Malcolm Redfellow

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This nom-de-plume was adopted, about 1964-65, by members of Dublin University Fabian Society, for political and social comment, in undergraduate and mainstream publications. The Dublin University Fabian Society was the only political society approved by the College authorities at that time, and embraced a wide range of political viewpoints. The two main writers were Bob Mitchell and John Darley, both members of the Irish Labour Party.

"Malcolm Redfellow" began as a pale imitation of a character, the Rt Hon Christopher Smooth, in Michael Frayn's regular column in The Observer: "The Rt Hon Christopher Smooth, Minister for Public Concern, expressed public concern". Soon Malcolm Redfellow developed a personality of his own, as a young, abrasive, left-wing politician on the make.

In later years, letters appeared in the British Press and, more recently, on the Have your say [1] section of the BBC news website [2] using this name.

Since August 2006 a blog, largely of extended essays on politics and literature, Malcolm Redfellow revivus, [3] has consciously employed an older, cynical version of the persona.