But already it feels like 2012 is going to be MASSIVE!!!

Who would have thought how quick and how far things would move, it seems we already live in a totally different world from the one that was, this time 12 months ago, before everything started to get turned on its head. As a fella said:

“Did you ever wish you lived in one of those major moments in World history, well guess what, you are in one of those moments”

From the tragic and hopeless act of suicide in Tunisia, when Mohamed Bouazizi set himself alight, a spark flew. From Tunisia to Tahrir Square and all of North Africa we saw the dawn of the Arab Spring, from there across the 8 miles that splits Africa from Spain and we saw the 15M movement or the #SpanishRevolution kick off. There was huge hope that the DEMOCRACIA REAL YA movement would spark all over Europe, it didnt. But then things took the most unexpected jump, right into the the belly of the beast into the heart of the corrupt destructive unfair system that is destroying our world; all the bankers and cronies in Wall Street. From there the #OCCUPY movement was born, and with things more so in the English languge, an idea has spread like wildfire all around the squares and communities of many different peoples all over this precious little planet. The Network Age is truly kicking off. We are a connected global community, same dreams, same pains. For so long there was little or no hope. Some, the ecologists and activists that were earlier labeled the “anti-globalisation” movement, had told us all that the entire system was about to fail, due to infinite growth on a finite planet being impossible and that leading to PEAK EVERYTHING… No one listened. But then from 2008 and the start of the “economic crisis“ (pity in english we only see the negative side of that important word; crisis) things began to change. Oil prices going up (again the transitionistas had been telling us all about this) which sparked food prices going up and unemployment spreading everywhere, here in Spain the unemployment rate is up to 23%. Difficult times, strange times, but great times to witness. Where can it all go, what do people want, how are trying to bring about that change?

In the following, you get a few ideas from the city of Barcelona, and beyond…

And to where? Bold adventures from Spain:

Some transitionistas from Barcelona headed over to Liverpool in July for the Transition Network Conference, where they shared some stories of what has been unfolding on the streets, squares and communities of Barcelona over the previous 2 months…

15M what’s happening in Spain?

.

Democracy 2.0 Barcelona

On the last night of the conference, they shared videos and offered their personal opinions and that led to a fine discussion with many of the people most involved in the world of transition. The discussion was recorded, here is a very critical audio piece, from that memorable and important night.

  Transition and the #SpanishRevolution – Transition Conference 2011, Liverpool

Responses to the crisis:

- Homage to Plaza Catalunya: REAL DEMOCRACY NOW IRELAND event

- Let’s plant some seeds :// GARDENING FOR CHANGE

- #SpanishRevolution – Instaling Democracy 2.0

- Tahrir comes to Spain

Visions and experiments for and from the city:

- A Transition Vision For Barcelona City

- Greening Barcelona

- Bold, Beautiful, Blooming Barcelona asks: What would it mean to win?

A few related articles:

- Vids to remember 75 years ago: Spanish civil war + Revolution

- looking for activist Barcelona

- 2 Barcelona transicionistas participating in Transition Network conference @ Liverpool 2011

- Full round up of materials from the 2011 Transition Network conference

- Reclaiming Power – Its all about what went on in Copenhagen during COP15

How times are changing in the Network Age

How things have panned out after we were playing with ideas on what LIVESTREAMING might enable… now OCCUPY has channells all over the planet.

Heres our vid experiment from 2005: Streaming from the Gaff!

And memories from a long time ago: FUSPEY kicks off in dublin (October 17, 2003)

Network Age ideas from 2003:

so we are remembering again that life is strange.

along with this we have developed amazing communication systems that allow people to be anywhere in the world while being able to communicate with someone else anywhere in the world; phones, internet, webcast, chatrooms…..

so we have the stuff, but where are we talking and what are we talking about?

lovers of life and ideas traveled from everywhere to come to the ancient greek agora in athens, to be part of the dynamic and progressive open system that was the COMMUNICATION SPACE of yesteryear

we are aware that we are going through the next major shift in world history, we are part of the NETWORK AGE. the new agora is an attempt to further explore these ideas.

P2P to S2S, from Peer to Peer to Square to Square: Barcelona connects with Athens

rEVOLution

Suchran Mohamed, RIP.

“Mohamed suffered a lot. He worked hard. But when he set fire to himself, it wasn’t about his scales being confiscated. It was about his dignity.” Mannoubia Bouazizi

Michael D Higgins, born 18 April 1941, the ninth President of Ireland

Our arts celebrate the people talking, singing, dancing and ultimately communing with each other. This is what James Connolly meant when he said that: “Ireland without her people means nothing to me”. Connolly took pride in the past but, of course, felt that those who excessively worshipped that past were sometimes seeking to escape from the struggle and challenge of the present. He believed that Ireland was a work in progress, a country still to be fully imagined and invented – and that the future was exhilarating precisely in the sense that it was not fully knowable, measurable.

The demands and the rewards of building a real and inclusive Republic in its fullest sense remains as a challenge for us all, but it is one we should embrace together.

Michael D Higgins is the newly elected  ninth president of Ireland and, like many, I think he will do a fine fine job, I wish him well.

He has always been an outspoken man, a passionate socialist who has worked for the rights of the downtrodden, a human rights activist, a poet, a feminist, a philosopher, a fierce critic of irelands involvement in the illegal war in iraq (irish state was officially “neutral”, but that didnt stop the govt), a gaeilgoir (irish speaker), a lover of the arts and culture of Ireland, a man of imagination and deep vision. As Diarmaid Ferriter (professor of modern history at University College Dublin) said, it was striking that Ireland had elected a politician who for decades had been “a thorn in the side of the establishment” — and now was the official face of Ireland. He said Higgins’ triumph reflected voter anger at right-wing politicians who had brought Ireland to the brink of bankruptcy.

