DRB 2021 Talk: Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly

Virtual book launch of Peter Cole’s Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly on Saturday, January 30th hosted by the Derry Radical Bookfair.

Peter presents a background to his amazing new book on Ben Fletcher, an African American who helped lead the IWW’s most militant and effective interracial branch, epitomized the union’s brand of anti-capitalism and anti-racism.Fletcher (1890−1949) was a tremendously important and well-loved member of the IWW during its heyday, the first quarter of the 20th century.

A brilliant union organizer and a humorous orator, Fletcher helped found and lead Local 8 of the IWW’s Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union. When founded in 1913, this union was a third African American, a third Irish and Irish American, and a third other European immigrants. Despite being hated by the bosses and redbaited by the government, Local 8 controlled the waterfront for almost a decade.

Peter Cole is a Professor of History at Western Illinois University (United States) and a Research Associate in the Society, Work and Development Program at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa).

He is the author of Wobblies on the Waterfront: Interracial Unionism in Progressive Era Philadelphia and the award-winning Dockworker Power: Race and Activism in Durban and the San Francisco Bay Area.

He also is the founder and co-director of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project (CRR19).This is the first European book launch of his latest book and is followed by a Q&A.

Please click on the following link for video here

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DRB 2021 Talk: Oscar Wilde Anarchism, Anti-colonialism & Art

Deaglán Ó Donghaile (author, Oscar Wilde and the Radical Politics of the Fin de Siècle) Drawing on his new book, Oscar Wilde and the Radical Politics of the Fin de Siècle and his forthcoming study, Revolutionary Wilde, Dr Deaglán Ó Donghaile discusses how the themes of anarchism, anticolonialism, and art are key to Oscar Wilde’s literary writings.

While Wilde has traditionally been viewed as an apolitical and even conservative author, Deaglán explains how his works are key anarchist texts that engage very directly with class struggles and anticolonial themes.Wilde’s plays, fiction and essays publicly criticised the coercion laws that were imposed on Ireland throughout the nineteenth century – laws that provided the legal and ideological bases for various forms of repressive neoliberal legislation today.

In particular, Deaglán discusses the enduring relevance of Wilde’s famous essay, “The Soul of Man Under Socialism”, which drew on anarchist and anticolonial critiques of power, authority, and state violence by proposing that art and culture could unite people in solidarity against capitalism and imperialism.

This event is followed by a Q&A and the full talk can be viewed here

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DRB 2021 Talk: The politics of anarchism, burnout & collective care

As part of this years series of talks and discussions, Nicole Rose, an anarchist organiser, former prisoner and the author of Overcoming Burnout and The Prisoner’s Herbal has taken part in the Derry Radical Book as part of an online event exploring the politics of anarchism, burnout & collective care.

This event was organised by our friends the Incarcerated Workers Organising Committee Ireland (IWOC), the event explores how organisers can avoid and negotiate burnout as well as the mutual aid models we can create to support people with chronic illnesses.

It also highlights the role of grassroots herbalism in building individual and community health autonomy.

The link to this video can be viewed here

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Special Preview Screening of ‘Bring Down The Walls’

Derry Radical Bookfair has partnered with Void Gallery for a special Preview Screening of ‘Bring Down The Walls’, a new film by the artist Phil Collins.


With a prison population of more than 2 million, the US is the world’s biggest jailer. Coinciding with the escalation of mass incarceration in the 1980s, house music emerged from Black, Latinx and queer communities embattled by oppressive law enforcement policies. Bring Down The Walls looks at the prison industrial complex through the lens of house music and nightlife, proposing the dance floor as a space of personal and collective liberation, and new ways in which we could come together as a society.
The screening will be accompanied by a set of reading lists on prison abolition and prison struggle from radical, independent publishers.


This online screening is free but booking is essential. Please book at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/special-preview…
A link will be posted here on the day of event.


Film length: 88 minutes


The film will be available online 7-12pm, Saturday 30th January


The screening will be available on www.derryvoid.com.


This screening is presented by Void Gallery in partnership with Derry Radical Bookfair and Shady Lane Productions.


In the next days we’ll be sharing some reading lists on Prison Abolition from some of the independent publishers who have participated over the past several years with us at the Derry Radical Bookfair.


Image: Phil Collins
Bring Down The Walls, 2020
Colour, sound; 88 min. 
Courtesy Shady Lane Productions
Photo: Mel D. Cole


Image description: The photo frames two people of colour on a dance floor. Their faces are relaxed, their arms are extended and their bodies are close to one another as they dance. 

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The politics of anarchism, burnout & collective care

Nicole Rose is an anarchist organiser, former prisoner and the author of Overcoming Burnout and The Prisoner’s Herbal. Nicole will take part in the Derry Radical Book as part of an online event exploring the politics of anarchism, burnout & collective care.

Organised by our friends the Incarcerated Workers Organising Committee Ireland (IWOC), the event will explore how organisers can avoid and negotiate burnout as well as the mutual aid models we can create to support people with chronic illnesses.

It will also highlight the role of grassroots herbalism in building individual and community health autonomy. 

Link to Facebook event & Zoom event here

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Oscar Wilde: Anarchism, Anticolonialism & Art

Deaglán Ó Donghaile (author, Oscar Wilde and the Radical Politics of the Fin de Siècle)Drawing on his new book, Oscar Wilde and the Radical Politics of the Fin de Siècle and his forthcoming study, Revolutionary Wilde, Dr Deaglán Ó Donghaile will discuss how the themes of anarchism, anticolonialism, and art are key to Oscar Wilde’s literary writings.

While Wilde has traditionally been viewed as an apolitical and even conservative author, Deaglán will explain how his works are key anarchist texts that engage very directly with class struggles and anticolonial themes.

