| From Unity, 3 March 2007 |
Wide openby Hermann Glaser-BaurWhen we came around the corner into Essex Street at about 5 p.m. last Friday, a group of young activists sat on the footpath outside Connolly House, putting posters for the “Shell to sea” march together which was going to take place the next day.It was like a look-out on things to come, and very promising to see the CPI headquarters back to being a centre of political life before it had even been reopened. Two long hard years of complete restoration—a time that had very obviously been very rough on the nerves of the general secretary, Eugene McCartan, and all the other comrades involved—came to an end at exactly 8:30 that evening. After a short but very powerful speech (which I think should be put up on the walls of the shop), the CPI chairwoman, Lynda Walker, cut the red ribbon which had been put across the door. Her old profession (making scissors) showed when she complained about “this modern nightmare of bad scissors” she had been given to do the job. An amazing thing happened then. As if a floodgate had been opened somewhere out there in Temple Bar, people just poured into the place for about an hour, non-stop. There were two of us at the door, and we stopped counting at well over four hundred. Many people didn’t get in or decided to come back when there was going to be some room. There is no point in listing all the actors, filmmakers, writers, musicians and journalists who had come: their names would fill pages. Very important for us as communists: the labour movement was present in strength; every major union in Ireland had sent representatives. A little highlight which has to be mentioned was the presence of James Connolly’s great-grandson. The place was wide open all night—theatre, party offices, shop and all—and it presented itself in state-of-the-art condition. The bookshop is spacious and will have a high-quality textiles section added. The theatre is finished to a high specification; that goes for the lighting and sound system as well as for the seating. Most visitors on the night could only guess at the comfort of the New Theatre: the place was packed from beginning to end. It should be a pleasure for our Dublin comrades to work in the well-laid-out and finished offices. The basement will host a much-needed political archive. “This is the rebirth of the Communist Party” was one of the many comments. I rejected that one: a communist party’s life is not solely dependent on a building; and in order to be reborn one has to die first. But the reopening of Connolly House was certainly a huge step forward in our party’s life. “The great music tonight here on stage gives great hopes. This is an organic part of us, part of our struggle for a culture-full life, part of our struggle for a better future.” The closing words of the Dublin communist Tom Redmond on stage summed up what many felt: there is a great future if we can get together and gain back the confidence to fight for it. If the party manages to capitalise on this massive show of interest and support, if the visits of many become regular again, if we push to X out the “ex” in many comrades’ names (and thereby come in line with the trend in most European communist parties), the future is indeed bright, and the reopening will turn into a really historic event. |
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