To many the somewhat surprising theme of the recent discourse he has opened up over the last year is that of the “Real Republic“, it seems this has been a topic he has pondered all his life and now he is taking it to the national stage, to get us Irish to think about what it means, if it has been arrived at yet (no in his opinion) and how we might get to that better place he dreams of. Before being inaugerated he spent some time alone to “pause and reflect” in the “Connolly Room” before taking office.

Its interesting to ponder where his preoccupation has arrived from; Despite the claim that he is a Galway man, he was actually born in Limerick, but due to poverty sent out aged 5 to do his “rearing” in county Clare… This led to a difficult childhood, which was as a direct result of his father being treated badly due to the fact that he fought for the republican side during the Irish civil war after having being number 2 in the Cork brigade of the IRA in the Irish war of independence. He wrote a poem 2o years ago “Betrayel” (listen to him read it here) discussing his fathers treatment in “modern Ireland” and spoke candidly, acocompanied hand in hand by his wife  Sabina Coyne, on RTE’s Miriam meets (13.50 – 19.30 minutes) in 2010 about his feelings about the ill treatment his father suffered due to the vision of the “Republic” he fought for, temporarily created but that was killed off by the emergence of the Irish Free State. Its a complicated topic, there are many different takes on the topic, but one things should be very interesting; to see how this discourse unfolds over the following seven years.

Connolly's flag flown over GPO 1916

The 4 goals of Michael D’s seven year mission:

• The real republic
• Inclussive citizenship
• Creative society
• Ireland home and abroad

Related Links:

Irish Times: Higgins urges hope, courage | Vision of a new Ireland | A thinker unafraid to speak his mind | Full text of President’s inaugural speech | President will bring ‘nobility of spirit’ to office | Higgins declared president elect with one million votes | International congratulations for Higgins | Higgins pledges presidency of transformation in speech | Higgins’s archive speaks volumes for his passion Other Reports: Michael D Higgins inaugurated as President (RTE) | ‘We need to think about an entirely different kind of society’ (politico.ie) | A President for all the people (Irish Independent) | Michael D’s call to arms for a bright, confident and successful future (Irish Independent) | Poet, rights activist Michael Higgins wins Irish presidency (Associated Press) | The most passionate man in Irish politics (Hot Press 2004) Other Links: wikipedia | Facebook election page | Vincent Browne show: eve of Michael D’s inauguration Radio Interviews: Miriam Meets… Miriam O Callaghan with Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina Coyne | Today FM’s Ray D’Arcy Show | Ryan Tubridy interviews Michael D Higgins Videos (see below) The Real Republic: Renewing the Republic: Michael D. Higgins’ book (view inside here on Amazon)| Republic lost its way, laments new Irish President (Belfast Telegraph) | Time for a real republic: President Michael D Higgins (Eolas Magazine) | Renewing the Republic (Irish Times series) | President calls for an inclusive republic (Irish Echo) | A Presidency With Enormous Potential (The Irish Republic-blog)

Profile: President Michael D Higgins

Born: Limerick (18 April 1941)

Education:
- Ballycare National School, County Clare
- St Flannan’s College, Ennis
- Clerk in ESB
- Mature student at University College Galway (aged 20)

Academic career:
- Political science and sociology lecturer at University
- College Galway
- Visiting Professor at the Southern Illinois University

Political career:
- President of University College Galway Students’ Union (1964 to 1965)
- Unsuccessful in 1969 and 1973 general elections
- Appointed to the Seanad by Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave (1973-1977) and re-joined on NUI Maynooth panel (1982-1987)
- Galway county councillor (1974-1993)
- Mayor of Galway (1982-1983 and 1991-1992)
- Galway West TD (1981-1982 and 1987-2011)
- Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (1993-1997)
- President of Labour Party

This Image from the Times gives you a good idea of what the poet is talking about:

President Elect Michael D Higgins Acceptance Speech

Michael D Higgins making his last speech in the Dail (25 January 2011, transcript on Politico.ie)

Michael D Higgins Speech to Tom Johnson Summer School (Pt 1/6)

And a few funnies:

Gift Grub: Tonight with Vincent Browne – Marty and Michael D (25/10/11)

Remembering the man and his long struggle for a fairer world:

Michael D Higgins Career Montage

- Michael D Higgins through the years

The New Irish President: Michael D Higgins

(a series of photos, arts, peace prizes, poetry reading at electric picnic, speaking up against the illegal war in Iraq, hunger strike against US intervention in Niceragua)

Michael D returns over the gate to his old home in East Clare, where he lived since he was 5, part of his “fractured life”

Radio:

From the archives of January 2010, Miriam O Callaghan interviews Michael D Higgins, now President-elect,  and his wife Sabina Coyne, the two held hands throughout a radio interview with her in 2010. Miriam Meets

  Miriam Meets… Miriam O Callaghan interviews Michael D Higgins, now President-elect, and his wife Sabina Coyne

13.50 – 19.30 on michael his childhood, his fathers situation…

His father Johhny Higgins (died 1964) was 1 of 1o, in the early 1920´s was the number 2 in the Cork brigade of the IRA (Irish Republican Army). He fought in the war of independence and on the republican side in the civil war, due to being on the loosing side of the war he was ill treated long after and Michael has thought much on that over the last few decades. Due to poverty Michael D and his little brother were sent from the family home, then in Limerick, across the Shannon to a little shack in East Clare, he was only 5 years old at the time, to live in with his fathers brother and sister. Michael´s uncle fought on the free state side during the war, his sister was in cumman na mban, Michael recalls seeing a blue shirt in the house (the symbol of the free state army). His mother was from Liscarrol, county Cork. Michale D was inspired by Sean O’Casey, and talks about “a fractured life”. Michael D claims that new state stole the values from people like his parents, that people are revising history and not recognizing what the original values of “republicans” battled for, not acknoldging what people went through…

Remembering his father:

Michael D Higgins wrote a book of poetry in 1990 called “The Betrayal“, Poetry reading and commentry on his fathers life. Here is an audio recording of Michael D reading from it:

Michael D Higgins, the lost interview:

About two years ago, I interviewed Michael D Higgins in his home about his poetry and got him to read a couple of my favourites. I stumbled across the recording again today and decided to upload it to youtube. The first video starts with a poem called The Betrayal, about his father’s death and is followed by him speaking about writing the poem and then introducing another poem about the Galway Races which is in part 2 of the video.

