#Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

[victusinveritas]

“There is nothing sadder to people struggling against oppression in Ireland than to see our own people being used to oppress Black people.”

Bernadette Devlin was given the freedom of New York City in 1969, she gave the key of the city to the Harlem chapter of the Black Panthers.

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in Irish History | 23 April:

1014 – Battle of Clontarf: The Dublin Norse and the king of Leinster, with Viking allies from overseas, are defeated by Brian Boru’s army at Clontarf. Brian, now an old man, is killed. This thwarts the potential domination of Ireland by the Norse, but they are well established in the coastal towns, and will continue to have a major influence. Máel Sechnaill succeeds Brian as high king. 1357 –…

[famousborntoday]

Josephine Bernadette McAliskey, usually known as Bernadette Devlin or Bernadette McAliskey, is an Irish civil rights leader, and former politician. She served a...

Link: Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

[georgefairbrother]

This month (April) in 1969, the BBC reported on a surprising by-election result;

“…A 21-year-old woman, Bernadette Devlin, has become Britain’s youngest ever female MP and the third youngest MP ever…Standing as an independent Unity candidate, Miss Devlin wrested the seat of Mid-Ulster in Northern Ireland from the Ulster Unionists…”

She had grown up in a working class family of six children, and both parents had died by the time she was a teenager, forcing her to balance furthering her education while taking care of her younger siblings.

Bogside 1969 (image BBC News)

Having been arrested and subsequently imprisoned for her role in the Battle of the Bogside, violent sectarian protests in Derry in August of that year, she was re-elected at the UK general election in 1970 and served one full term.

Following Bloody Sunday, she (literally) smacked Conservative Home Secretary Reginald Maudling in the face for asserting in the House of Commons that the behaviour of members of the the British Parachute Regiment, (which had killed 14 civilians and wounded at least a further 15 during street protests in Derry), had been justified on the grounds of acting in self-defence. Devlin had personally witness these events.

Having not sought re-election in 1974, she remained active politically, supporting the cause of the hunger strikers in 1981 and standing unsuccessfully for seats in the European Parliament and the Dail Eirreann (Parliament of the Irish Republic).

On January 16th, 1981, the BBC reported:

“…The Northern Ireland civil rights campaigner and former Westminster MP, Bernadette McAliskey (formerly Devlin) has been shot by gunmen who burst into her home…The three men shot Mrs McAliskey, in the chest, arm and thigh as she went to wake up one of her three children. Her husband, Michael, was also shot twice at point blank range…Three men are now being questioned by police. They were arrested by members of the Parachute Regiment, who were on patrol nearby when they heard the shots…The McAliskeys were flown by army helicopter to hospital in Belfast, where their condition is said to be serious, but not life-threatening…”

(Irish news sources claim that the British soldiers were 'watching the home' but did not intervene).

The BBC also reported that Loyalist paramilitaries were going after those who were campaigning for H Block prison reform, in the heightened tensions surrounding hunger strikes over demands for ‘prisoner of war’ status by Republicans in custody. Four campaign activists had been killed to that point.

Bernadette McAliskey continued to advocate for civil rights in Northern Ireland, and for inmates and former inmates of the Maze Prison. She later founded the South Tyrone Empowerment Programme, a community welfare organisation, now listed as a resource on the UK government family support webpage for Northern Ireland, researching and campaigning in areas such as housing, family support, civil rights, and the welfare of migrant workers.

Top image and additional material from the website of herstory.ie

[brendanjharkin]

The National Demonstration for Palestine Dublin, 13th January 2024

There are some things that aren't hard to ask for Joe Biden is an enabler of genocide. Joe Biden overrides what democratic processes exist in the United States to personally sign off on billions of dollars for the purpose of genocide in Gaza. Who? Who in their right mind and conscience, on the national day of a country that freed itself from oppression, would go to America and hand the bastard a bunch of feckin' shamrocks? It's not much to ask. ... So I say to the people of Palestine: We stand with you. As long as you endure and resist, we will endure and resist with you. And as Padraig Pearse said, to the State of Israel and I say it to the government of Ireland: Did you think to conquer the people? Did you think that your law was stronger than life, and people's desire to be free? No. We will have it out with you. Ye that have bullied and bribed. Ye who have tortured… and broken. Tyrants. Hypocrites. Liars. Free Palestine! - Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

