RAG Open Meeting Monday 12th Jan: Feminism and Disability

Below is the event notice for our first open meeting in a while - now that the push to get the Rag #3 on your shelves is out of the way! Please forward it on to whoever you think might be interested. All welcome - just turn up - or drop us a line for more info. Updates regarding Seomra accessibility will be edited into this post.

7/1/09 - Update! There will be a ramp and meeting will be on the ground floor, but sadly, work on the toilet is behind schedule and it will not be accessible in time. But the good news is that the meeting has been the impetus to get work started on it! Apologies to all who this inconveniences.

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RAG Open Meeting: Feminism and Disability

The first RAG open meeting for 2009 will take place on Monday 12th Jan at 7-9pm in Seomra Spraoi (see below for location/access details). The purpose of our open meetings is to explore issues from different perspectives to contribute to the production of an article for the next issue of our magazine.

The title of this meeting is Feminism and Disability. With it we hope to open a dialogue between disabled and non-disabled feminist and queer activists. All are welcome to attend. Any further action arising from the meeting is up to those who participate.

If you would like to participate/ share your hopes/ideas but are unable to make the meeting, you are welcome to email us ragdublin@riseup.net.

For more information, email or ring 086 0794776.

*Seomra Spraoi* is a voluntarily-run social centre recently reopened at 10 Belvedere Court. Map and more info here: www.seomraspraoi.org. Room can be somewhat cold. Buses serving: 10, 10a, 121, 122, 145, 38, 41b/c, 46a/b/c/d/e, 63. Stop is on Mounjoy Square. Some parking available outside. If you need a lift or you intend to drive and can offer a lift, please email RAG. Work is ongoing to make building more accessible at the moment - there will be a wheelchair ramp and accessible toilet in the new year. Please make sure to check ragdublin.blogspot.com - we will confirm when building has been adapted. If you have childcare or other specific needs please email us in advance and we will attempt to help out.

seomra spraoi map

*RAG* is an anarchist feminist publishing collective. Issue 3 of our annual magazine "the Rag" is now available. See www.ragdublin.blogspot.com

Thanks to all who attended our launch


A massive thanks to all who attended the launch of The Rag no.3 on Saturday, we had a fantastic time. Thanks to Drunk Granny, Jakko's amazing karaoke, DJs Natalia and Eilis and everyone who danced.

A special mention to Seomra Spraoi we couldn't have had a better venue and greatly appreciate the serious work put in to get the building ready for the night. It was perfect. Thanks to those who worked for the night and also helped with the tidying up afterwards.

Feminism and disability

The next RAG open meeting will look at feminism and disability. All are welcome to attend.

***NB date for this meeting was to be on 5th but it is now 12th, watch this space for confirmation and further details ***

When: 7pm, Monday, 12th January 2009.
Where: Seomra Spraoi, 10 Belvedere Court, near Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1.

More details to follow.

Launch of the Rag 3 - Saturday 29th November


The Rag no. 3 magazine launch


The RAG Collective are launching issue 3 of our fantastic magazine 'the Rag'.

This Saturday, 29th November 2008 from 6pm til late.
Food, music, dancing. BYOB.


Aren't you excited?


The launch will be on Saturday 29th Novemeber from 6pm.
at the all new Seomra Spraoi social centre
(www.seomraspraoi.org)
10 Belvedere Court, off Mountjoy square.

Yummy veggie food from 6pm!
Child friendly events from 6-9pm!
Bands from 9pm, including Clodagh Kerley, Drunk Granny and more.
Funky DJ's and disco dancing (your input requested...)
BYOB

Only €6/€5 including a tasty vegetarian meal and your coveted copy of our new mag. An excellent chance to see the new Seomra Spraoi building.

The Rag 3!

Issue 3 of the Rag magazine is ready! We brought it to the anarchist bookfair in London over the weekend, sold heaps at our stall and got bundles off with some distributers - Housmans bookshop, Freedom Press, AK Press, Active Distribution, Natterjack Press, and Handmedown distro. (Handmedown in particular is a wonderful anarcha-feminist resource - do have a look at their website.)
We couldn't carry enough for everyone but will be posting more off to distibuters shortly.

Oddly enough we have yet to launch in Ireland - or get it to distributers here! We will have to get it the right way around next year. It may have been because we only managed to get it printed the day before we were due to go to the bookfair - last minute has never looked so good! So watch this space for details of Irish launch and international availability. We welcome new distributers - mail us if you want us to post you any in bulk (5+) .

We will also get this blog updated with the new cover etc over the next week, and hopefully get a whole new website together soon (we are actually working on this!)

On a side-note, it was gratifying to witness the (almost equal) gender balance at the anarchist bookfair this year. Just two years ago, the place was so empty of women, and the RAG table so ignored, that we were driven to sketch a little sign for our stall which read "Anarcha-Feminism is for men too!"

Hi and thanks to all the amazing anarchist feminists we met over the weekend.The time was too short for proper discussion but it was great to be able to check in at least.

RAG article in adbusters

In issue 1 of the Rag, I wrote an article called "Anger: Birthed and Transformed". We recently got a reprint request from Adbusters magazine, and I worked with them to edit it a bit for its readership. Here's a link to it on their website http://www.adbusters.org/magazine/80/industrial_childbirth.html - or search for it - it's now called "Industrial Childbirth".
Shonagh

Alliance for Choice - Belfast

Here is an update from Belfast Alliance for Choice:


Dear All,

A quick update of AfC events over the next few weeks. As you will be aware, this is a crucial period in our campaign to extend the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland. Next week parliament will reconvene and we should hopefully be given an indication of when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology will be debated.

In anticipation of this AfC will be organising a series of events over the next couple of weeks.
<http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=23645570204#/event.php?eid=76922995388>
EVENT: Pub Quiz Fundraiser
DATE: Wednesday, 8 October @ 8pm
PLACE: John Hewitt, Donegall Street
£3 fee! Come, test your astounding knowledge of trivia, bring your friends, family and colleagues. ALL WELCOME!
For further details see http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=23645570204#/event.php?eid=26766248947

EVENT: Public Meeting – Reproductive Rights are Human Rights
DATE: Monday, 13 October @ 7.30pm
PLACE: Holiday Inn, Ormeau Avenue
Public Meeting with Dr Wendy Savage, one of the first female obstetricians in the UK. ALL WELCOME!
For further details see
http://www.facebook.com/wall.php?id=38652341807#/event.php?eid=38652341807

EVENT: Public Rally – 40 Women Protest
DATE: Saturday, 18 October @ 2pm
PLACE: City Hall, Belfast
Rally to show publicise the current situation where 40 women a week travel to have abortions outside NI. WE NEED 40 WOMEN to wear t-shirts and others to come and show their support! ALL WELCOME
For further details see
http://www.facebook.com/wall.php?id=38652341807#/event.php?eid=27662523934

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Also a reminder that we have stalls outside Gap on Saturdays from 2-4pm to encourage people to sign our petition and letters. Come show your support.

Every Tuesday there are campaign meetings in the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre, Donegall Street at 7pm. Come and get involved.

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Don’t forget to sign and circulate the ePetition at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/abortionNI/

Also check out the FPA campaign website at
http://www.fpa.org.uk/news/campaigns/current_campaigns/detail.cfm?contentid=993

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Finally we urge you to get involved in any way you can to support this campaign at this crucial stage.


Thanks for your support

Claire
Alliance for Choice

The Rag, Issues 1 to 6

The Rag, Issues 1 to 6