A few photos of the aul fellow:

Strike on Here – Equal pay for women and men, early 70′s ?

Michael D fasting in front of US embassy for Nicaragua, 1983

Michael D opposing Irelands involvement in the Iraq war, 2004

Ireland is living through a significant period in its cycle of history since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the island has been at peace. This is unprecedented in the history of modern Ireland and so seems like a perfect time to reflect on the Irish as a people now, as a modern European nation, and how we got to this place.

BBC review: Myth and history: the Story of Ireland

Far from being a remote European outpost, episode one charts the formation of Ireland’s DNA by successive ways of invaders and settlers. Along the way, Keane exposes the myth of Ireland’s Celtic identity; he travels to Norway and presents the Vikings as resourceful settlers and traders in Ireland rather than as the barbarous marauders of popular belief. He also follows the trail of the early Iris monks as they bring their literature and learning through Europe to re energise the Christian world, in the early middle ages.

View parts: 1, 2, 3, 4

2 – The Age of Conquest

In this episodeFergal Keane examines how the huge upheavals of Europe in the Middle Ages altered the story of Ireland irrevocably. Beginning with the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, he investigates how the Normans changed Irish life and why Gaelic Kings initially welcomed an English ruler. But it is also the story of an incomplete conquest. The English crown only finally moves to impose its will in Ireland after the Protestant Reformation places Ireland in the forefront of religious war.

View parts: 1, 2, 3, 4

3 – Age of Revolution

Fergal Keane explores how the influx of Scottish Presbyterians, during the 17th century Plantation of Ulster, changed the makeup of the island and its subsequent history. We also see how revolution in America and France paved the way for Ireland’s 1798 rebellion.

View parts: 1, 2, 3, 4

4 – Age of Union

Fergal Keane’s Story of Ireland explores the great changes of the 19th century. Starting with the 1801 Act of Union, when Ireland becomes part of the United Kingdom for the first time; Keane shows us how modern Ireland comes into being through the great constitutional battles for Catholic Emancipation, Land Reform and Home Rule. We also witness the horrors of the potato famine of the 1840s.

View parts: 1, 2, 3, 4

5 – Age of Nations

The dramatic history of Ireland through the 20th century is the subject of this concluding episode of Fergal Keane’s series. The War of Independence in the south and the fierce resistance that ensues in the north leads to partition of the island for the first time in its history. Keane charts the developments of the two religiously dominated states , driven by big personalities like Edward Carson and Ian Paisley in the North and Eamonn de Valera and Charles Haughey in the South, up to present-day. He follows Northern Ireland’s Troubles and Peace Process and the boom and bust of the Celtic Tiger years in The Republic.

View parts: 1, 2, 3, 4

Fergal Patrick Keane (Irish name: Fearghall Pádraig Ó Catháin) (born January 6, 1961), is an Irish writer and broadcaster. For many years, Keane was the BBC‘s correspondent in Southern Africa. He is the nephew of Irish author John B. Keane.

- Episodes available for download here

.

The Story of Maths is a British television series outlining aspects of the history of mathematics. The series was a co-production between the Open University and the BBC and aired in October 2008 on BBC Four. The material was written and presented by Oxford professor Marcus du Sautoy.

The series comprised four programmes respectively titled: The Language of the Universe; The Genius of the East; The Frontiers of Space; and To Infinity and Beyond. Du Sautoy documents the development of mathematics covering subjects such as the invention of zero and the unproven Riemann hypothesis, a 150 year old problem for whose solution the Clay Mathematics Institute has offered a $1,000,000 prize. He escorts viewers through the subject’s history and geography. He examines the development of key mathematical ideas and shows how mathematical ideas underpin the science, technology, and culture that shape our world.

He starts his journey in ancient Egypt and finishes it by looking at current mathematics. But in between he travels through Babylon, Greece, India, China, and the medieval Middle East. He also looks at mathematics in Europe and then in America and takes the viewers inside the lives of many of the greatest mathematicians.

- View all infos on the BBC website

1 – The Language of the Universe

2 – The Genius of the East

3 – The Frontiers of Space

4 – To Infinity and Beyond

The Story of Maths – Episode 1: The Language of the Universe

(this series can be watched in Spanish here)

Related article of a mathematical artistic action on the beach of West Clare, Ireland many moons ago:

Playing with Phi, Lahinch Beach 2003

more

Im afraid it seems that not all the episodes are available on Youtube (which allows for them to be easily embedded on blog posts), here is one more:

The Story of Maths part 1/4 episode 4

But not to fear, you can watch them all online on at VEED here.

And if you enjoyed that, theres a related BBC radio with Marcus du Sautoy at A Brief History of Mathematics

Enjoy…

Occupy Ireland network is giving hope where previously there was none.

“So let the music keep your spirits high” is a line from a great song by Jackson Browne, that was made famous for many Irish by Christy Moore;  “Before The Deluge“.

