Connolly Youth Movement

The Connolly Youth Movement (CYM) (Irish: Ógra Uí Chonghaile) is an all-Ireland Marxist-Leninist youth organisation.[1] It is affiliated to but operationally independent of the Communist Party of Ireland. Internationally, the Connolly Youth Movement is affiliated to the World Federation of Democratic Youth. The CYM includes young activists from many different political backgrounds who are in opposition to imperialism and to the capitalist system in Ireland and throughout the world. It takes its name from the revolutionary socialist James Connolly.

Connolly Youth Movement
ChairpersonA.C. O'Connor
Secretary GeneralAlexander Homits
Founded1963
HeadquartersConnolly House, Dublin
Ideology
Mother partyCommunist Party of Ireland
International affiliationWorld Federation of Democratic Youth
Websitewww.cym.ie

History and current status

The CYM was founded in 1963 by young republicans who were influenced by the Communist Party during the Dublin Housing Action struggle. The CYM disbanded in 1991 due to a reduction in membership following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and eastern and central European bloc and the resulting political crisis in the World Communist Movement. However, following the resurgence of the left and anti-capitalist movement in Ireland, the CYM re-formed in 2002, grouped mainly around young members of the Dublin Branch of the CPI and student activists in NUI (National University of Ireland), Galway. The Connolly Youth Movement has relations with a number of young communist organisations around the world. The Connolly Youth Movement attends the Meeting of European Communist Youth Organizations (MECYO).[2]

Activities

In 2017, members of the Cork branch of the Connolly Youth Movement occupied and re-purposed three derelict buildings near UCC as part of an initiative to highlight rising levels of homelessness.[3][4] 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.[5][6][7] The first occupation, still ongoing as of 2020, is referred to as Connolly Barracks by the organisation.[8]

The Connolly Youth Movement was involved in highly publicised instances of direct action in 2018[9] and 2019[10][11] when members of the movement disrupted Fine Gael public meetings in Cork in protest of government policy in relation to homelessness and wealth inequality. One such action was branded as "profoundly undemocratic" by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The organisation responded that it had a right to challenge and question the government on policy issues.[12]

Publications

CYM publishes a magazine titled Forward quarterly.[13]

Affiliations

Prominent past members of CYM

References
  1. "Constitution". CYM. 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  2. "Communist Party of Greece - Message of support of the Communist Youth Organizations". es.kke.gr. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  3. "Group squat in Cork house to highlight crisis". Echo Live. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  4. "Students face eviction from liberated building | University Express". UCC Express. 2017-11-08. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  5. https://www.eveningecho.ie/corknews/Gardai-evict-anti-homelessness-protestors-6bb050fd-99c0-4d7b-840e-8db918a683bd-ds
  6. https://cym.ie/2018/07/26/armed-response-unit-break-up-political-protest-in-cork-ireland/
  7. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/north-frederick-street-looks-like-proof-that-the-system-is-conspiring-against-the-people-1.3628003
  8. https://www.pressreader.com/ireland/hot-press/20191218/282046213995457
  9. "Connolly Youth Movement Disrupt Simon Coveney Event in UCC | University Express". UCC Express. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  10. Duffy, Rónán. "'Have you a job? Have you a job?' - Tense exchanges as FG Cork meeting disrupted by protesters". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  11. Roche, Barry. "Varadkar calls protesters who halted Fine Gael meeting 'anti-democratic'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  12. "Taoiseach brands Cork protest 'profoundly undemocratic'". Breaking News. 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  13. https://www.cym.ie/category/forward/
  14. "Communist Party of Ireland". www.communistpartyofireland.ie. Retrieved 2020-02-10.
  15. Declan Bree
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