Hey RAG fans and peops,

In established RAG tradition, things are slow in the aftermath of producing and launching RAG issue 5. Although we are super excited about our new magazine and all it contains, I think the RAG Mammies needed a long rest.

But don't despair! We have been receiving anxious emails from those of you seeking to acquire your own copy of Rag 5 and we are doing our very best to be efficient on the distribution end of things.

So hold tight! We have high hopes that this issue will travel far and wide and quick, to lots of interesting and cool bookshops and distros so that you can have your fill of Dublin based anarcho-feminist voices, writings, art and general brilliant carry-on.

In the meantime, you can definitely order a copy from the RAG etsy account:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/RAGDublin

You can also pick it up from the following bookshops:

Dublin, Ireland:
Bookworms on Abbey Street
The Winding Stair at the Ha'penny Bridge
Connolly Books on East Essex Street
Books Upstairs on College Green

Greater Rep. Ireland:
Cork: Solidarity Books, 43 Douglas Street, (opposite Fionbarras pub)

UK:
Cowley Club, Brighton
http://www.cowleyclub.org.uk/

STIMULANTS independent bookshop, Norfolk
http://www.radicalbooks.co.uk/product/rag-no-5

If you work in a bookshop, run a distro or want to make contact to order a RAG or just say hello, write to us ragdublin@riseup.net

RAG present the Queer Anarchafeminist Cabaret!


Rag celebrates the launch of our 5th annual magazine with a Queer Anarchafeminist Cabaret. Food, feminists reading magazines, dancing, music fun fun fun fun.

20th NOVEMBER
Seomra Sproai
6pm for food
9pm for performances with popcorn and cake
Kids welcome
Fancy dress encouraged!
Dancing til late
8euro donation including a copy of the magazine
B.Y.O.B

Confirmed appearances from:

Mistress of ceremonies: JELL O'FISH! (Rag member)
Deirdre and Jonah (performance/ song singing)
Oscillate Wildely (queer boylesque)
Apollonia Tribal Bellydance
Coin Operated Girls (the wonderful D4 Von Teese and Lisa Connell, queer burlesquer)
The Lovecats' Azaria Starfire (Burlesque/ Comedy)
Leanne Harte (Gonna play us a few songs)
Blackbird (Rag's own burlesquer)
The Beast Woman (Emma) and the Crash Test Cabaret troupe (comedy and burlesque)
Julian Mandrews (The Gay (And rather dapper!) Drag King)
Jennifer Evans (Amazing, lady guitarist and singer!)
Maggie Hildrick (Another awesome guitar totting singer)

GONNA BE THE BEST RAG LAUNCH YET!
Food, drink, performances, laughing, dancing, music, magazines and anarchy!


Illustration taken from the latest Rag, number 5, Image by Emma Wilson, poster put together with Emily's new found inDesign skills...

September 2010 - Feminist Open Forum discussion

As usual, September is a very busy month for us, we are finishing off articles and thinking about getting The Rag no.5 to the printers!


We've been invited to this event and hope to attend.

FEMINIST OPEN FORUM:

Feminist Futures Thurs 23rd Sep 6pm

FEMINIST FUTURES

Roundtable Conversation on Alternative Futures

In these tough times, how and what are feminists thinking about the future?

What do feminists think the future could and should look like?

Do we have challenging alternative views of the future?

What needs to change and how can we do it?

How can we strengthen our creative, political and practical skills?

How can we build unity and work in solidarity?

These are just some of the questions we’ll be talking about on the evening!