Anyway down in Dame Street, down by the banks of the Lee, out on windswept Eyre Square, up by writers square, out with the blahs down in the Deise or making trouble up in Tír Conall…

Aswell as plotting and scheming, building tent cities, making, sharing out and eating food, doing the wash up, managing live streams, giving the odd interview to RTE or TV3, agreeing with those shaking jazz hands, chatting passionately with a stranger over a cup of tea, sitting in wonder, drying off wet socks, composing a poem… (the list goes on, all part of making Revolution) There has been a whole host of cracking music, from both people down living in the camps and also people who have come down to visit… So heres a bit of a list, granted it wont be a full one, of whats be going on…

Follow the camps on TWITTER: #OccupyIreland – #OccupyDublin – #OccupyCork – #OccupyGalway – #OccupyBelfast – #OccupyWaterford – #OccupyLetterkenny

A great crowd at #OccupyDameStreet for Billy Bragg’s free solidarity gig, off the back of a truck

Part 1 – Occupy dame street crew + The Mighty Stef (12oct – day 5)

Occupy dame street crew: We dont want to fight no more…

The Mighty Stef: “Milk” + “Born to Run”

Part 2 – Jinx Lennon, 20th October 2011 (Day 13)

Dundalk folk-punk-poet Jinx Lennon performed at the Occupy Dame Street demonstration outside the Central Bank, Dublin, on 20th October 2011 (Day 13)

U CAN’T KEEP EVERY1 HAPPY

BIG PROTEST DAY!

you must forgive the cunts

My guitar is a magic wand

Jinx Lennon : Unknown title

Part 3 – Billy Bragg free secret solidarity gig at Occupy Dame Street (Saturday 22nd October 2011 – Day 15)

Billy read out the following message to the assembled crowd from #OccupyLondon:

Dear occupy Dublin, you are beautiful. Never doubt that what you are doing is important and relevant and makes a great difference. You give us a chance to see how the world can be if we only want it enough. We are the future and we refuse to pay for theirs any longer…

dlúthpháirtíochta (solidarity as gaeilge)

*** He sang the following tunes:

1 – Which side are you on
2 – There is power in a union
3 – The Internationale

Occupy Dame Street ft BillyBragg : Intro + Which side are you on (with a little early tek sound problem)

Occupy Dame Street: Billy Bragg singing ‘There is power in a union’ 22nd October 2011

Occupy Dame Street introducing Billy Bragg- The Internationale

Part 4 – Occupy Dame Street: Michael Franti (Oct 25th – Day 18)

Franti brought 15 minutes of pure sunshine to Dame Street after the wettest day on camp so far.

Part 5 – Barley Mob: Stand Up, Rise Up, Big Up WWWWOOOO HHOOOOOO

The Barley Mob performing “You’ll Never Be Lost When You’ve Got Music” for Occupy Dame Street Protest Camp at the Central Bank in Dublin city centre. October 15th, 2011

Barley Mob: You’ll Never Be Lost When You’ve Got Music

Folsom Prison Blues & Stand Up, Rise Up

Thanks to Eamon De Staic, for recording and uploading these, great energy in the street…

Part 6 – A bit of trad + a little French ditty

Occupy Dame Street – Trad session – Early Day Five (guitar and mandolin)

Occupy Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland – 12-10-11 – Irish music session at the camp

(flutes n fiddles everywhere, if tis music you want, you should come to #OccupyDameStreet… This one went out on the LIVESTREAM)

Deux Jeune Filles a #OccupyDameStreet

Part 7 – #OccupyCork Part 1 – Paddy Nash, Billy brag + A bit of trad

And of course, its not only in the BIG SHMOKE that all the music is going on, oh no no… some great stuff from the other corners of the island, heres a little bit from the Peoples Repulic, the Rebels of Cork

Paddy Nash – Greedy Little Man- Occupy Cork

Paddy is, as far as I know, from Derry and was touring with Billy Bragg… This is a great great song with one of the best lines Ive heard “I’ll shit on you, I’ll shit on you, I’ll shit on you, I’ll shit on you, I’ll shit on you, I’ll shit on you, I’ll shit on you…. and your little dog”

Occupy Cork, friday 21st Oct, trad session

Billy bragg at occupy cork: There is power in the union

**** Keep updated on stuff at CORK’s Youtbube channel : Music at OC

Part 8 – the didgeridoo, guitar and a loop pedal dude + the amazing Acapella Group (last 3 days, tue nov 8)

A didgeridoo, a guitar and a loop pedal

******* This is an open ongoing article…

There will be more occupations, there will be more tunes… Rock on #Occupy lads in Ireland… all heroes

Watch a music playlist – 100 tunes, click here… It starts with LISDONVARNA…

“Here we are in the county Clare, tis a long long way from here to there… If its music you want, you should come to Clare…”

Recent articles in the Irish Times: ‘How many gigs are left? Is it 10, 100 or 1,000?’

Below are a couple of choice vids and interviews. Enjoy

‎#christymoore trended on twitter last week becuase he appeared on the late late show friday night, recording isnt up yet, but heres a super appearance from 2011…

part 1

part 2

part 3 , finishing with “The balled of ruby walsh”

Think this has to be the only “music video” made by christy, a video for that old christy hennessy song; dont forget your shovel:

christy here sings an ol rebel tune, the galtee mountain boy… for some time, he was in trouble due to his republican support, his H blocks album was banned, he was followed by the special branch… 80′s Ireland was quiet a different place… anyway heres a lovely tune from tipperary

Christy doesnt drink now, but in the old days he drank whatever was in sight, as the photo above captures well, aswell as consuming nearly anything there was to consume… his autobiography “One Voice: My Life in Song” (click on link, to have a good gawk inside…) captures very well that side of things, as does the song “i like the way pierce turner sings” on his red disc on the box set… talking about his sleepless coke filled days…. anyway here is a cracking tune which captures the madness of the booze world… the old johhny jump up…

I think this is Christys first appearance on the late late show, but not full sure of that, with Planxty back in about 1972… have to love the chops on him then, when he outs with the bodhran and lets rip…
a cracking tune

And lastly; yet another gem: Raggle Taggle Gypsy: Planxty Staidiam Náisiúnta, Baile Átha Cliath 1973

And he didnt forget those brave Irishmen who left Ireland to fight with the Spanish people during that sad sad tragic affair the Spanish civil war, the International brigades. And as he sings “The bishop in Maynooth gave the call to support the nazis“, the vid is complete with images from that sad part in Irelands history: Viva la quinta brigada

“Ill say one thing about (Margeret) Thatcher… There was some terrific songs written during her reign”… This is part of the opening to this live version of the “ballad of and ordinary man”, which he learned in the early 80′s over in Grimsby. Christy was no fan of the ex British prime minister, on the box set there is plenty commentry about her and the destruction she left in her wake.

