Iris - The Republican Magazine (Spring/Summer 2012) out now

The Spring/Summer 2012 edition of Iris - The Republican Magazine is out now.

The latest edition includes an exclusive interview with legendary musician Christy Moore about his music, hopes and memories of the H-Blocks.

Also, Iris speaks to two female former IRA prisoners about their experiences in Maghaberry Gaol and activists report direct from Palestine about the realities of living under Israeli occupation. The controversial "fracking" gas extraction process is looked at in detail and our editor reports from Corsica, where a low-level armed campaign by Corsican separatists is still being waged against French rule. Of particular note to young activists is a piece by former Hunger Striker Laurence McKeown who speaks about the role of young republicans and how this generation can deliver Irish unity. There are also comment pieces, book and cd reviews and much more.

Iris - The Republican Magazine is €3.99/£3.20 for a 64-page full-colour magazine. It is available from your local Sinn Féin Bookshop, Constituency Office or you can order an edition online here.

If any Sinn Féin Republican Youth branches wish to purchase several copies of Iris to sell for fundraising then please contact Tommy on sales@sinnfeinbookshop.com for a special rate.

A President for All

The hype, gossip and rumour in Irish politics is now flowing from the race for Áras an Uachtaráin later this year. With several candidates already selected, and more seeking a nomination, the media and the wider political world is alive with talk of the upcoming election. However, most are missing the elephant in the room. Though the title is 'Uachtarán na hÉireann', a large chunk of the Irish population are unable to vote. Those living in the six counties are denied the right to play their part in choosing the President of Ireland. Though the President welcomes players from the 32 counties at the 6 nations championship and the All-Ireland final, a significant proportion of the country have no say in who that president is.

Ógra Shinn Féin have launched a campaign aimed at highlighting this lapse of democracy. The President for All campaign aims to have voting rights extended to citizens in the north. You can lend your support to this campaign by liking the Facebook page, and by looking out for further updates on this blog, Facebook, and other outlets on how you can give a helping hand.