Please come along and join in the:

FEMINIST FUTURES CONVERSATION

Thursday 23rd September at 6pm

Central Hotel, Exchequer St, Dublin

We're thinking ahead to the big CLAIMING OUR FUTURE assembly happening in the RDS, Dublin on Saturday 30th October, and are very keen to ensure strong feminist participation in it. So we thought one of the ways we could prepare for it would be to have a stimulating, provocative, exciting and altogether timely public conversation about how feminists are diversely thinking about (and working for) the future. More info about the assembly on Facebook and on www.claimingourfuture.ie

Seminar: New Media and Human Rights

The website humanrights.ie are hosting a seminar tomorrow on New Media and the protection of Human Rights. Emily of Rag will be contributing to a panel on the subject, considering the following questions:

1. Do the media have a positive or negative impact on the protection of human rights?

2. What role do you envisage for blogging and media/social media in:

a. Informing the public on issues of human rights?

b. Bringing together like-minded individuals and groups to campaign for rights protection?

Panel III will be held from 3.40pm - 4.40 pm at the NUI in Merrion Square.

There will be an opportunity for open discussion in the last 20 minutes of this session so please come and contribute or listen. It will also be filmed and streamed live online.


A final copy of the agenda for the seminar is here:

Calling all women Illustrators!

We are in the throes of issue 5 and in need of your talented selves! Some of the topics covered in this years issue are:

Widows curses and old wives tales.
The Witch Hunts in Ireland
Immigration.
Reading Fiction.
Death and Bereavement.
Water and clothes/ the fashion industry.
Pregnancy/ Midwifery.
New media - the pros and cons.
Online sexism and the women taking it on in humorous and creative ways.
Interview with Lashings of Ginger Beer (queer feminist burlesque troupe www.lashings.org for some nice pictures!)
Gender Politics of the Black Panthers.
An Anarchafeminist Eyeballing the Recession.
Sex Work in New Zealand.
Protesting Creatively (Laughter/ Humour as Activism)
Women and Mental Health Services

Looking forward to hearing from you!
ragdublin@riseup.net

Laura Sheeran and Exploding birds - Rag Benefit Gig!


Rag Presents:

A night of great music and fun featuring -

Laura Sheeran - http://www.myspace.com/laurasheeranmusic

Laura Sheerans music has been described as “like an episode of Twin Peaks in female form”.
Her music combines ambient sounds, electronica and a range of instruments (notably the bowed saw, but also ukelele, accordian, flute, melodica, guitar, keyboards, etc.) to create an atmospheric soundscape that provides support for her voice and lyrics. The latter are often tinged with a sense of imminent threat, yearning, mortality and mystery.

------------

Exploding Birds - http://www.myspace.com/expoldingbirds

Exploding Birds are an elusive Dublin group creating a caustic mix of hardcore/grind.
Loud. Fast. Slow. Noise.

-------------

+ Guest DJ's and vegan food
Zine distro with amazing feminist and diy zines from around the world

Saturday 3rd of July 8pm untill late
In Seomra Spraoi,10 Belvedere Court, (off mountjoy sqaure) Dublin 1
Suggested donation €5 - more if you can, less if you can't

BYOB

New Media open meeting: 1st part recording


Hey folks,

For those of you who missed the open meeting on New Media on the 14th June, here is a two part recording available from Indymedia:

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/97029
 

The discussion was left quite open and we covered topics ranging from security, privacy, copyright to identity and manifestations of sexism online. Because the discussion focused mostly on issues of security and privacy, Rag are hoping to host another meeting in the future which will focus primarily on the body, identity and gender in relation to New Media and the internet.

Thanks again to the five fantastic speakers, those who came along and Seomra Spraoi for hosting us.

Emily of RAG

A discussion on New Media and Social Media


RAG open meeting Monday 14th June
On Monday 14th June at 7.30pm, RAG will host a discussion on the many uses and dangers of 'new media', the possibilities for positive change and 'radical democracy' via the internet, the dilemma of 'internet neurosis' where feelings of vulnerability and fears of exploitation need to be negotiated in order to utilize the internet as activists, artists and self-publishers and the potential of the internet as a force for oppression and control.

The discussion will take place in Seomra Spraoi. All welcome.