Barrowlands in Glasgow is Christys favourite venue… and when you see the crowd singing “Viva la Quinta Brigada” with him you know why. Here he is singing that great tune “Before the Deluge”… “Some of them were dreamers…” its that great tune with that great line: SO LET THE MUSIC KEEP  YOUR SPIRITS HIGH

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQpoLUPSa1U

He has changed over the years, physically (especially with the supping), mentally, politicallay, spiritually… His story, perhaps, runs on a parallel trajectory of the history of Ireland… Ride On Christy boy, thanks.

SO LET THE MUSIC KEEP  YOUR SPIRITS HIGH

Location: Places >> Europe >> Spain – España >> CATALUNYA – CATALONIA >> Barcelona

Looking for activist Barcelona

Hi! I am a traveler/historian/activist from Texas looking to learn from Barcelona activism and see what I can apply from it to my own state.

I´m coming from Greece right now, where the activism was spectacular, but not particularly applicable to the situation of groups in Texas.

I am particularly interested in learning about the indignado movement, as well as the history of activism in Barcelona through its architecture. I read a book on anarchism in the city of Barcelona right before I started traveling, and so I am particularly interested in tying in the past to the present.

If anyone is interested in showing me around, let me know.I will buy you beers!

- Molly

My 2 responses:

hi molly, and all here interested in this most relevant of topics…

Dunk here, the guy who gave the free walking tour in the thunder shower (that was a first for me) to molly and 7 other brave souls…

anway, ive plenty to say about this, from personal experience aswell as background study… good to chat after the tour about things, pity i hadnt more time to stay around, id a house to clean and a special lady to make dinner for…

anyway, besides being a tour guide, ive lived here 5 years and participated and still participate in many things in the city; mostly along lines of ecolgical, anti-capitalist, creative, gardening, stuff… and a fair bit with latin american networks… I helped set up the Barcelona en transició group, have participated since the early days of the #spanishrevolution of the 15M indignados and helped share views on the realitionship between the #OCCUPY movement and the world of permaculture / transition / degrowth (decreixement / decreciemiento / decroissance)

So, heres a few links of interest, with tonnes of links within, vids, audios ive recorded, views, etc…

ecological change:

Greening Barcelona > A Transition Vision For Barcelona City

+ Bold, Beautiful, Blooming Barcelona asks: What would it mean to win?
(this is the main link i told you about with the 3 part radio doc from the occupied community garden in the barrio of gracia, where we spent valentines weekend painting murals… loads of links here)

#SpanishRevolution:

Homage to Plaza Catalunya: REAL DEMOCRACY NOW IRELAND event
+
Spain: With The Outraged In Madrid | #SpanishRevolution comes to Greece: #M25Gr = #GreekRevolution | Tahrir Comes to Spain | Tahrir > Spain > World | #SpanishRevolution – Instaling Democracy 2.0 | #spanishrevolution goes global Greece: Grassroots politics flourish in Greek turmoil | The Greek protests are not just about the economic crisis | Athens protests: Syntagma Square on frontline of European austerity protests General: “Peoples of Europe, Rise Up” Greece’s message being taken up by France, and maybe beyond too?

occupy:

The American Revolution is underway, #occupywallstreet takes it to the belly of the beast > Transtioning from OIL DEPENDANCE to local RESILIENCE, through peaceful REVOLUTIONARY action

****
Saturday… Painting pictures and feeling like we are winning

Recent article i was interviewed about:

Deepening the debate; anti capitalist revolution > planting urban food gardens > local money > resilient communities

read it at Let’s plant some seeds :// GARDENING FOR CHANGE

OK, thats a start, hope this gets a bit of further discussion going, back later, enjoy your adventures…

+

CSO’s and iNFO USURPA

Also forgot to add, to anyone while they are here. There are many social centres in the city and environs, about 60 in all, most are called CSO which stands for CENTRO SOCIAL OKUPADA, ones that are CSOA, are with an explicit auto-gestanado or anarchisty slant. Many are squatted spaces, but not all, some are a bit messy, some are incredibly organised spaces and open to all. Most have free event (cheap food, rockclimbing, bike fixing, library, free internet, dance, yoga, painting, photography, free language classes, free film nights… BIG list)

Info Usurpa rocks, its a weekly WHATS ON EVENT GUIDE, its a 3 page PDF, freely available here: http://usurpa.squat.net/ (click on the PDF section at end of screen). It comes out on wednesdays, and has a full list of active CSO’s, with their address and local train / metro line, and the weekly calender of whats on where… most CSO’s print and stick the 3 A3′s on the outside front wall of their social centres so passers by can see whats on where, they also contain BIG EVENTS, dates etc and at end have activist news… Its going since 1996 and now london has a similar system…

THIS is what it looks like, mas o menos:

POSTSCRIPT:
#SPANISHREVOLUTION to #AMERICANREVOLUTION to TRANSITION

vids:

- 15M what’s happening in Spain?

- Democracy 2.0 Barcelona

A few Tunes to mark this special occasion, the next #AMERICANREVOLUTION…

Steve Earle – The Revolution Starts Now

Tracy Chapman- Talking about revolution (Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute, 1988）

NINA SIMONE – Revolution (1969)

“Times are changing” – Bob Dylan

John Lennon – Imagine

Rage Against The Machine – Killing In The Name – 1993

Jim Page – Didn’t We (Re N30 and the shutting down of the WTO in Seattle)

Bob Marley War

faithless weapons of mass destruction

Le Tigre – New Kicks (Marking F15, Feb 15th and the global day of action against the war in Iraq)

Sepultura – Refuse/Resist

This Is What Democracy Looks Like (Madison, Wisconsin. Saturday February 19, 2011)

(Emma Goldman was a Lithuanian born American International anarchist who conducted leftist activities in the United States from about 1890 to 1917. 1869-1940. Infos at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Goldman vid of her at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTCMcO4WTjE )

