Notes on authors

Bernadette McAliskey.  Perhaps the major figure of the Irish resistance, Bernadette needs little introduction.

Brendan Hughes was the leader of the 1980 IRA hunger strike in the H-Blocks which commenced twenty years ago this month.  He is a member of the Republican Writers Group.

Aindrias Ó Cathasaigh is a socialist living in Dublin. He is the author of An Modh Conghaileach (1996) and Karl Marx: Saothar a shaoil (1997), and has edited James Connolly's The Lost Writings. He is a  frequent contributor to the independent socialist magazine Red Banner.

J. M. Thorn. The nom de plume of a socialist academic specialising in African politics

Tommy McKearney is a republican activist and fomer hunger striker.  A  member of the Irish Republian Writers Group, he published "Surrender" immedately after the IRA announcement in May 2000 hat they would opetn arms dumps for inspection.

Tony McIntyre is a Belfast academic and former republican hunger striker.  He has written extensively on the changes within republicanism and the significance of the Good Friday agreement and has faced a great deal of hostility from some of this former comrades.  The article above was written in March 2001 after a campaign of intimidation and harassment, publicly supported by Sinn Fein and clearly designed to drive himself and his partner from their home.

Kevin Bean is a lecturer in history and a member of the Republican writers group. He edited a recent book 'Republican Voices' charting views amongst republican activists in the aftermath of the Good Friday agreement

David Coen has written on Irish affairs for many years for the British magazine Socialist Outlook and the International publication International Viewpoint.  The article above was written for this collection in July  2000.

Matt Siegfried is an American socialist and longstanding member of the Solidarity movement.

John McAnulty is a writer and socialist activist.  A founder member of Peoples Democracy in 1969, an active socialist ever since, he was elected to Belfast City council during the H-Block campaign.

Joe Craig is a long-standing member of Socialist Democracy and joint author of  Ireland - the Promise of Socialism and The Real Irish Peace Process.  He is currently writing a book on Social Partnership between Unions and Bosses in Ireland.