Roy Johnston
Encyclopedia
Roy Johnston is an Irish physicist. He was a Marxist who as a member of the IRA in the 1960s argued for a National Liberation Strategy to unite the Catholic and Protestant working classes. He wrote extensively for papers including the United Irishman
and Irish Times.
and a member of the Senate of the Irish Free State
from 1938 to 1954. Joe Johnston was a home ruler who hailed from a small farming Presbyterian background in Tyrone.
Roy was born in Dublin in 1929 he was educated at St. Columba's College, Rathfarnham, and Trinity College, Dublin
, where he studied experimental science and mathematics, specialising in theoretical physics.
Roy Johnston has been affiliated to various progressive and left wing organisations throughout his life. As a student in Trinity he was associated with a Marxist group, the Promethean Society, which in 1948 was part of the formation of the Irish Workers’ League
, eventually becoming the Communist Party of Ireland
.
He moved to England and joined the Connolly Association
, also being part of the Communist Party of Great Britain
, returned to Ireland in 1963 and at the invitation of Cathal Goulding
involved himself with the Wolfe Tone Society in Dublin. He joined Sinn Féin
and the IRA
where he became its Director of Education sitting on the Army Executive.
He contributed many articles to its newspaper the United Irishman
. He was a supporter of the republican movement's move to the left with Cathal Goulding
and Tomas MacGiolla
, which subsequently led to a split with the Provisional
s, remaining as a member of the Official IRA after the split. However he left it in 1972 after the officials returned to violence with the assassination of Northern Ireland Senator John Barnhill
and joined the Communist Party of Ireland, which he left in 1977. He was subsequently a member of the Irish Labour Party, serving on their International Affairs Committee, and is currently a member of the Green Party (Ireland)
.
He worked in Aer Lingus
as a systems analyst during the 60's and later was head of the Applied Research Consultancy Group at Trinity. He made an oral presentation to the New Ireland Forum
in 1984. He also wrote a bi-monthly science column for the Irish Times.
United Irishman
The United Irishman title has been a very popular newspaper title in Ireland and a number of newspapers have been published under the title.*...
and Irish Times.
Biography
His father was Joseph Johnston, was a farmer, economist and history, a fellow of Trinity CollegeTrinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
and a member of the Senate of the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
from 1938 to 1954. Joe Johnston was a home ruler who hailed from a small farming Presbyterian background in Tyrone.
Roy was born in Dublin in 1929 he was educated at St. Columba's College, Rathfarnham, and Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, where he studied experimental science and mathematics, specialising in theoretical physics.
Roy Johnston has been affiliated to various progressive and left wing organisations throughout his life. As a student in Trinity he was associated with a Marxist group, the Promethean Society, which in 1948 was part of the formation of the Irish Workers’ League
Irish Workers' Party
Irish Workers' Party was the name used by the communist party in the Republic of Ireland from 1948 until 1962. The Southern section of the party had suspended its activities from 1941 onwards because of police interference in its activities and the difficulties imposed by the emigration of many...
, eventually becoming the Communist Party of Ireland
Communist Party of Ireland
The Communist Party of Ireland is a small all-Ireland Marxist party, founded in 1933. An earlier party, the Socialist Party of Ireland, was renamed the Communist Party of Ireland in 1921 on its affiliation to the Communist International but was dissolved in 1924. The present-day CPI was founded in...
.
He moved to England and joined 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...
, also being part of the 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:...
, returned to Ireland in 1963 and at the invitation of Cathal Goulding
Cathal Goulding
Cathal Goulding was Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army and the Official IRA.One of seven children born into a republican family in East Arran Street in the north inner city of Dublin, Goulding was involved as teenager in Fianna Éireann, the IRA youth wing which he joined with his...
involved himself with the Wolfe Tone Society in Dublin. He joined Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
and the IRA
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
where he became its Director of Education sitting on the Army Executive.
He contributed many articles to its newspaper the United Irishman
United Irishman
The United Irishman title has been a very popular newspaper title in Ireland and a number of newspapers have been published under the title.*...
. He was a supporter of the republican movement's move to the left with Cathal Goulding
Cathal Goulding
Cathal Goulding was Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army and the Official IRA.One of seven children born into a republican family in East Arran Street in the north inner city of Dublin, Goulding was involved as teenager in Fianna Éireann, the IRA youth wing which he joined with his...
and Tomas MacGiolla
Tomás MacGiolla
Tomás Mac Giolla was an Irish politician. He was a Teachta Dála and a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Workers' Party of Ireland.-Early life:...
, which subsequently led to a split with the Provisional
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...
s, remaining as a member of the Official IRA after the split. However he left it in 1972 after the officials returned to violence with the assassination of Northern Ireland Senator John Barnhill
John Barnhill (politician)
John Eccles Nixon Barnhill was an Ulster Unionist Party member of the Senate of Northern Ireland in the Stormont Parliament. Born near Strabane, the son of W. Barnhill, LL.B., Barnhill was educated at Campbell College, Belfast...
and joined the Communist Party of Ireland, which he left in 1977. He was subsequently a member of the Irish Labour Party, serving on their International Affairs Committee, and is currently a member of the Green Party (Ireland)
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
.
He worked in Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus Group Plc is the flag carrier of Ireland. It operates a fleet of Airbus aircraft serving Europe and North America. It is Ireland's oldest extant airline, and its second largest after low-cost rival Ryanair...
as a systems analyst during the 60's and later was head of the Applied Research Consultancy Group at Trinity. He made an oral presentation to the New Ireland Forum
New Ireland Forum
The New Ireland Forum was a forum in 1983–84 at which Irish nationalist political parties discussed potential political developments that might alleviate the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Forum was established by Garret FitzGerald, then Taoiseach, under the influence of John Hume. The Forum was...
in 1984. He also wrote a bi-monthly science column for the Irish Times.
Publications
- Roy H. W. Johnston, Century of Endeavour: A Biographical and Autobiographical View of the Twentieth Century in Ireland (Carlow: Tyndall Publications, in association with Lilliput Press, Dublin, 2006).
- Century of Endeavour - Senator James G Douglas short biography of James G. DouglasJames G. Douglas (Irish senator)-Political career:James Douglas was an Irish nationalist Quaker who managed the Irish White Cross from 1920 to 1922. He was appointed by Michael Collins as chairman of the committee to draft the Irish Free State Constitution following the Irish War of Independence.Douglas went on to become a very...
, 1999.
External links
- Science, Technology and the Nation - Some current, recent and earlier publications by Dr Roy H W Johnston - website.