This is the US Fall responding to the Arab Spring : 700+ arrested this morning on Brooklyn Bridge

NEW YORK TIMES: Updated, 3:35 a.m. Sunday | In a tense showdown above the East River, the police arrested more than 700 demonstrators from the Occupy Wall Street protests who took to the roadway as they tried to cross the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday afternoon. (After a 2 week corporate media blackout, #occupywallstreet direct action is now front page news)

This is the US Fall responding to the Arab Spring : 700+ arrested this morning on Brooklyn Bridge

Cornell West speaking at the peoples assembly at #occupywallstreet day 11:

“There is a sweet spirit in this place. I hope you can feel the love and inspiration, of those sly stone called “everyday people” who take a stand with great courage and compassion because we oppose the greed of Wall street oligarchs and corporate plutocrats who squeeze the democratic juices out of this country and other places around the world. I am so blessed to be here, you got me spiritually breakdancing on the way here, cuz when you bring folk together, all colours, all cultures, all genders, all sexual orientation, the elite will tremble in their boots. And we will send a message that this is the US FALL responding to the Arab Spring, it is going to hit Chicago, Los Angelas, Phoenix Arizona, and A town itself, moving on to detroit, its gonna hit apalacha, hit the reservations with our red brothers and sisters, martin luther king will smile in the grave, saying were moving step by step to what he called a revolution, dont be afraid to say REVOLUTION. We wanna transfer of power from the oligarchs, to ordinary citizens, with the poor children of all colours, and the orphans and the widows, and the elderly, and the working folk, if we connect the prison industrial complex with the military industrial complex and the wall street oligarchy complex and the corporate media multiplex. I want to thank you, its a blessing to be a small part of this magnificant gathering, this is the general assembly consecrated by your witness and your body and your mind.

Oscar-winning filmmaker, best-selling author,and provocateur laureate Michael Moore, who visited the Occupied zone on Monday night:

“This is literally an uprising of people who have had it. It has already started to spread across the country in other cities. It will continue to spread. … It will be tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of people … Their work ahead is not as difficult as other movements in the past … The majority of Americans are really upset at Wall Street … So you have already got an army of Americans who are just waiting for somebody to do something, and something has started.”

Arun Gupta: The Revolution Begins at Home, An Open Letter to Join the Wall Street Occupation:

What is occurring on Wall Street right now is truly remarkable. For over 10 days, in the sanctum of the great cathedral of global capitalism, the dispossessed have liberated territory from the financial overlords and their police army.

They have created a unique opportunity to shift the tides of history in the tradition of other great peaceful occupations from the sit-down strikes of the 1930s to the lunch-counter sit-ins of the 1960s to the democratic uprisings across the Arab world and Europe today.

While the Wall Street occupation is growing, it needs an all-out commitment from everyone who cheered the Egyptians in Tahrir Square, said “We are all Wisconsin,” and stood in solidarity with the Greeks and Spaniards. This is a movement for anyone who lacks a job, housing or healthcare, or thinks they have no future.

Princeton University professor Cornell West was speaking at #occupywallstreet day 11 peoples assembly. In the video, the load shouting method, repeating the speakers words clearly, is used becuase 2000 people had to listen and the NYPD forbid the use of loudhalers, soundsystems etc… Being interviewed by Amy Goodman on Democracy Now after spending time in the occupation, Cornell West stated:

“You’re talking about raising political consciousness so it spills over all parts of the country, so people can begin to see what’s going on through a set of different lens, and then you begin to highlight what the more detailed demands would be. Because in the end we’re really talking about what Martin King would call a revolution: A transfer of power from oligarchs to everyday people of all colors. And that is a step by step process. In the end we’re really talking about what Martin King would call a revolution; a transfer of power from oligarchs to every day people of all colors, and that is a step-by-step process. It’s a democratic process, it’s a non-violent process, but it is a revolution, because these oligarchs have been transferring wealth from poor and working people at a very intense rate in the last 30 years, and getting away with it, and then still smiling in our faces and telling us it’s our fault. That’s a lie, and this beautiful group is a testimony to that being a lie. When you get the makings of a U.S. autumn responding to the Arab Spring, and is growing and growing—-I hope it spills over to San Francisco and Chicago and Miami and Phoenix, Arizona, with our brown brothers and sisters, hits our poor white brothers and sisters in Appalachia—-so. it begins to coalesce. And I tell you, it is sublime to see all the different colors, all the different genders, all the different sexual orientations and different cultures, all together here in Liberty Plaza; there’s no doubt about it.

So from the revolts in North Africa, what has been called the “Arab Spring”, what jumped across the straights of Gibralter and spread throughout spain; the peaceful revolution dubbed the “15M” (May 15th was the first day of action)… Thankfully and finally Indignation has spread to the US… Good luck to all there, hopefully we will see this massive spark jump to all those places which are still not indignant and on the streets making change… Like Ireland

Related articles

Martin McGuinness to run for Irish presidency. Sinn Féin to announce deputy first minister of Northern Ireland and former IRA chief of staff Martin McGuinness’ bid to become head of state in Irish Republic (The Guardian 16 September 2011)

Links:

Mainstream coverage: Irish Times | The Guardian (England) Other Coverage: VilaWeb (Catalan) Videos: A Man of the People – Martin kicks off his 32 county election tour in the bogside of Derry | Martin McGuinness at SF Ard Fheis 2011 | Gerry Adams; Martin McGuinness proposed as Presidential candidate | Martin: Late Late show January 2011 (1 + 2) | Gerry Adams & Martin McGuinness |  Martin McGuinness warns Republicans who collaborate with the British | Key Texts: Towards a New Republic: Martin McGuinness Ard Fheis 2011 | Poblacht na hEireann: Irish proclamation of 1916 | McGuinness: My war is over (BBC 2002) | Historical background: Seachtar na Cásca (Easter Week – TG4 7 part series, in Gaeilge, English subs) | Derry: The Battle of the Bogside Documentary | Provos, Loyalists and Brits (BBC 90′s documentary series) | Bloody Sunday (bbc doc) | Bloody Sunday (2002 Paul Greengrass doc) | Films about Ireland: Michael Collins | The Wind That Shakes the Barley (spanish subs) Mary McAleese (Irelands president today, the first Northener): Uachtaráin – Mary McAleese (TG4 vid) | Late Late Show ’07 (1 + 2) | wiki entry