Wikipedia describes new media in the following terms:

New media is a broad term that emerged in the later part of the 20th century to encompass the amalgamation of traditional media such as film, images, music, spoken and written word, with the interactive power of computer and communications technology, computer-enabled consumer devices and most importantly the internet. New media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community formation around the media content. What distinguishes New media from traditional media is not the digitizing of media content into bits, but the dynamic life of the "new media" content and its interactive relationship with the media consumer. Another important promise of New Media is the "democratization" of the creation, publishing, distribution and consumption of media content.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_media)

This meeting will be facilitated by Emily Aoibheann.

Speakers include:

Angela Nagle:
I have an English degree and an MA in Popular Literature from TCD. I've just started working as a researcher for a TV documentary production company called Cashmere Media. I have worked as a script reader and script editor for Film Companies (Element and Samson Films) and have been writing for Film Ireland (magazine and website) as a film reviewer and feature writer. I have also written, more recently, for James Redmond's website 'soundtracksforthem', primarily doing feminist book reviews. I'm interested in writing more about New Media, particularly from a feminist angle and what I am looking at now is the preparation for a media conference that is a few months down the line.

Fionn Kidney:
Fionn spent his early career with one of Ireland's top creative agencies, including a year as Director of Digital during which he lay the foundations for Strategem to win Best Digital Direct Campaign in 2008's An Post DMA awards. Since then he has divided his time between film, photography and consultancy work and concentrated on small-scale creative projects. Fionn has chaired seminars for both Darklight Festival and the EU Commission relating to online film. His interests in online relate principally to the projection and perception of identity.

Andrew Flood:
Andrew Flood is a Dublin anarchist who has been using the Internet for organising since before the web came into existane. Today he is totally addicted to Facebook and finding ways to make social networking a powerful tool for building struggles in thereal world.

Vanessa Monaghan:
I'm a mature student studying Multimedia. I went back to college after working in the music industry, which I still dabble in. I started blogging for a college assignment and forgot to stop. I was a finalist in the Student Media Awards for Blog of the Year this year. I love the internet, love twitter and love the freedom that its gives people, especially artists trying to get their art, whether it be music, writing, painting, out to a global audience. I love the informality of twitter and the ability to converse with people you may never meet with. One of the things I really dislike about Facebook it has seemed to turn some people's lives completely into the virtual world. They don't seem to function, or even have a real world. I get asked a lot what my blog is about. Why does it have to be about anything? My blog is a personal blog, probably an extension of diary writing. Its about my radio shows, college, video, photography, I don't want to spend all day writing about politics or whatever. I've made it enjoyable for myself so I keep doing it.
I try and link my blog, twitter and facebook, posting links if I blog on twitter and Facebook. I guess I'm finding that its a good way to show people what i'm doing now and what I'm capable of for when I leave college.

Caroline Campbell:
Caroline Campbell is a filmmaker and lawyer who specialises in digital cultures. She has been on the programming committee of the Darklight Festival since its inception www.darklight.ie. where she has programmed events on open source and open-culture, social media and network cultures. She holds an M.A. Art in the Contemporary World from N.C.A.D. Current research interest in network cultures include the post-workerist writings on immaterial labour.

RAG at Baby Beef stall at London Zine Symposium


Hey Folks,

RAG were hoping to make it to this years London zine symposium happening tomorrow the 29th May in The Rag Factory, Heneage Street, London E1 5LJ
Girl does it look good!

Thanks to Sarah of Baby Beef art-zine, a limited number of RAG issue 4 will be on sale at the Baby Beef stall, alongside other Irish zine 'Loserdom' (or so I've been told...)

So yeah, head along and have a mooch, looks to be a great day out! We're very sorry we can't be there ourselves, but thanks again to Baby Beef!

RAG news ...

