Connolly Youth Movement

Connolly Youth Movement
Ógra Uí Chonghaile
Founded1963
Preceded byNorthern Ireland Young Communist League
Ideology
Mother partyCommunist Party of Ireland (1963–2021)
International affiliationWFDY
MagazineForward
Websitewww.cym.ie Edit this at Wikidata

The Connolly Youth Movement (CYM, Irish: Ógra Uí Chonghaile) is an all-Ireland communist and Marxist–Leninist youth organisation named after revolutionary socialist James Connolly. It was founded in 1963 and was affiliated with the Communist Party of Ireland until 2021.[1] It is a member of the World Federation of Democratic Youth.[2]

History and current status

The Connolly Youth Movement was founded in 1963.[1] In 1970, with the merger of the Irish Workers' Party and Communist Party of Northern Ireland to form the Communist Party of Ireland (CPI),[3] the Northern Ireland Young Communist League joined the CYM,[1] with Madge Davison as its general secretary.[4] The organisation dissolved in the early 1990s and was re-formed by the CPI in 2005.[1]

In January 2021, CYM announced that an Extraordinary Ard Fheis had voted to rescind its support for the programme of the Communist Party of Ireland and to disaffiliate from the party.[1][5] The Communist Party issued its own statement on the split, saying that several dual CPI–CYM members had recently been expelled from the party for alleged breaches of discipline and factional behaviour.[6]

Policies and ideology

The CYM is constitutionally a Marxist-Leninist organisation.[7] It opposes the Good Friday Agreement and the European Union.[8] In July 2022 it published a new programme, Cause of Youth, Cause of Ireland. This included a commitment to Irish unity, revival of Irish culture and promotion of the Irish language, civil rights, free education, free healthcare on an all-Ireland basis, action on climate change, a public housing programme, international solidarity, and "a comprehensive system of worker's rights".[9]

Logo of the group in 2020

In 2020, CYM's then General Secretary Alex Homits stated that "poverty and trafficking are the leading creators of sex workers."[10] The CYM have offered solidarity to those engaged in sex work, and support for decriminalisation of the purchase of sex.[11]

The CYM condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine as an "inter-capitalist conflict" and a "highly dangerous and irresponsible course of action which will lead to the loss of many lives and create a fusebox of conflict". It criticised the Ukrainian government and said the eastward enlargement of NATO was a cause of the war. The CYM also recognises the Russian-controlled breakaway states of the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic in Ukraine.[12]

The CYM has denied China's human rights abuses against Uyghurs.[13]

The CYM opposed the Israeli invasion of Gaza, calling it a genocide,[14] and supported calls to expel the Israeli ambassador.[15] Previously they have also called for the release of Palestinian political prisoners and expressed support for Palestinian self-determination and opposition to Israel's illegal settlements in the West Bank.[16] The CYM is also a supporter of the BDS campaign.[17]

Activities

In 2017, members of the Cork branch of the Connolly Youth Movement occupied a formerly vacant house near UCC, saying the action was intended to highlight the housing crisis.[18][19] In 2018, two of these buildings were repossessed by the Garda Emergency Response Unit acting in conjunction with a contractor for the O'Dwyer Asset Management Company that owned the vacant properties.[20][21][22] The first occupation, still ongoing as of 2021, is referred to as Connolly Barracks by the organisation.[23]

The Connolly Youth Movement was involved in highly publicised instances of direct action in 2018[24] and 2019[25][26] when members of the movement disrupted Fine Gael public meetings in Cork in protest of government policy on homelessness and wealth inequality. One such action was criticised by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who stated "I think no matter what political party you come from or what your political views, we should all be committed to democracy and freedom of speech and trying to shout other people down and trying to shut down their meetings is profoundly anti-democratic".[27] The CYM responded that it had a right to challenge and question the government on policy issues.[28] In a March 2020 interview, CYM General Secretary Alex Homits said "Socialism will not and cannot be delivered through the ballot box and the CYM and its membership will not lie about this or endorse those who do".[10]

In July 2020, Connolly Youth activists, supported by members of Saoradh, the Irish Republican Socialist Party and Lasair Dhearg, smashed an Irish Freedom Party stall in Belfast.[29]

In March 2023, members of the Connolly Youth Movement disrupted an event in Dublin City University where Bertie Ahern was receiving an honorary doctorate, calling him an "architect of the financial crisis" before being removed from the venue.[30]

In June 2023, Connolly Youth activists holding an anti-NATO banner disrupted a forum discussing Irish defence policy. Micheál Martin, who was giving a speech, accused them of being undemocratic and trying to shut down debate.[31]

Publications

The CYM publishes a print magazine titled Forward, with online articles published under the same title.[32]

