About this episode
Orla Thomas discusses the significance of the Easter Rising of 1916 and its implications for communism today.
The Easter Rising of 1916 is one of the most inspiring events in Irish revolutionary history. The rising saw Europe’s first Red Army, the Irish Citizen’s Army, fight the forces of British Imperialism on the streets of Dublin and sacrifice their lives for the cause of a free Ireland for the Irish workers and poor. When Lenin got news of the Rising, he criticised those who wrote it off as a ‘putsch’ saying ‘Whoever expects a ‘pure’ social revolution will never live to see it. Such a person pays lip-service to revolution without understanding what revolution is.’ These comments still ring true today with the history of the rising falling victim to all kinds of distortions. In this talk from Revolution Festival 2025, Orla Thomas from the RCP Central Committee will set the record straight on the history of the Rising, discuss its lessons , and explain the importance of the Irish national question for communists in Britain today.
People in this episode
Guest: Orla Thomas
Topics covered
- Irish revolutionary history
- British Imperialism
- social revolution
- communism
- national question
- historical distortion
Keywords
- Easter Rising
- Irish Citizen’s Army
- British Imperialism
- Lenin
- revolution
- Irish workers
- historical distortion
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Revolutionary Communist Party
Places: Ireland, Britain, Dublin
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