The Modern Prometheus

PUL is a demographic term, referring to those of a Protestant and/or Unionist and/or Loyalist background. I prefer to use that term as opposed to sectarian terms such as 'huns', 'prods' etc.
That's interesting, not something I had heard before. I'm not actually fluent myself, although I will be taking classes next month so there should be an improvement.

Hmm, trying to think who it may be and I'm coming up blank. I'm intrigued haha

You're right, religion is dying, but the divide goes much deeper than that. There are good people out there organising cross-community events between the CNR youth and their PUL counterparts, which is a small but significant step in the right direction. Another little sign, but an interesting one, is the rise in the number of PUL folk taking up Irish language classes. Hopefully the wounds will heal over time, and class unity can unite people against their common oppressors - the British and Irish ruling class!

I have to get the bed, will continue this conversation in the near future!

Ha... I'm in Galway too, I probably know your friend. It's hard to judge, I think people would be sympathetic to much of what we say, but getting the message out is tough for obvious reasons. Not all calling themselves the IRA are thugs, by the way, (I'm a very good penpal with a POW in Maghaberry Gaol, a sounder Socialist Republican you could not find), but I know what you're saying. 'Undesirables' have destroyed the credibility of the whole armed resistance idea. Anyway, the tactics employed by Socialist Republicans are a better alternative in the current climate.

éirÃÂ*gÃÂ* got 5,000 first preference votes across Ireland in the recent local elections, but no candidate was elected. Some independents were elected however. The party is also growing in areas where there was no previous presence, so I'm pretty positive about the future. Onwards and upwards, Comrade!

It does indeed. As a Socialist Republican, I often hear the line 'We can't afford the North'. In that case, I use the 'free' state as an argument for Socialism, because as Connolly said (and I paraphrase), if we remove the Union Jack and hoist the Green Flag over Dublin Castle, unless we establish a Socialist Republic, England will still rule us. We see this today with the modern imperialists controlling the 'free' state through the EU and IMF.

Indeed! I'm just about to finish reading 'The Wretched of the Earth', as it happens. It's quite difficult to get my head around it at times, but it's certainly a very important read.You're right, it is sad that Connolly's work is largely unheard of. Worse again is when it falls victims to revisionism, either from nationalists who downplay his socialism, or vice versa. For me, he summed up the connection between nationalism (of the progessive, anti-imperialist nature, of course) and socialism perfectly.