The Blanket

The Blanket - A Journal of Protest & Dissent
A "Must Read" For Those With a Serious Interest

Roy H. W. Johnston
Century of Endeavour. A Biographical & Autobiographical View of the Twentieth Century in Ireland
Carlow: Tyndall Publications in association with The Lilliput Press, Dublin. Rev. ed. 2006.
€40.00. ISBN 1-8-4351-080-4

Book Review

 

Liam O Ruairc • 9 January 2007

Any person interested in the history and politics of Irish Republicanism will immediately associate the name of Roy Johnston with Cathal Goulding's attempts to transform the Republican Movement during the 1960s. In Century of Endeavour, Roy Johnston publishes a biography of his father as well as a detailed account of his own life and times.

The book is unlikely to have a wide readership as not many people are likely to be familiar with Roy Johnston or his father. Also, topics such as Bishop Berkeley's economic theory, agricultural research or life in Trinity College during the 1930s will only be of interest to the few. Finally, the fact that this book is very expensive is unlikely to encourage potential readers purchasing it.

The way the book is organised is not very user friendly, the separation of thematical from chronological themes tends to confuse the reader. On top of that the book refers to sources only available on the internet. But when checking the online material "available in full in the hypertext", the reader will be frustrated to find out that the hyperlinks do not work.

That said, Century of Endeavour will become a necessary reference for any future study of the Republican Movement and left politics in Ireland during the 1960s and early 1970s. The most useful parts of the book are those dealing with the author's personal involvement in political developments within the Republican Movement of the 1960s; although to get a full picture of the period, it is necessary to compare this book with Sean MacStiofain's autobiography and and Robert White's recent biography of Ruairi O Bradaigh. Very good source material is provided here by Johnston. He makes use of lots of original documents not available elsewhere such as Ard Comhairle minutes, obscure publications and personal reminiscences. Johnston has fascinating insights into the personality of people like Cathal Goulding, Mick Ryan, C.D Greaves or Seamus Costello. The author provides plenty of names, facts and annecdotes about the Republican Movement, the Wolfe Tone Society, the Civil Rights Movement, the Communist Party and the Connolly Association which will be of great interest to historians and political activists.

Of particular interest are his references to C. Desmond Greaves' personal diaries. It was interesting to find out what the author of The Life and Times of James Connolly (1961) and Liam Mellows and the Irish Revolution (1971) could think for example about the Hungarian crisis of 1956 or Czekoslovakia in 1968. That said, Johnston does not criticize Greaves' transformation of Connolly's teachings into a Leninist trojan horse; to the point of falsifying Connolly's real stance during the First World War. Greaves' support for Lyssenko's 'proletarian science' and rejection of genetics is also recalled. This is hardly surprising, as a crucial part of Roy Johnston's intellectual project was to bridge the gap between science and politics, technology and society. He stresses his debt to and the importance of people such as J.D. Bernal and Farrington; Irish scientists reknowned for their contribution to relate Marxism and Science.

However, there are some regretable ommissions in the book. Johnston for example does not reproduce his famous controversial letter on the alleged sectarian nature of rosary during Republican commemorations. Reading the book demystifies the popular but mistaken idea that the Republican Movement had become "Communist" or "Marxist" during the 1960s: the intellectual currents that Johnston tried to introduce were more liberal than leninist in nature. Johnston father and son are both fundamentally life-long liberals.

The quality of the material included in this book should make it a "must read" to anyone with a serious interest in the politics of the period.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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The Blanket - A Journal of Protest & Dissent

 

 

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Index: Current Articles



22 January 2007

Other Articles From This Issue:

Only A Fool
Anthony McIntyre

Wake Up & Smell the Coffee
John Kennedy

Killing the Messenger
Martin Galvin

Turning Tide
John Kennedy

Derry Debate
Anthony McIntyre

The Issues That Need Debated
Francis Mackey

The Rule of Whose Law?
Mick Hall

GFA Gestapo
Brian Mór

When in a Hole...
Mick Hall

Don't Be Afraid, Do Not Be Fooled
Dolours Price

Provie Peelers
Brian Mór

No Other Law
32 County Sovereignty Movement

Whither Late Sinn Fein?
Michael Gillespie

The Final Step
John Cronin

Moral Duty
Dr John Coulter

Repatriated Prisoner's Thanks
Aiden Hulme

McDowell Blocks 'Last' Repatriation
Fionnbarra O'Dochartaigh

Óglaigh na hÉireann New Years Message 2007
Óglaigh na hÉireann

A "Must Read" For Those With a Serious Interest
Liam O Ruairc

George Faludy’s Happy Days in Hell
Seaghán Ó Murchú

Reflections on the Late David Ervine
Dr John Coulter

In Memoriam David Ervine
Marcel M. Baumann

Michael Ferguson
Anthony McIntyre

"Bloody Sunday" Commemoration Event
George Cuddy

Just Books Belfast Relaunch & Fundraiser
Just Books


2 January 2007

The Final Step
Anthony McIntyre

Of Animal Farm and Similar Stories
Tom Luby

'Securocrats', 'JAPPS' and other 'enemies of the peace process'
Liam O Ruairc

YO HO HO
John Kennedy

Dilseacht (Loyalty)
Mick Hall

Joe & Roy Johnston: 'Water Running Uphill'?
Seaghán Ó Murchú

Concerned Republicans
Dr John Coulter

Telling Moment at Toome
Martin Galvin

Toome Debate
Anthony McIntyre

Wrap It Up
John Kennedy

KKK Taking Root?
Dr John Coulter

British Army Step Up Recruitment Attempts
Republican Socialist Youth Movement

Is This Anti-Americanism, Or What?
Father Sean Mc Manus

Finding Christmas in Uganda
David Adams

That Which Cannot Be Denied
Mick Hall

Has Regime Change Boomeranged?
M. Shahid Alam

Chile: The Ghosts of Torture
Tito Tricot

Biblical Basics
Dr John Coulter

Headbangers
John Kennedy

Across A Table
Anthony McIntyre

 

 

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