Introduction

Martin McGuinness will run for the upcoming Irish presidencial elections. This is a bold step from Sinn Féin, which is Irelands oldest political party and the only one that covers the entire island. If elected, the former IRA chief of staff Martin McGuinness will be the head of state in the Irish Republic. From IRA head of staff to one of the chief architects which has led to the Northern Ireland Peace Process, Martin has had phenomenal success in doing what was thought impossible; bringing peace and normality to the north of Ireland. Should he be elected, perhaps he can do for the island what he has done for the north. Presently Ireland is in tatters economically, in dire straights again, but in 2016 it will be the 100 year anniversary of the Easter rising of 1916. That is the sacred date which served as the springboard which eventually established the Republic of Ireland, after bloody guerilla war (18-21), the peace treaty and formation of the free state (21) and the formation of the republic (48). There is already much talk of what a “Republic” means today and should Martin get elected he no doubt would play a critical role in bringing that debate toward the dream him and his team have been working toward; An all Island Republic that respects the rights of all its citizens equally, without foreign interference or manipulation. (See end of this article for vid and text of Martins recent address to the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis)

1916 and freedom for Ireland

In 1916 Irish republicans, nationalists and citizens army launched the Easter Rising, a failed revolt against the british crown in Dublin. After a week of intense fighting, the rebels surrendered, many were executed, many many more were held in English prisons but this action proved the spark which led to Irelands freedom from British Imperialism after more than 800 years of occupation. The treaty that led to peace and freedom was a double edged sword, which led to a bloody civil war, this was because the island of Ireland was to be divided in the Southern part, the Irish Free State, and Northern Ireland.

The Troubles

From the division of Ireland till 1969 a thoroughly unjust apartheid statelet existed. Preference was shown to the mostly Protestant community, those who wished to retain the connection with Britain, over the Catholic community, who were the nationalists, many of whom wished to break the connection with Britain and be part of a united Ireland. In 1969, after the growth of a civil rights movement in America, people from both communities united and pushed for a fairer statelet but were met by repeated violence from both the state and communities opposed to these demands. The result of this was that those seeking change felt there was no peaceful way to achieve their goals and that violence was the only answer, with that in 1969 the first major stand off started in Derry, the “Battle of the Bogside“. Pretty soon things had deteriorated terribly, especially after the infamous “Bloody Sunday” and a thoroughly bloody 30 years were to follow with thousands of deaths on all sides of the community as well as many British soldiers stationed there at the behest of the British powers. Martin was one of the many who fought and later was a major player in the IRA, after many failed attempts at ceasefires and peace deals finally something gave way.

Peace on the island and toward the Republic of Ireland 2016

In 1994 an IRA ceasefire was called, political deals were done and most importantly the level of utter violence slowed down. Many thought it would be impossible to bring a seemingly state of normality to what had been a war zone for nearly 30 years. In 1998 dissident republicans let off a terrible bomb in Omagh which killed 33 innocent people, after that there was an island wide referundum to see were people on all the island in favour of peace. This was “The Good Friday Agreement“  and after things seemed to move along quickly. Things are not perfect but from where things were to where they are now is an incredible feat by all parties and players involved, including Martin McGuinness.

In the last Southern elections Gerry Adams moved from the North to the South and is now part of the Dáil, and now another move, that of Martins attempt to become the President of Ireland, things are changing profoundly on this island. Many who have spent most of their lives struggling for their beliefs now feel they are closer than ever to realizing their dream and that they will get there through peaceful means alone; to help bring about the dream of a united island based on strong republican values.

Perhaps in only 5 more years Ireland might indeed be a lot more of a different place. To see what Martins dreams are, view the video below and read the end of this article to view that transcript of his recent address to the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis; Towards a New Republic

________________________________

Martin McGuinness Vids:

A Man of the People – Martin kicks off his 32 county election tour in the bogside of Derry

Martin McGuinness at SF Ard Fheis 2011

Gerry Adams; Martin McGuinness proposed as Presidential candidate

Martin: Late Late show January 2011 part 1

Martin: Late Late show January 2011 part 2

Martin McGuinness warns Republicans who collaborate with the British: Death

Historical background:

Seachtar na Cásca (Easter Week – TG4 7 part series, in Gaeilge, English subs)

Derry: The Battle of the Bogside Documentary

Bloody Sunday (2002 Paul Greengrass doc)

Provos, Loyalists and Brits

________________________________

Martin McGuinness Ard Fheis 2011 – Towards a New Republic (September 9, 2011)

In five short years the people of Ireland will commemorate the centenary of the Easter Rising.

It is our job as Republicans to map out where we want to be in 2016 – and while five years may seem only a short period in which to bring about the sort of fundamental political, social, economic and constitutional change we want – but reflect for a moment on the changes made in the past five years.

This time five years ago the peace process was deadlocked –the DUP leadership had yet to sit down with Sinn Féin – the political institutions remained in what seemed permanent suspension and the two governments seemed bereft of ideas to free up the process.

The onus lay on us – the party driving the peace process forward to take the initiative, salvage the process and ensure that the potential of the Good Friday Agreement was not lost.

So this time five years ago our negotiating team was preparing to head to St. Andrews – within 6 months what people said was impossible had happened – the DUP and Ian Paisley were in power sharing institutions with Sinn Féin and the other parties on the basis of equality.

Republicans had taken another strategic initiative on policing and fully functioning all-Ireland political architecture was up and running.

Also in the course of the five years from then we have seen the Hillsborough Agreement and the transfer of powers on policing and justice away from London and onto the island of Ireland – another significant milestone on our journey.