Wilde’s plays, fiction and essays publicly criticised the coercion laws that were imposed on Ireland throughout the nineteenth century – laws that provided the legal and ideological bases for various forms of repressive neoliberal legislation today.In particular, Deaglán will discuss the enduring relevance of Wilde’s famous essay, “The Soul of Man Under Socialism”, which drew on anarchist and anticolonial critiques of power, authority, and state violence by proposing that art and culture could unite people in solidarity against capitalism and imperialism.

Link to Facebook event & Zoom Talk here

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Book Launch: Ben Fletcher, The Life & Times of a Black Wobbly

Your are welcome to join this years Derry Radical Bookfair as we introduce the virtual book launch of Peter Cole’s Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly on Saturday, January 30th at 4pm (Ireland Standard Time) hosted by the Derry Radical Bookfair. 

Peter will present a background to his amazing new book on Ben Fletcher, an African American who helped lead the IWW’s most militant and effective interracial branch, epitomized the union’s brand of anti-capitalism and anti-racism. 


Fletcher (1890−1949) was a tremendously important and well-loved member of the IWW during its heyday, the first quarter of the 20th century. A brilliant union organizer and a humorous orator, Fletcher helped found and lead Local 8 of the IWW’s Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union. When founded in 1913, this union was a third African American, a third Irish and Irish American, and a third other European immigrants. Despite being hated by the bosses and redbaited by the government, Local 8 controlled the waterfront for almost a decade.


Peter Cole is a Professor of History at Western Illinois University (United States) and a Research Associate in the Society, Work and Development Program at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa).  He is the author of Wobblies on the Waterfront: Interracial Unionism in Progressive Era Philadelphia and the award-winning Dockworker Power: Race and Activism in Durban and the San Francisco Bay Area. He also is the founder and co-director of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project (CRR19). 


Please join us on what will be the first European book launch of his latest book followed by a Q&A. Link and details here 

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Derry Radical Bookfair Goes Online for 2021

In 2021 Derry will once again play host to our 5th annual Derry Radical Bookfair, however this year due to ongoing restrictions and social distancing brought on by the current Covid 19 pandemic organisers will hold an online event instead.


A spokesperson for the Derry Radical Bookfair said that “Due to health and safety concerns it was decided to hold our 5th Radical Bookfair online.


“It simply won’t be the same as previous years however we are determined to create a number of online events such as book launches or discussions on the day itself. At the minute we are looking at hosting these events online on the day in which we have scheduled the book fair itself. Over the next few weeks we intend to make public the different events planned and help publicise them as best we can through social media, on our webpage and through the radical press.

“it’s definitely not ideal as we know of a number of other anarchist and radical book fairs throughout the year had to be shelved due to the pandemic. They in turn created a number of online talks which seemed to have worked as well as can be expected and had a good level of interaction internationally to a wider audience.

“It is our view that the next Derry Radical Bookfair will be an even bigger and better one when it is open to the public and back where it belongs in Rossville Streets Pilots Row Community Centre.”

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Derry Radical Bookfair 2021

DRB2021In 2021 Derry will once again play host to our 5th annual Derry Radical Bookfair.  In spite of ongoing restrictions and social distancing brought on by the current Covid 19 pandemic organisers will be focusing their efforts to build and promote the event which forms part of the city’s political calendar in the heart of the Bogside.

Organisers of the Derry Radical Bookfair will once again host the country’s largest selection of independent radical press, book sellers, publishers and distributors from across Ireland with a number of participants taking part from Scotland, England and Wales.

A spokesperson for the Derry Radical Bookfair said “It is difficult times for book traders and sellers both locally and globally due to the restrictions and conditions set out following the outbreak of the Coronavirus.  Those who traded at street level had to close and adapt a more online network in which they could sell.  Many small independent sellers will no doubt be considering if its possible to trade books again in the same way they have perviously while others will even be thinking of closing completely.  The year has been a terrible shock in many ways however we are planning and focusing our energies towards the next radical book fair in 2021.  We will plan and build towards the 30th January 2021 in the hope that we will be able to celebrate our 5th annual Derry Radical Bookfair.

“For many independent book sellers and distributers the event is even more important at this time in order to help support and encourage people to read and access historical and radical literature.  We are proud to have a wide variety of political ideals and opinions expressed at the Derry Radical Bookfair.  We pride ourselves in creating a space for books of local, national and international interests including social and labour history especially areas that cover radical feminism, queer liberation, anarchism, marxism, republicanism and environmentalism.

“In the proud tradition of the Bloody Sunday week of events and the March for Justice itself we also host a wide number of different campaign groups who get to have the opportunity to table stalls so as to highlight ongoing human rights, environmental and social justice issues.  The event ties in well with the week long events as part of the run up to the annual Bloody Sunday March for Justice which keeps getting bigger and better.”

Derry Radical Bookfair takes place on Saturday 30th January 2021 from 12pm
until 5pm at the Pilots Row Community Centre in Rossville Street.

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Aonach Leabhar Radacah Dhoire 2021

DRB2021IREBeidh an 5ú aonach leabhar dá chineál i nDoire Dé Sathairn 30ú Eanáir 2021.
Cuirfear fearadh na fáilte roimh dhíoltóirí beaga neamhspleácha a leabhair agus foilseacháin radacacha le smaointe agus le hábhair léitheoireachta nach bhfuiĺ fáil orthu sna gnáthshiopaí a chur faoi bhráid an phobail.
Foisliúcháin a bhaineann le feachtais i gcóngar is i gcéin, leis an sóisialachas, leis an Mharxachas, leis an phoblachtachas agus leis an chomhshaolachas a bheas ar fáil ar an lá.

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