The website humanrights.ie are hosting a seminar tomorrow on New Media and the protection of Human Rights. Emily of Rag will be contributing to a panel on the subject, considering the following questions:

1. Do the media have a positive or negative impact on the protection of human rights?

2. What role do you envisage for blogging and media/social media in:

a. Informing the public on issues of human rights?

b. Bringing together like-minded individuals and groups to campaign for rights protection?

Panel III will be held from 3.40pm - 4.40 pm at the NUI in Merrion Square.

There will be an opportunity for open discussion in the last 20 minutes of this session so please come and contribute or listen. It will also be filmed and streamed live online.


A final copy of the agenda for the seminar is here:



*********************************************************************

Bank Bailout protest Tuesday 25th May

Members of RAG will be along to the Bank Bailout protest on Tuesday (25th May). Details in post below.

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Dublin Anarchist Bookfair Saturday 29th May
Come and join us at Dublin's Anarchist Bookfair on Saturday, 29th May. RAG will have our zine/book/interesting things stall and a give a workshop. The bookfair starts at 10.30am in the Liberty Hall, Dublin. Our workshop, which will explore issues around mental health, takes place at 11.30am. The bookfair, organised by the Workers Solidarity Movement, hosts a day of workshops, discussions and of course lots of book stalls. Please drop in. More information can found be here.



******************************************************************************

RAG open meeting Monday 14th June
On Monday 14th June at 7.30pm, RAG will host a discussion on the many uses and dangers of 'new media', the possibilities for positive change and 'radical democracy' via the internet, the dilemma of 'internet neurosis' where feelings of vulnerability and fears of exploitation need to be negotiated in order to utilize the internet as activists, artists and self-publishers and the potential of the internet as a force for oppression and control.

The discussion will take place in Seomra Spraoi. All welcome.

Wikipedia describes new media in the following terms:

New media is a broad term that emerged in the later part of the 20th century to encompass the amalgamation of traditional media such as film, images, music, spoken and written word, with the interactive power of computer and communications technology, computer-enabled consumer devices and most importantly the internet. New media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community formation around the media content. What distinguishes New media from traditional media is not the digitizing of media content into bits, but the dynamic life of the "new media" content and its interactive relationship with the media consumer. Another important promise of New Media is the "democratization" of the creation, publishing, distribution and consumption of media content.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_media)

This meeting will be facilitated by Emily.
Visiting speakers to be confimed.

Rag Takes To The Streets - Stop The Bank Bailouts

Members of RAG carried our banner along to the anti-capitalist bloc of last week's right to work protest, demanding an end to the bank bailouts and also condemning the gardai's heavy handed dealings with an earlier protest outside anglo-irish bank.
Check out these links for details of the march.
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96602
http://www.wsm.ie/c/anti-capitalist-protest-dublin-may-18th-2010

We will also be attending tomorrow's march to the dail part 2
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/96700

RAG Open meeting: Women's Groups in Israel/Palestine

The next RAG open meeting will take place on Monday, 12th April, 2010 at 7.30pm.

An Israeli activist will share from her experiences of speaking out and standing against strong racism, militarism, oppression, and all odds, in struggling to end the occupation of Palestine. She will present a few projects that she had been involved in, including a screening or two, and will share lessons learnt about sustaining the activity and ourselves.

All welcome.

Seomra Spraoi,
(http://www.seomraspraoi.org:8080/Plone/copy_of_contact-us)
10 Belvidere Court, Dublin 1.

Directions:
Directions: Walk north along Gardiner St, past Mountjoy Square and turn right at the next laneway(Belvidere Court). Seomra Spraoi is about halfway down the lane on the right hand side(number ten).

Feminist Walking Tour Sunday 7th March


Join Choice Ireland, the RAG collective and the Lashback collective to celebrate International Womens Day with a Feminist Walking Tour on Sunday March 7th 2010 at 1 pm. Meet at the Central Bank , Dame Street.