Affiliations

Prominent past members of CYM

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Connolly Youth Movement". Irish Left Archive. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 "CYM participates in CENA camp 2022, Madrid - Connolly Youth Movement". cym.ie. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2024. Between 26 and 28 June 2022, members of the Connolly Youth Movement took part in the Committee of Europe and North America (CENA) Camp in Madrid, organised by the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY).
  3. ↑ Milotte, Mike (1984). Communism in Modern Ireland: The Pursuit of the Workers' Republic since 1916. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan. pp. 281–282. ISBN 9780841909700.
  4. 1 2 "Communist Party of Ireland". communistpartyofireland.ie. Retrieved 9 April 2024. In 1970, the Communist Youth League merged with the Connolly Youth Movement (founded in 1963), and Madge Davison became the first general secretary of the all-Ireland CYM.
  5. ↑ "CYM Statement on Disaffiliation". Connolly Youth Movement. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  6. ↑ "Statement on CPI-CYM relations". Communist Party of Ireland. 9 February 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  7. ↑ Twomey, Fergal, ed. (10 February 2022). "What Does it Mean to be an Unreconstructed Communist?". Forward. No. 33. Connolly Youth Movement. p. 2. Retrieved 9 April 2024 – via issuu.com. The Connolly Youth Movement is a Marxist-Leninist Socialist Republican organisation and must remain so.
  8. ↑ "Cause of Youth, Cause of Ireland". Connolly Youth Movement. 2022. pp. 17–19.
  9. ↑ "Programme | Clár -". 7 November 2018. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  10. 1 2 Norton, Alexander (4 March 2020). "Red ambition: the Connolly Youth Movement in 2020". Morning Star. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  11. ↑ CYM Editorial Team (4 June 2020). "When Sex Workers Win, All Women Win". cym.ie. Archived from the original on 19 August 2020.
  12. ↑ "The CYM condemns war in Ukraine". Connolly Youth Movement. 25 February 2022.
  13. ↑ "Uyghurs and China: The Facts". Connolly Youth Movement. 27 February 2021. Archived from the original on 13 August 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
  14. ↑ "Israel begins most genocidal operation in Rafah - Forward". cym.ie. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  15. ↑ "UCC students protest for Palestinians and call for Israeli ambassador to be expelled". Irish Independent. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024. Members of UCC's Connolly Youth Movement, protest for Palestinians and call for Israeli ambassador to be expelled.
  16. ↑ "Statement Calling For The Release Of Palestinian Prisoners". cym.ie. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2024. We take this opportunity to reiterate our condemnation of the genocidal policy of the Zionist State of Israel against the Palestinian people, as well as our firm solidarity with the Palestinian cause and their legitimate struggle against the Zionist occupation, the right to self-determination and the return of Palestinian refugees to their lands.
  17. ↑ "The Irish government supports Israel - Forward". cym.ie. 31 March 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024. That is why CYM activists have consistently engaged in and supported actions calling for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, such as those being carried out regularly in Belfast.
  18. ↑ McGuinness, Grainne (27 October 2017). "Group squat in Cork house to highlight crisis". Echo Live. Retrieved 3 May 2026.
  19. ↑ "Students face eviction from liberated building | University Express". UCC Express. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  20. ↑ "Gardaí evict anti-homelessness protestors". Evening Echo. 1 August 2018.
  21. ↑ "Armed Response Unit Break Up Political Protest in Cork, Ireland". CYM. 26 July 2018.
  22. ↑ Mullally, Una. "North Frederick Street looks like proof that the system is conspiring against the people". The Irish Times.
  23. ↑ "Cork's Connolly Barracks". Hot Press. 23 January 2020.
  24. ↑ "Connolly Youth Movement Disrupt Simon Coveney Event in UCC | University Express". UCC Express. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  25. ↑ Duffy, Rónán (May 2019). "'Have you a job? Have you a job?' – Tense exchanges as FG Cork meeting disrupted by protesters". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  26. ↑ Roche, Barry. "Varadkar calls protesters who halted Fine Gael meeting 'anti-democratic'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  27. ↑ Roche, Barry (1 May 2019). "Varadkar calls protesters who halted Fine Gael meeting 'anti-democratic'". Irish Times. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  28. ↑ "Taoiseach brands Cork protest 'profoundly undemocratic'". Breaking News. 2 May 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  29. ↑ "Activists 'evict' Far-Right Irish party as it sets up stall in centre of Belfast". Belfast Telegraph. 27 July 2020.
  30. ↑ McConnell, Daniel (2 March 2023). "Student protestors disrupt Bertie Ahern conferral saying he 'does not deserve any award'". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  31. ↑ "Martin hits out at 'incoherent' protesters who were removed during forum speech in Cork". Irish Examiner. 22 June 2023.
  32. ↑ "Forward". CYM.
  33. ↑ "Communist Party of Ireland". www.communistpartyofireland.ie. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  34. ↑ Yearbook on International Communist Affairs. Stanford University. 1980. p. 177.
  35. ↑ "Manus O'Riordan obituary: A man of high intellect with many passions". The Irish Times.
  36. ↑ "Heckling Dev". History Ireland.
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