Michael O'Riordan
Michael O'Riordan | |
---|---|
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Ireland | |
In office 1970–1983 | |
Preceded by | None |
Succeeded by | James Stewart |
Chairman of the Communist Party of Ireland | |
In office 1983–1989 | |
Preceded by | Andy Barr |
Succeeded by | Andy Barr |
Personal details | |
Born | Cork, Ireland | 12 November 1917
Died | 18 May 2006 Dublin, Ireland | (aged 88)
Political party | Communist Party of Ireland |
Other political affiliations | Irish Workers' Party Cork Socialist Party |
Spouse | Kay Keohane |
Children | 3 |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Second Spanish Republic |
Branch/service | International Brigades |
Unit | Connolly Column |
Battles/wars | Spanish Civil War |
Michael O'Riordan (
Early life
O'Riordan was born at 37 Pope's Quay,
As a teenager, he joined the republican youth movement,
Spanish Civil War and Internment during the Second World War
O'Riordan joined the
In 1938 O'Riordan was offered an
Political activism
In 1944 he was founding secretary of the Liam Mellows Branch of the Labour Party. This branch became infamous for what was regarded during the period as its controversial nature and became an intractable enemy of Branch Chair Timothy Quill.[5] The branch was initially established by former members of the Curragh Camp's Communist Group, including Bill Nagle and Jim Savage.[6] During this time, the IT&GWU had disaffiliated from the Labour Party and the National Labour Party was established on the basis that communists had infiltrated the Party. Quill, who was made branch chair by the Labour Party, allegedly had O’Riordan and his fellow members expelled, with the branch being dissolved.[7] O’Riordan later accused Quill of anti-Semitism and both Quill and T.J Murphy of “red-baiting”.[5][7] In 2001, O'Riordan would claim that any attempt to raise the issue of defence of communist Spain "was shouted down at Labour Party Conferences".[8] In 1945 he was a founding secretary of the Cork Socialist Party,[9] whose other notable members included Derry Kelleher, Kevin Neville and Máire Keohane-Sheehan (Máire Keohane-Sheehan was the sister of O'Riordan's wife Kay Keohane-O'Riordan) Thomas Murray.[10][11][12]
O'Riordan subsequently worked as a bus conductor in
In 1948, O'Riordan was a founding secretary of the
In the 1960s, he was a pivotal figure in the
O'Riordan met and befriended folk musician Luke Kelly, and the two developed a "personal-political friendship".[17] Kelly endorsed O'Riordan for election, and held a rally in his name during campaigning in 1965.[18]
In all he ran for election five times, campaigning throughout for the establishment of a
O'Casey wrote: "Mr O'Riordan is his own message. He has nothing to sell but his soul. But he hasn't done that, though he will be told he'll lose it by holding on to it."[19]
O'Riordan's participation in the Spanish Civil War was always an important part of his political identity. In 1966 he attended the International Brigades' Reunion in Berlin and was instrumental in having Frank Ryan's remains repatriated from Germany to Ireland in 1979.
He was a member of the Irish Chile Solidarity Committee and attended the 1st Party Congress of the
His last major public outing was in 2005 at the re-dedication of the memorial outside Dublin's Liberty Hall to the Irish veterans of the Spanish Civil War. With other veterans O'Riordan was received by President of Ireland Mary McAleese.[20] He was also presented with Cuba's Medal of Friendship by the Cuban Consul Teresita Trujillo to Ireland on behalf of Cuban President Fidel Castro.[21]
Operation Splash
In 1969, according to Soviet dissident
O'Riordan allegedly wrote: "Dear Comrades, I would like to outline in written form a request for assistance in acquiring the following types of arms: 2,000 assault rifles (7.62mm) and 500 rounds of ammunition for each; 150 hand-held machine-guns (9mm) and 1,000 rounds of ammunition for each."[19]
The IRA had split in the meantime between the
Connolly Column
His book Connolly Column: The Story of the Irishmen who fought for the Spanish Republic, 1936–1939, published in 1979, dealt with the Irish volunteers of the International Brigade who fought in support of the
Moore said: “Without Michael O’Riordan I’d never have been able to write Viva la Quince Brigada. I must have performed the song over a thousand times and every single time I sing it I think of Mick and wonder how can I ever thank him enough. In Spain in 1983 I was reading his book, Connolly Column: The Story of the Irishmen who Fought for the Spanish Republic, and I began this song as I read on. The song was lifted entirely from his book.”
