A new book on the Irish Socialist Republican Dessie Grew, entitled ‘Dessie’ Scholar- Socialist- Revolutionary, confirms that this prominent Guerrilla Commander was a student of, and deeply influenced by Chairman Mao.
In a chapter of the book entitled ‘Emigration and Return’, a story is recalled of a young Dessie delivering political orations at the speakers corner at the Bull Ring in Birmingham in 1970.
The book states, ‘From here he would of spoke on many topics relating to socialism and communism and indeed, family in England recall him heading off each Saturday with Mao’s ‘Little Red Book’ from which he would often quote.’
On his return to Ireland Dessie would play a major role in the struggle for National Liberation and Socialist Revolution in the ranks of the IRA, the INLA and then returning to the IRA.
In the 1980s he was a close Comrade of Seamus McElwaine, Padraig McKearney and Jim Lynagh and was a supporter of the Maoist influenced position of leading IRA commanders to develop the revolutionary armed struggle in the North into a Protracted People’s War.
These Guerrilla Leaders posed a major threat to Britain and and also to the Sinn Féin Pacification strategy and between 1986- the early 1990s were systematically taken out by British Imperialism to make way for the Sinn Féin capitulation in 1998.
Vol. Dessie Grew was assassinated in October 9 1990 by Britain’s terrorists in Ireland and gave his life for the All Ireland Socialist Republic. He is remembered as a fearless soldier and a deeply ideologically committed Irish Socialist Republican.
His Revolutionary attitude, can be summed up by the mantra of Chairman Mao, ‘It is right to rebel’