Thread by @DonalLyons

49 years ago today a Civil Rights march on Duke Street, Derry was attacked by the RUC; a turning point in Ireland's politics #CivilRights50

The march brought together a range of campaign groups but had been banned so as this radio report notes, tensions had risen.
(Tap for sound)

Austin Currie's account of the day also provides a snapshot of the organisation and politics of the Civil Rights movement at the time.

Conn & Patricia McCluskey founded the Campaign for Social Justice in Dungannon in 1964, focusing on discrimination in housing, jobs & voting

of course @eamonderry needs no introduction & indeed remains an extremely able debater with views 'closer to Trotsky' than the Labour Party

The DHAC were formed in 68 to protest housing conditions and provision. Here they are occupying the Guildhall (no sound sadly)

Eddie McAteer was Nationalist Party leader before it broke apart in late 1960s. He lost his Westminster seat to John Hume in 1969.

John Hume had been apprehensive about the march, however the ban & approach of the police during the build-up convinced him to attend.

The video footage captured on Duke Street by RTE's Gay O'Brien showed the world the treatment of the Civil Rights marchers by the RUC

The level of violence directed against a peaceful crowd was shown for all to see.

(That's from Frank Curran's 'Derry: Countdown to Disaster' by the way)

More civil rights demonstrations followed. The students came out in Belfast (Oct 9th) and got as far as Linenhall St

Derry came out again

Burntollet

There were even a few songs

I'll leave the final word to Austin Currie

And try and get the rest of these things scanned in before the actual 50th anniversary.

Managed to get some things scanned in since this. First off is 'Citizens Rights in NI' from the NI Labour Party and @NIC_ICTU. NILP had two members of the NI Parliament in 1966, Tom Boyd (Pottinger) and Vivian Simpson (Oldpark)
donallyons.org/wp-content/upl…
(Click link for full doc)

'Struggle in the North' by Mike Farrell the prominent People's Democracy activist (predates his book 'The Orange State' but similar arguements). donallyons.org/wp-content/upl…
(Click link for full pamphlet)

Eddie McAteer, who as leader of the Nationalist Party agreed to take their seats in the NI House of Commons, served as Leader of the Opposition from 1965 until he lost his seat to John Hume in the 1969 election
donallyons.org/wp-content/upl…
(Click link for full leaflet)

'Eyewitness in Northern Ireland' caused some upset when published with some going as far as to claim that it was a 'false flag' leaflet produced by Jack Lynch's Fianna Fail government.
donallyons.org/wp-content/upl…
(Click link for full pamphlet)

'The Mailed Fist' from the Campaign for Social Justice
"Violence begets violence. We have been revolted at the recent indiscriminate murders by bomb and bullet…” Patricia McCluskey (elected as a Councillor by this stage) donallyons.org/wp-content/upl…
(Click link for full pamphlet)

And of course 'We Shall Overcome'. Borrowed from the American Civil Rights movement (as was mural pictured) which borrowed from American dissenting Methodist tradition donallyons.org/wp-content/upl…

Heres another um... unsettlingly familiar tune being repurposed donallyons.org/wp-content/upl…