First we have Bob Goupillots introduction for speakers:
2.10 Bob Goupillot. I met Allan during the Great Miners Strike but really got to know him during the Poll Tax. Since then Allan and I were in an alphabet soup of organisations including The Red Republicans, the SSP, The Republican Communist Network, the Radical Independence Campaign and the Republican Socialist Platform. He was a very dear friend and close comrade. I loved him and I miss him.
My role today is as ‘master of ceremonies’ and assisting the speakers where necessary.
Order of Speakers
2.15 John Dennis was a comrade and friend from when Allan was a student and John was at school in Aberdeen. John was an EIS activist and Secretary of Dumfries and Galloway Local Association. He is now Secretary of Dumfries and Galloway Trades Council, organising a campaign to keep far right racists our of Dumfries. Allan described John as someone who showed that close involvement in official union politics doesn’t have to mean abandonment of principles.
2.25 Allan met Ray Burnett when they were both students at Aberdeen University. He described Ray as one of his earliest political inspirations and thought his contribution to Scottish socialist politics was very significant.
2.30 Myra was Allan’s wife for over 50 years, and they were EISIMG in, the early days. He was a school and further education teacher, and worked with Allan in Rank and File Teachers, becoming a comrade and close friend despite their different political roots.
2.45 The next speaker Iain Robertson is one of Allan’s long standing personal friends and also a political ally and fellow teacher. They shared an enthusiasm for the outdoors as much as politics and the pub, staying in bothies and wild camping half way up a mountain on the isle of Rhum. Iain Robertson speech here.
2.50 Hillary Horrocks became politicised through ’68 and the Vietnam anti-war movement, and joined and worked for the Workers Revolutionary Party for several years. She met and worked with Allan in the Anti Poll Tax Campaign where despite their different political backgrounds they became comrades and friends.
2.55 Paul Stewart is a socialist republican from a protestant Derry and Belfast background. He was Professor of Sociology and Work at Strathclyde University, and is now a visiting Professor in Grenoble. Paul first met Allan at a conference organised by the Independent Workers’ Union in Cork City in 2010, and they maintained contact after that. He has recently been involved in publishing one of Allan’s last pieces of work.
3pm Tommy McKearney is a former member of the IRA, a political ex-prisoner and was on hunger strike for 53 days in 1980. He is the author of The Provisional IRA: From Insurrection to Parliament (Pluto Press, 2011) and writes a regular column for the monthly Socialist Voice. He is currently involved in the Peadar O’Donnell Socialist Republican Forum which is seeking to build a united socialist republican movement in Ireland. On a number of occasions, Allan arranged for Tommy to address political meetings in Edinburgh. During canvassing for the independence referendum, Tommy was delighted to organise several speaking events for Allan in Belfast.
3.05 Catriona Grant is a lifelong Edinburgh socialist and feminist who worked with Allan in the SSA and the SSP. She is a highly trained social worker and radical lawyer and works for a charity supporting parents and carers who find themselves clashing with the state.
3.10 Nick Steff One of the founding members of the Republican Communist Network (RCN) and who played a monumental role in preparing Allan’s latest book ready for publication. Nick Steff speech here.
3.15 Mary McGregor (Fields of Athenry) Another of the founding members of the RCN who will introduce the next bit. Mary McGregor intro here.
3.20 Nick Gotts met Allan through Edinburgh Radical Independence Campaign (RIC), and quickly developed a great liking for him, and respect for his deep political knowledge and thinking. Their friendship ripened working in Another Europe is Possible, and the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign Scotland. As a member of the Scottish Green Party, Nick is currently trying to get Allan’s brilliant phrase “Internationalism From Below” into the next SGP manifesto.
3.25 Peter Cooper was a member of the IMG for over 30 years, and took a lengthy break from political activity when his twins were born. He is now an ESOL teacher and works in the Scottish Ukraine solidarity Campaign which he co-founded.
3.30 Connor Beaton became politicised as a teenager during the referendum campaign. He was a member of the SSP for 6 years, was national secretary for a year before he left, and was a founding member with Allan of the Republican Socialist Platform.
3.35 Iain and Ewan Robertson
Several years ago Allan, myself and Iain Robertson climbed a hill near the Spittal of Glenshee, called Ben Goolapeeng (meaning hill of the Curlew).
Allan had wanted to climb this particular hill because of its association with Hamish Henderson whom he admired.
We will close this session with a performance of one of his best known songs referencing the injustices of the British empire, acknowledging the role of the Scottish squaddies and lambasting the Masters of War.
Hamish often set his songs to pipe tunes. Iain Robertson will play this tune followed by his son Ewan on guitar and vocals.
The song, of course, is Freedom Come All Ye.
Please join in only for the final verse which begins
So come all ye at hame with Freedom
3.45 Bob Drawing Formal part to a close
– Thanks everybody especially speakers and those who have come so far.
– We have been remembering Allan and his impact on our lives and politics. The second part of today is just as important. Allan wanted to get all of you in the same room in a relaxed atmosphere, to catch up with old comrades – yes – but importantly make new friends, new connections and networks to take forward the movements for a thorough going republican democracy and socialism as our contribution to the carrying stream.
There is a bar, food and fine company-enjoy