[thesunsethour]

hozier changing the lyrics of Nina Cried Power in Dublin to include Bernadette after Bernadette Devlin McAliskey ❤️✊

[bethmcalester]

Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

https://radicalteatowel.co.uk/blog/bernadette-devlin-and-the-slap-heard-round-the-world

[victusinveritas]

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1969 – Bernadette Devlin was elected MP for Mid Ulster, standing as the Independent Unity candidate; at 21 years old, she was Britain’s youngest ever female MP and the third youngest MP ever.

Devlin was born in Cookstown, Co Tyrone to a Roman Catholic family. She attended St Patrick’s Girls Academy in Dungannon. She was studying Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast in 1968 when she took a prominent role in a student-led civil rights organisation, People’s Democracy. Devlin was subsequently excluded from the university. She stood unsuccessfully against James Chichester-Clark in the…

[workersbushtelegraph]

Bernadette Devlin

Listen to this important interview with Bernadette Devlin McAliskey who tells the story of the democratic rights for women in Northern Island. Bernadette begins at about 20 minutes into the podcast.

[mouth-almighty]

"I was not very long there until, like water, I found my own level. 'My people' – the people who knew about oppression, discrimination, prejudice, poverty and the frustration and despair that they produce – were not Irish Americans. They were black, Puerto Ricans, Chicanos. And those who were supposed to be 'my people', the Irish Americans who knew about English misrule and the Famine and supported the civil rights movement at home, and knew that Partition and England were the cause of the problem, looked and sounded to me like Orangemen. They said exactly the same things about blacks that the loyalists said about us at home. In New York I was given the key to the city by the mayor, an honor not to be sneezed at. I gave it to the Black Panthers." - Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

Irish people, I NEED to know: What do you think of these weird shirts that rednecks in my home town wear?

[georgefairbrother]

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, (Not sure what time of day it is there. Just let it be good.)

Wow, wow, wow! I just read your Bernadette McAliskey (Devlin) post. The whole post. Not just a skim. I admire your valiant effort in trying to educate me. (You succeeded this time.)

I wonder, do you know why she did not seek re-election in 1974?

Enjoy your weekend. Take care. W

Hello, I hope you're well and thank you for your support and for your kind words. I'm educating myself as I go along as well, so we're all hopefully learning together.

Fascinating question about 1974 - According to some of the websites I referred to in research, and one or two others I checked out since your question, it appears that she was, unsurprisingly, subjected to significant sexism in parliament and by the media, and was actually prevented from speaking about Bloody Sunday in the Commons. She was 'deeply critical' of the parliamentary process and her willingness to be on the front line of street battles probably didn't endear her to most MPs at that time. She was suspended for six months after belting the Home Secretary.

In 1974 she was a co-founder of the far left Irish Republican Socialist Party, which established its own armed wing, the Irish National Liberation Army, but she then left and joined the Independent Socialist Party. Her subsequent campaigning included actions in support of IRA prisoners - I guess it's hard to imagine any of these activities being compatible with being a Commons MP.

Anyway, it's all a fascinating story, we've really only scraped the surface. Thanks once again for your support. All the best to you.

[desertpups]

[munsonsduchess]

Fun fact related to the last post I reblogged: Bernadette Devlin was born close to my hometown and is the chief executive of a community programme in my hometown to help people especially people who have migrated to the town for work and to live their new lives in Ireland.

She’s literally my hero. Please check her out on the Blindboy podcast

[mouth-almighty]

"If you're not quite sure if you're on the right side or the wrong side of the line, find the nearest line of policemen and see which way they're facing"

- Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

[comradeocean]

Firing Line with William F. Buckley Jr.: The Irish Problem Guest: Bernadette Devlin McAliskey

best political theatre