Later life and death in 2006
In 1980, Magill described him as having critically supported a pro-Soviet line on every 'major issue'.[26] In 1991, O'Riordan's wife Kay Keohane of Clonakilty, County Cork died at their home aged 81. He continued to live in their family home before moving to Glasnevin in 2000 to be close to his son Manus who lived nearby. In 1999, he described himself as an atheist and believed that communism would rise again.[27] He lived there until falling ill in November 2005 and was taken to the Mater Hospital. His health rapidly deteriorated and he quickly developed Alzheimer's disease. Soon afterwards he was moved to St. Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park where he spent the final few months of his life, before his death at the age of 88. Then Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn praised O'Riordan after his death, saying; "As leader of the Labour Party I had the honour of ensuring he received a special citation at our 2001 national conference Michael O'Riordan stood out against the tide of Irish conservatism and clerical domination that kept Ireland backward and isolated in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s." [28]
O'Riordan's funeral at Glasnevin Crematorium was attended by over a thousand mourners. Following a wake the previous night at Finglas Rd, hundreds turned up outside the house of his son Manus and traffic ground to a halt as family, friends and comrades – many of whom were waving the red flag of the Communist Party of Ireland – escorted O'Riordan to Glasnevin Cemetery. A secular ceremony took place led by Manus O'Riordan (Head of Research at SIPTU) with contributions from O'Riordan's family, Communist Party general secretary Eugene McCartan and IBMT representative Pauline Frasier.
The funeral congregation included politicians such as Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte, his predecessor Ruairi Quinn, party front-bencher Joan Burton; Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe and councillor Larry O'Toole; former Workers' Party leader Tomás Mac Giolla and former Fianna Fáil MEP Niall Andrews. Also in attendance were union leaders Jack O'Connor (SIPTU), Mick O'Reilly (ITGWU) and David Begg (ICTU). Actors Patrick Bergin, Jer O'Leary; singer Ronnie Drew; artist Robert Ballagh; newsreader Anne Doyle were also among the mourners. Tributes and were paid by President of Ireland Mary McAleese, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and Labour Party TDs Ruairi Quinn and Michael D. Higgins.
Works
References
- ^ MacEoin, Uinseann (1997), The IRA in the Twilight Years 1923-1948, Argenta Publications, Dublin, pg 751, ISBN 0951117246
- ^ MacEoin, pg 753
- ^ "Remembering Michael O'Riordan – A Neighbour's Child". motherjonescork.com. 17 May 2017. Archived from the original on 9 December 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ White, Lawrence (December 2011). "O'Riordan, Michael (Micheál; Mick)". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-86278-376-1. Archivedfrom the original on 21 July 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ MacEoin, pg 821
- ^ a b "Micheal O Riordain". www.rjtechne.org. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Cumann Staire Journal 1997". ballingearyhs.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ a b Political Parties in the Republic of Ireland by Michael Gallagher. Manchester University Press,1985 (pg. 97-8).
- ^ Buried Alive in Ireland by Derry Kelleher. Justice Books, 2001 (pgs. vi,36, 76).
- ^ "Communist Party of Ireland". communistpartyofireland.ie. Archived from the original on 5 May 2006. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
- ^ ""The Others" The Alan Kinsella Podcast - Alan". Spotify. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ MacEoin, pg 762
- ^ "Fr Austin Flannery". Irish Independent. 2 November 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ "Dominican scholar and activist who stirred up controversy". The Irish Times. 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2009.
- ^ "Communist Red O'Riordan". RTÉ Archives. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Veteran communist dedicated to his cause". Irish Times. Archived from the original on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- ^ Burtenshaw, Ronan (17 March 2018). "Ireland's Red Troubadour". Jacobin. Archived from the original on 17 March 2018. Retrieved 17 March 2018.
- ^ a b "Michael O'Riordan". The Daily Telegraph. London. 27 May 2006. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ "Ireland and the Spanish Civil War - IBMT AGM - Irish President greets veterans". geocities.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009.
- ^ "New communist party of Britain / 209ncpb11nov05.doc". solidnet.org.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Daily Telegraph obituary for Mick O'Riordan". geocities.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2009.
- ^ (Mitrokhin archives p492-493 and p501)
- ^ Long, Patrick (October 2009). "O'Riordan, Michael (Micheál; Mick)". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Royal Irish Academy. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
- ^ "Commemorative Address by Manus O'Riordan". siptu.ie. Archived from the original on 19 November 2007.
- ^ "Corkman in the Kremlin | Magill". magill.ie. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Untouched by the Tiger". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Key labour figure and celebrated Communist dies at 88". independent. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
External links
- Obituary of Michael O'Riordan (archived)
- Funeral of Michael O'Riordan, Born 12 November 1917 Died 18 May 2006 (Report & Photos)
- Michael D. Higgins pays tribute to Michael O'Riordan (archived)
- Ruairi Quinn pays tribute to Michael O’Riordan (archived)
- Gerry Adams expresses condolences to family and friends of Michael O'Riordan (archived)
- Biography on the Communist Party of Ireland website
- Irish Examiner, "Spanish Civil War veteran dies, aged 88" retrieved 18 May 2006
- O'RIORDAN'S SPANISH BODENSTOWN (poem) (archived)