And also look at where we are as a party – the advances we have made over that five year period. In 2006 when we gathered would anybody have predicted an Executive jointly led by myself and Peter Robinson seeing out a full term? Sinn Féin Ministers making decision around the Executive table which impacted for the better on thousands of ordinary people’s lives.

Would anybody here hand on heart seriously have suggested five years ago that Gerry Adams would be leading a Sinn Fein Oireachtas team of 14 TDS and 3 Senators – that Fianna Fail would be in the position they now find themselves in.

And I rehearse all of this not for the purposes of history – but for the purposes of showing what is possible. Change does not have to take decades – political circumstances can be moulded and shaped and change can quickly happen.

That is the lesson of the past five years and more importantly it is the inspiration for the next five.

So how do we build the New Republic – how do we continue to make change and at the same time deliver for ordinary people day and daily.
We continue to do what we are doing – Sinn Féin is the party of the New Republic – we are the party with vision, with hope and with commitment.

The worst trait in any political leader is to aim low – it is much better to aim high and come up short than not try at all.

It seems to me that some political leaders in Ireland have waved the white flag – they accepted the loss of sovereignty – they accepted the IMF and the ECB – not necessarily because they wanted to but because they hadn’t the vision to look for another way – there is always another way – there is always something better to aim for.

And that is the way we came at the Tory imposed cuts in the Executive budget here, we could have rolled over. We could have agreed with the approach of others. We decided on different approach. And despite a lack of economic levers we have managed to offset some of the worst of the Tory excesses. But it is by no means an ideal situation and many significant economic challenges lie ahead for the Executive.

But I am confident that working together in proper partnership all of the parties around the Executive table can play a role on one hand in protecting the most vulnerable and on the other in sustaining and indeed creating new jobs for our people.

Indeed next week myself and Peter Robinson will travel to the United States for a number of important meetings aimed directly at securing further foreign direct investment and I am hopeful of further progress in this regard.

And yesterday the Executive acted to ensure no increase in Student Fees will take place during this Assembly term.

But we are not simply involved in institutions to mind the shop.

As republicans we have cause and we have purpose. And given the progress of recent years we rightly carry great expectations of what we can achieve in the future. And those expectations go way beyond simply Sinn Féin supporters or even those who want to see a united Ireland. The expectation of us to continue to succeed is shared by many who don’t ultimately share our primary political goal of unity and independence. But it is our duty to continue to reach out to unionists and it is our duty to persuade them of the merits of a new Republic and of their treasured place in it.

In the five years between now and 2016 I want to see us lead a national conversation on the future of this island. We are haemorrhaging our young people to far flung parts of the world in search of work. A combination of greed and arrogance has left much of the Irish people demoralised. That is not the vision of 1916 and it is not my vision for Ireland approaching its centenary.

And our national conversation needs to be truly national and indeed global. Our Diaspora have a stake in our future. Let us begin the work today of structuring a proper engagement on the type of new Republic we want to build – let us engage without preconditions and engage with those who have previously not had their voices heard.

Let us have meetings in every Irish county in the next year – let us meet every group who has a stake in building a new republic. Remember the men and woman of 1916 came from different backgrounds and different places. They had a vision and they had a purpose.

Let the new republic offer hope to those currently under pressure. Let it be based on equality and fairness and let it be a proper Republic with citizens at its core.
And as part of this let us deal with the legacy of the conflict. For too long this issue has been dodged by the two governments. Proper reconciliation is key to the future.

We have already stated that it is our preferred view that a proper international truth commission be put in place. Others have reservations, others are hiding on the issue. But let us be realistic the current status quo is not working for victims and is not working for the wider process. No amount of HET inquiries or even prosecutions will deal with this issue and indeed as some have argued it is making the task of genuine reconciliation all the harder.

The British government shunted the issue onto Eames/Bradley and then quietly placed their report on the shelf. It seems to me that the biggest obstacle to properly dealing with the past is a continuing refusal at the very top of the British system to acknowledge their combatant role in the conflict. This needs to change. And republicans need to realise that dealing with the past will not be an easy process for us – Republicans inflicted much hurt during the conflict – but if we are to build a new Republic and a new future it is necessary and it is a road none of us should be afraid to go down.

And in my experience of recent years many within the unionist community are up for a journey of reconciliation and dialogue. Tonight one of those the Rev. David Latimer from First Derry Presbyterian church has demonstrated that by his courageous decision to accept our invitation to address this Ard Fheis.

No doubt David will say things tonight which will challenge many of us in this hall. And likewise David will hear things tonight that will challenge his view of the future. And that is key – that is what the national conversation I have spoken is all about – we don’t have all the answers and have never claimed to have.

A new Republic can be built. But it will only be built if we take the lead in building it. I trust in the Irish people. I trust in our ability to fulfil the legacy of 1916, I trust in our ability and I trust in our vision for the future.

Five years isn’t a long time in the history of any nation – but in five years as we have already shown political conditions can be transformed. My message from here is that Ireland can be transformed in the next five – join with us in making that happen.

IRELAND: AN ISLAND with 1 rugby team, 2 football (soccer) teams, 32 county Gaelic teams, 1 national anthem, 1 rugby anthem (for away games), 2 rugby “national” anthems ( for home games: national anthem – a soldiers song, sung in gaelic + “Irelands call” sung in English), 4 million people in the “republic”, 1.5 people in the “north” (half of them see themselves as “Irish”, other half “Irish but British”, many of the “Irish” in the southern side dont see this first group as same “Irish” as them) and many many millions elsewhere around the planet who call themselves “Irish” (some born there, some great great grandsons of people born there – all unable to vote in “irish elections”…

Is there any other “country” or “nation” (the rugby team play in the “six nations”) with such a odd and divided sense of self???

EITHERWAY, come on Ireland, beat Wales in the world cup and its ENGLAND (the old enemy) vs IRELAND… and if we win that, we might just go and win the whole blasted thing.

COME ON IRELAND