The tour will tell the stories of women throughout our history from the women of the Ladies Land League and Irish Women Workers’ Union to the Dunnes Stores Anti Aphartheid strikers to today's women activists who work to reduce poverty and exclusion in our city, comments Sinead Ahern

More details regarding the route and stops will be published here later.
Related Link: http://www.choiceireland.org

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/95640

Be friends with RAG on facebook!

Rag got back to the future and set up a a facebook!
Keep up with all our news and our events.
Come on, be our friend, you know you want to.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1572295878

Loserdom#20 launch on 10th March

One of RAGs favourite zines....


Loserdom has invited everyone to the launch!



You are invited to attend the launch of Loserdom #20 zine at Seomra Spraoi café on Weds 10th March at 7pm! The new issue will be available hot off the press for the bargain price of €3!



It's also a great opportunity to check out the Forgotten Zine Archive, Irelands only public physical archive of zines and D.I.Y. press andconsider becoming involved in its' ongoing organisation!

Tasty veggie and vegan food served at suggested donation €5 from theSeomra Spraoi café at 7.30pm.

Seomra Spraoi is located at: 10 Belvidere Court, Dublin 1

Directions: Walk north along Gardiner St, past Mountjoy Square and turn right at the next laneway(Belvidere Court). Seomra Spraoi is about halfway down the lane on the right hand side(number ten).
Map here: http://www.seomraspraoi.org:8080/Plone/copy_of_contact-us --

http://www.loserdomzine.com/

RAG open meeting - Monday March 1st

Next Monday is the first Monday of the month, so we are having an Open Meeting.

The topic for discussion will be bereavement and loss. The death of someone close can have a huge impact on our lives and is a universal experience. However it is a subject which gets little attention.

This discussion will take place in Seomra Spraoi at 7.30pm, Monday 1st March 2010.

All welcome - women and men.

PS.

Also the four programmes RAG made with DCTV can be seen here:

· DCTV/RAG television programmes:
o 1. http://vimeo.com/5128791 - diy publications
o 2. http://vimeo.com/5820021 - walking tour
o 3. http://vimeo.com/6905963 - community gardens
o 4. http://vimeo.com/4607329 - social centres

RAG Introductory Meeting

Monday 22nd Feb, 7.30-9.30pm, Seomra Spraoi, 10 Belvidere Court, Dublin 1

RAG - Dublin's Revolutionary Anarchafeminist Group - are a publishing collective that produce a yearly magazine, the Rag. We finished Issue 4 at the end of last year and are now workshopping new ideas for issue 5. We are interested in involving new members with fresh anarchist feminist perspectives!

With this introductory meeting we hope to give prospective members an insight into how we work as a collective, what we stand for, and what we need from members. It is an opportunity for you to ask all those silly questions about anarchafeminism/us you were afraid to ask (and that we may or may not be able to answer!)

We hope that those attending will at least have read some of our magazine articles, but we will bring copies along with us too. This article might also be of interest: http://ragdublin.blogspot.com/2009/01/why-anarcha-feminism.html

* For the moment, our membership (and this meeting) is open only to women/women-identified. Though we are restarting our monthly open meetings soon. Most of these are open to people of all genders, keep an eye here and on our facebook page http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=1572295878 for details.

Feel free to email us with any queries.

The Rag issue 4 is available in Books Upstairs, 36 College Green, Dublin 2.

2010

Hey all,
We just had a Rag Hang-out to discuss and plan for 2010! If there's any women or female identified folks out there interested in getting involved with RAG or finding out more about us we'll be having a meeting for just that purpose on the 22nd Feb at 7.30 in seomra spraoi, 10 belvedere court, just behind Mountjoy Square. So come on down! It'll be a film night with popcorn, snacks and a discussion after.
We also talked about Rag #5, we're putting our thinking wheels in motion and planning lots of discussions this year.
We are also planning a RAG podcast so keep your ears peeled for that in the next month or so.
Hope you'll all be seeing lots of RAG in 2010!

The Rag, Issues 1 to 6

The Rag, Issues 1 to 6