Dublin Housing Action Committee

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Dublin Housing Action Committee - a 1960s protest against housing shortages in Ireland's capital city.

This arose from a serious shortage of affordable housing, combined with a large number of properties standing empty. it also functioned as a way for a broad range of left-wingers in the Republic of Ireland to address themselves to a wider audience. This was at a time when nothing much was happening in Northern Ireland and a renewed IRA campaign would have seemed very unlikely.

The Secretary of the committee was Dennis Dennehy (then a member of the Irish Communist Organisation). He had been imprisoned for squatting and also went on hunger strike. After a big protest, he was released and helped support an extensive program of squatting in privately-owner properties.

The Committee was accused of being an 'IRA offshoot', but this seems very unlikely. Those involved took different and often critical attitudes towards the IRA when their campaign started.

[edit] External links

• Comment by a founder member
• [1] Role of Michael O'Riordan
• [2] A history of communism in Ireland
• [3] Irish Times comment on the alleged IRA link
• [4] Obituary of Sean O Cionnaith