was reorganized under a collective leadership (the Coordinating Committee) after the expulsion of co-founder and then leader Peter Urban and two of his supporters for engaging in public attacks on a leading member of the IRSP and attempting to split the IRSCNA away from the IRSM without the support of its members.
Since reorganizing, the IRSCNA held an Ard Fheis in Kansas City
in 2008 and Chicago
in 2009.
The organization currently has cumainn
(branches) in Austin
, Champaign, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Medford
, New York City
, Regina
, and Seattle.
In 2010, it was decided that only members of the Coordinating Committee would also have dual membership in the IRSP. The current Coordinating Committee is composed of Colm Mistéil, Danielle Ní Dhighe, Tj Ó Conchúir, Eric Hayes Patkowski, and co-founder Mike Quinn.
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
as a support group for the Irish Republican Socialist Movement
Irish Republican Socialist Movement
The Irish Republican Socialist Movement is an umbrella term for the political-paramilitary grouping of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, the Irish National Liberation Army, prisoners who belong to either the IRSP or the INLA, the Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America, and the...
. In 1998, it was formally recognized as the North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n section of the IRSM. For most of its history, the IRSCNA was based in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, but is presently based in Champaign, Illinois
Champaign, Illinois
Champaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
.
There was discussion of whether to establish a distinct, partisan support group for the IRSM from at least 1981, as October of that year was the first time someone was allowed to join the Irish Republican Socialist Party
Irish Republican Socialist Party
The Irish Republican Socialist Party or IRSP is a republican socialist party active in Ireland. It claims the legacy of socialist revolutionary James Connolly, who founded the Irish Socialist Republican Party in 1896 and was executed after the Easter Rising of 1916.- History :The Irish Republican...
while resident in North America, but it was agreed that a broad front type of formation best suited the needs of the IRSM at the time.
With the growing and increasingly overt hostility of the Provisional Republican Movement (Provisional Sinn Féin and the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
) toward the IRSM, it was determined by supporters in North America that it was no longer effective to attempt to work exclusively through broad front formations and the Ard Chomhairle (National Executive) of the IRSP was petitioned for permission to establish a distinct support group for the IRSM. Brigid Makowski
Brigid Makowski
Brigid Makowski from the Bogside in Derry, Northern Ireland, is a former member of Shannon Town Commission and Clare County Council. She was elected initially representing the Irish Republican Socialist Party of which she was a founding member....
from Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
represented the IRSP at the IRSCNA's founding convention.
Formal IRSP sanction and mandate was provided by the Ard Chomhairle of the IRSP in a letter from the IRSP's then General Secretary
General Secretary
The office of general secretary is staffed by the chief officer of:*The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...
in 1986 and recognition of the exclusivity of the IRSCNA's mandate for North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
was reiterated by the Ard Chomhairle in 1987.
At the 1998 IRSP Ard Fheis
Ard Fheis
Ardfheis or Ard Fheis is the name used by many Irish political parties for their annual party conference. The term was first used by Conradh na Gaeilge, the Irish language cultural organisation, for its annual convention....
, it was resolved that the IRSCNA would be recognized as a component section of the IRSM and its members would be accorded the full rights of members of the IRSP, including participation in closed sessions of an Ard Fheis and voting rights at an Ard Fheis.
In 2005, the IRSCNA was reorganized under a collective leadership (the Coordinating Committee) after the expulsion of co-founder and then leader Peter Urban and two of his supporters for engaging in public attacks on a leading member of the IRSP and attempting to split the IRSCNA away from the IRSM without the support of its members.
Since reorganizing, the IRSCNA held an Ard Fheis in Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
in 2008 and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 2009.
The organization currently has cumainn
Cumann
A cumann is the lowest local unit or branch of a number of Irish political parties. The term cumann may also be used to describe a non-political association....
(branches) in Austin
Austin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
, Champaign, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Medford
Medford, Oregon
Medford is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 US Census, the city had a total population of 74,907 and a metropolitan area population of 207,010, making the Medford MSA the 4th largest metro area in Oregon...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan
Regina is the capital city of the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The city is the second-largest in the province and a cultural and commercial centre for southern Saskatchewan. It is governed by Regina City Council. Regina is the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic and Romanian Orthodox...
, and Seattle.
In 2010, it was decided that only members of the Coordinating Committee would also have dual membership in the IRSP. The current Coordinating Committee is composed of Colm Mistéil, Danielle Ní Dhighe, Tj Ó Conchúir, Eric Hayes Patkowski, and co-founder Mike Quinn.
External links
- Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America Official web site