Lasair Dhearg sends solidarity greetings to all anti-imperialist activists across Ireland and beyond who continue to organise against the forces of occupation and capitalism, and we stand in solidarity with our fellow workers as they continue to toil within and organise against the oppressive system forced upon us by capitalist governments.

The struggle for workers rights is inextricably linked to the ongoing struggle for National Liberation. The occupation of Ireland’s Six Counties and the existence of the Twenty Six County state is directly responsible for the continued impoverishment of our nation, the ongoing subjection of our people to homelessness and the enduring mental and physical ill-health of the population as a direct result of the trauma from the imposed economic systems across our island.

The fight for Socialism alongside our National Liberation has always been a central theme of our ongoing struggle; “The cause of labour is the cause of Ireland,” after all, “They cannot be dissevered.” said Connolly. The ruling class has always understood this, which is why they have sought, and continue to seek, to divide us. 

Indeed, a growing divide is taking place across our country. Many of the issues that Socialist Republicans have been active in highlighting for many years are now being exploited by more nefarious agents in our midst; from the demand for housing, to the ongoing imprisonment of families in ‘Direct Provision’ centres.

A number of small but growing organisations seek to foment fear around immigration. They utilise the tactics of the British far-right in order to create their own little corner within ‘Irish Nationalism’, a foothold, in order that they might use this foundation of hate to rise to power in Ireland. They, like the occupying forces, aided by the Six and Twenty Six County governments, seek to pit worker against worker. They seek to emulate the rise of European fascism in the 1930’s, to acquire glory and power; but built upon a foundation of fear and hate of their fellow workers. 

They and state capitalism are but two sides of the same coin. It was the might of the working class that defeated fascism in Europe in the 1940’s and it will only be the working class that brings the rise of fascism to an abrupt halt in Ireland today.

This International Workers’ Day, falling in 2023, also marks 25 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. A whole generation has been born and raised into an Ireland living under the boot of a capitalist system that does not allow them to flourish and to prosper; born instead to create wealth for others and to be expropriated by an all too willing state within which they barely make a living. The significance of these 25 years provides us with an opportunity to reflect on that ‘agreement’ and its consequences for the Irish working class.

That Agreement was supposedly designed to end violence but it only ended violence directed at the state – the violence of poverty and the capitalist economic system was allowed to continue for the rest of us.

So let us commit this International Workers’ Day to use these next 25 years to bring about a new reality: The complete destruction of the Six and Twenty Six County states, and on their ashes, we will create a new Thirty Two County Socialist Republic.

That is the greatest tribute that we can create for our fellow workers.