Alan MacSimoin 1957-2018

[Kate Sharpley]

The Kate Sharpley Library collective are saddened to pass on news of the death of Irish anarchist and historian Alan MacSimoin. Coming from Irish Republicanism to anarchism in the 1970s, he belonged to the Murrays Defence Committee, the Dublin Anarchist Group, the Anarchist Workers Alliance and helped found the Workers Solidarity Movement in 1984.

The Workers Solidarity Movement said “The WSM are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the death of Alan MacSimoin, one of our founder members, a friend, and a key central figure in building the anarchist movement in Ireland for over four decades. Alan had not been a member of WSM for some years but remained politically active right to the end. His last Facebook post on November 29th was supporting the locked out bricklayers at Mary’s Mansions. Alan will be sorely missed by all in the WSM and we offer our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”

Some of his historical work can be seen at his Irish Anarchist History project website irishanarchisthistory

We at the KSL send our condolences to his family, friends and comrades.

Sources:
Alan MacSimoin (1957-2018) – Dublin Historian and Political Activist
Alan MacSimoin - Rest In Power | Workers Solidarity Movement
Tributes on libcom: Alan MacSimoin
An interview (2012) about the Irish Anarchist History project: Interview with Alan MacSimóin of the Irish Anarchist History Archive

 

[flypanam]

Shit.

I only knew him through the, at the time, micro Irish left, I was in the Irish SWP and he was obviously in the WSM. Always friendly and always willing to explain his position could be a little sharp but with good humour. A true working class hero. A big loss.

He had a great influence on the like of Donal Fallon and the lads around the Come Here to Me blog.

 

[Kate Sharpley]

He had a great influence on the like of Donal Fallon and the lads around the Come Here to Me blog

Yes, the piece on come here to me talks about that

 

[danny la rouge]

Thanks for this, Kate Sharpley Sorry to hear it.

 

[Kate Sharpley]

Photo: Alan at launch of Come Here To Me! book 1 in December 2012. Credit – Paul Reynolds (lifted [with permission - thanks!] from Come Here To Me: link).

 

[charlie mowbray]

Obituary: Alan MacSimoin, 1957-2018 – Anarchist Communist Group

"Anarchist Communist Group members are saddened to hear about the death of veteran Irish anarchist, Alan MacSimoin.

Alan started his political life with Official Sinn Fein’s youth organisation when still at school but broke with republicanism and went on to help set up Dublin Anarchist Group in 1978. Later he was involved in setting up the Anarchist Workers Alliance and later still he was a founder member of the Workers Solidarity Movement. Although Alan parted company with the WSM more recently, he nevertheless continued to be active politically until his death. Alan was on the platformist wing of the libertarian movement.

A number of ACG members have had comradely dealings with Alan over the decades. One ACG member says:

I am shocked and saddened to hear of the news of the death of Alan MacSimoin. In the 1970s as national secretary of the Anarchist Workers Association I corresponded with a young man in an Irish Republican youth organisation who had started considering anarchist ideas. This was Alan and he went on to working with us to setting up an anarchist organisation in the Republic , This eventually became the Workers Solidarity Movement. Alan parted with the WSM some years ago but he remained an active anarchist till the end. He was bright and acerbic and always well dressed whenever I met him. A great loss to the movement and to the world. Totally choked to hear this news.

The ACG offers its condolences to Alan’s family, friends and comrades past and present.

Alan MacSimoin, presente!"

 

[Nigel]

Sad News !

R.I.P.

 

[butchersapron]

Just come across a passage/reference to Alan MacSimoin resigning from (O)SF in 1975 as "he found the movement's new policies incompatible with his libertarian communist views'" in a book i'm reading. This was 1975 when the OIRA were Trot-hunting, sucking up to/ becoming the stalinists, killing socialists etc. (Book is The Lost Revolution: The Story of the Official IRA and the Workers' Party btw).

 

[charlie mowbray]

Yes, he started to write letters to the Organisation of Revolutionary Anarchists of which I was national secretary at the time. The resulting correspondence helped him break with republicanism and he worked with us and we did joint work including in defence of the Murrays, Alain coming over to help with pickets we mounted at the Irish Embassy

 

[Fedayn]

Just come across a passage/reference to Alan MacSimoin resigning from (O)SF in 1975 as "he found the movement's new policies incompatible with his libertarian communist views'" in a book i'm reading. This was 1975 when the OIRA were Trot-hunting, sucking up to/ becoming the stalinists, killing socialists etc. (Book is The Lost Revolution: The Story of the Official IRA and the Workers' Party btw).

Cracking book

 

[Limerick Red]

Noticed the thread bump here, and thought I'd share this for those who didn't see it:



An interview with the Irish Marxist Republican Project. I didn't know Alan other than to see / say hello, but no-one had a bad word to say about him.

 

[splonkydoo]

The WSM have put up a formal statement of their disbandment.

WSM to disband

The Workers Solidarity Movement has taken the decision to disband the organisation some 37 years after it formed. While we recognise the WSM’s many achievements over the years and while we are each…

cedarlounge.wordpress.com

 

[The39thStep]

The WSM have put up a formal statement of their disbandment.

WSM to disband

The Workers Solidarity Movement has taken the decision to disband the organisation some 37 years after it formed. While we recognise the WSM’s many achievements over the years and while we are each…

cedarlounge.wordpress.com

Great pity . Some of us still fondly remember their Darlington Branch