In this episode we interview D. Óg, an Irish Republican and Irish language activist who works with Iskra Books, and their Irish language imprint Bradán Feasa. In this discussion we talk about the Iskra Books publication The Dark: Selected Writings of Brendan Hughes.
Hughes, was a former Irish Republican Army volunteer, political prisoner, and Hunger Striker. And while he is a very well known figure within Irish Republican circles and among those who have studied the provisional IRA, some folks may also have become introduced to him through the book and the Fx/Hulu series Say Nothing. In this episode I talk to D a bit about several of The Dark’s writings, about the politics of Brendan Hughes, his internationalism, his solidarity with Palestinians, and his lifelong commitment to a 32 county socialist Irish Republic. Along the way we talk about Hughes’ response to the so-called Good Friday Agreement, or has Hughes called it “Got F*ck All,” his critiques of the political trajectory of Sinn Féin, and more.
We highly recommend you check out this book from the comrades at Iskra Books. As with all their work there is a free pdf version you can download from there website, so do that to check it out, but also I really recommend ordering yourself a physical copy to support their work and to add this beautiful book to your collection.
I also just want to mention that if you’re interested in conversations about counterinsurgency, Orisanmi Burton and I have released part one of a two part conversation on Frank Kitson and his book Low Intensity Operations, for a brief period Kitson was in charge of the counterrevolutionary campaign against the IRA, as well as counterrevolutionary wars in Kenya against the Mau Mau, and in Malaya. We will link that in the show notes along with some other discussions we’ve had about Ireland and Irish revolutionary politics over the years. And part two of my conversation with Orisanmi Burton about Kitson’s Low Intensity Operations will be this coming Friday at 10 AM Eastern Time (US) on our YouTube channel. A link to that will be in the show notes as well.
In addition, we also have a conversation with Mark Neocleous tomorrow Tuesday the 18th at 12:30 PM ET on his new book Pacification: Social War and the Power of Police, and one on Thursday with James Kilgore the new zine he’s put together with Vic Liu on Lessons in Global Solidarity.
As always if you appreciate the work we do with this podcast, the best way to support our work is to become a patron of the show. It’s also the best way to follow all of our work, you’ll receive an email with every episode whether it’s a YouTube episode or an audio episode and you’ll be notified when we’re starting up any of our study groups which you always have access to as a patron. You can become one for as little as $1 per month at patreon.com/millennialsarekillingcapitalism
The Book:
The Dark: Selected Writings of Brendan Hughes
Upcoming livestreams:
Pacification: Social War and the Power of Police
James Kilgore on International Solidarity
Orisanmi Burton on Frank Kitson's Low Intensity Operations (part 2) / Part 1 is out now!
Other episodes on Irish history:
Ireland, Colonialism, and the Unfinished Revolution with Robbie McVeigh and Bill Rolston
The Lost & Early Writings of James Connolly with Conor McCabe
Irish Women's Prison Writings: Mother Ireland's Rebels with Red Washburn
Some other items referenced in discussion:
Legion of the Rearguard: Dissident Irish Republicanism by Martyn Frampton
Unfinished business: The politics of 'dissident' Irish republicanism by Marisa McGlinchey