The James Connolly Festival is an annual, week-long series of events in radical arts, culture, and politics. It is a community-centred celebration of music, film, discussion and debate that brings together the ideas and thoughts of progressive and radical thinkers and organisations from around Ireland and beyond.

The festival will take place from The New Theatre in Temple Bar and venues across Dublin city. It opens with a discussion entitled ‘Building Working Class Power’ that will feature newly elected general secretary of Unite The Union, Sharon Graham.

None more pressing than the question of housing. We welcome Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin to take part in a panel debate ‘Ireland’s Housing Crisis – Public Housing The Solution’, hosted by Community Action Tenants Union (CATU).

The New Theatre will be the venue for a discussion on ‘Traveller History, Culture, and Movements’ with an array of speakers and performers from within the Travelling community including Mags Casey (Travellers Mental Health Network) and Margaret O’Leary (Southside Travellers Action Group)

This year’s James Connolly Memorial Lecture is to be presented by the eminent Marxist thinker John Bellamy Foster, editor of Monthly Review and author of many books including The Return Of Nature: Socialism & Ecology

Peace And Neutrality Alliance (PANA) will host an event on peace and Irish neutrality with Clare Daly (MEP), Ed Horgan of Shannonwatch and Roger Cole.

As the question of a united Ireland intensifies, the Peadar O’Donnell Socialist Republican Forum will hold a talk on sectarianism that will include Rev. Dr Mark Gray (Presbyterian Church), Gerry Carroll MLA, and others.

On Friday 13 May the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign host a gig and Q&A with the musical duo Gazelleband (Palestinian oud-player Reem Anbar and musician Louis Brehony).
The following night will have the actor Emmet Kirwan MC a show with Irish rapper Rebel Phoenix and guests at Peadar Kearney’s basement in Dame Street.
The Small Trans Library will host a screening of Keyboard Fantasies, the story of black transgender folk-electronic music pioneer Glenn Copeland

Left-wing Irish-language advocates Misneach will host a poetry and conversational event in Connolly Books.

And, as is customary, the festival will close on Sunday 15 May at Arbour Hill by the graveside of our greatest martyr, James Connolly, followed by a drinks reception and traditional music session to close the festival in The Cobblestone.