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Communist Party of Ireland
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Communist Party of Ireland
The Communist Party of Ireland (CPI) is a Marxist–Leninist party, founded in 1970 and active in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland following a merger of the Irish Workers' Party and the Communist Party of Northern Ireland. It rarely contests elections and has never had electoral success. The party is a member of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties. Throughout the period of the Cold War, the CPI openly aligned with the Soviet Union. During the Troubles, the party procured some arms for the faction which became the Official IRA. The party closely supported the Cuban Revolution and campaigns such as the Birmingham Six. Minor splits from the CPI included the Eurocommunist-inspired Irish Marxist Society.
The Communist Party of Ireland formed in 1970 following a merger of the Irish Workers' Party and the Communist Party of Northern Ireland. Michael O'Riordan, a member of the Communist Party of Ireland (1933), became general secretary and would remain in that role until 1983. In March 1970, following the CPNI/IWP merger, the new Communist Party of Ireland issued a manifesto called For Unity and Socialism, advocating the election of left-wing governments in both parts of Ireland, and, eventually, the creation of a United Ireland.
One notable split from the CPI was the Eurocommunist group the Irish Marxist Society, which left the CPI around 1976. The IMS was founded by Joe Deasy (1922–2013), Sam Nolan (1930-), Paddy Carmody, George Jeffares, Mick O'Reilly (1946-) and other former CPI members. The IMS advocated Marxist feminism and was also outspoken in its rejection of the two nations theory of Northern Ireland. Most of the IMS's members later joined the Irish Labour Party, where they played a leading role in the formation of Labour Left.
The CPI strongly criticised the Anglo-Irish Agreement, claiming the AIA "underlined Partition and gave Britain a direct say in the affairs of the Republic". In the 1980s, its membership declined significantly during the electoral rise of the Workers' Party and this trend continued after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The party's aim is to win the support of the majority of the Irish people for ending the capitalist system and for building socialism. It is actively opposed to neo-liberalism and to the European Union.
Autobiographical accounts of the party in this period have been written by Mick O'Reilly, Helena Sheehan and Kevin McMahon.
The party stood two candidates in the 2014 local elections, neither was elected. The CPI fielded one candidate for the 2016 Dáil Éireann election for the Cork North-West constituency.
In January 2021, the Connolly Youth Movement dropped its support for the programme of the CPI. In February, the CPI issued a statement stating that several dual (CPI-CYM) members had been expelled for severe breaches of discipline and factional behaviour within the CPI prior to the CYM's decision to drop its support for the programme of the CPI.
On 2 June 2021, the CPI released a statement distancing itself from its former Belfast branch due to the actions of former party members in the city. The statement also announced the founding of a new Greater Belfast branch to replace the Belfast branch and noted that the branch's social media pages and Unity newspaper were still in the hands of the former members of the Belfast branch.
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Communist Party of Ireland
The Communist Party of Ireland (CPI) is a Marxist–Leninist party, founded in 1970 and active in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland following a merger of the Irish Workers' Party and the Communist Party of Northern Ireland. It rarely contests elections and has never had electoral success. The party is a member of the International Meeting of Communist and Workers' Parties. Throughout the period of the Cold War, the CPI openly aligned with the Soviet Union. During the Troubles, the party procured some arms for the faction which became the Official IRA. The party closely supported the Cuban Revolution and campaigns such as the Birmingham Six. Minor splits from the CPI included the Eurocommunist-inspired Irish Marxist Society.
The Communist Party of Ireland formed in 1970 following a merger of the Irish Workers' Party and the Communist Party of Northern Ireland. Michael O'Riordan, a member of the Communist Party of Ireland (1933), became general secretary and would remain in that role until 1983. In March 1970, following the CPNI/IWP merger, the new Communist Party of Ireland issued a manifesto called For Unity and Socialism, advocating the election of left-wing governments in both parts of Ireland, and, eventually, the creation of a United Ireland.
One notable split from the CPI was the Eurocommunist group the Irish Marxist Society, which left the CPI around 1976. The IMS was founded by Joe Deasy (1922–2013), Sam Nolan (1930-), Paddy Carmody, George Jeffares, Mick O'Reilly (1946-) and other former CPI members. The IMS advocated Marxist feminism and was also outspoken in its rejection of the two nations theory of Northern Ireland. Most of the IMS's members later joined the Irish Labour Party, where they played a leading role in the formation of Labour Left.
The CPI strongly criticised the Anglo-Irish Agreement, claiming the AIA "underlined Partition and gave Britain a direct say in the affairs of the Republic". In the 1980s, its membership declined significantly during the electoral rise of the Workers' Party and this trend continued after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The party's aim is to win the support of the majority of the Irish people for ending the capitalist system and for building socialism. It is actively opposed to neo-liberalism and to the European Union.
Autobiographical accounts of the party in this period have been written by Mick O'Reilly, Helena Sheehan and Kevin McMahon.
The party stood two candidates in the 2014 local elections, neither was elected. The CPI fielded one candidate for the 2016 Dáil Éireann election for the Cork North-West constituency.
In January 2021, the Connolly Youth Movement dropped its support for the programme of the CPI. In February, the CPI issued a statement stating that several dual (CPI-CYM) members had been expelled for severe breaches of discipline and factional behaviour within the CPI prior to the CYM's decision to drop its support for the programme of the CPI.
On 2 June 2021, the CPI released a statement distancing itself from its former Belfast branch due to the actions of former party members in the city. The statement also announced the founding of a new Greater Belfast branch to replace the Belfast branch and noted that the branch's social media pages and Unity newspaper were still in the hands of the former members of the Belfast branch.
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