‘Cormac’ – Brian Moore RIP | Cartoonist and anti-imperialist (1946 to 2011)

The passing of a political icon

BY PEADAR WHELAN

WHEN the news broke, on Saturday night, 12th March 2011, that Brian Moore had died, the shockwave that washed over his friends and comrades throughout Ireland – and indeed elsewhere across the world – devastated them.
Few people knew Brian was ill, let alone in danger of dying, but that was the way Brian, a very private man and someone who didn’t want to burden people, wanted it. In the end, it was cancer that claimed the life of one of Belfast’s and the Irish Left’s political icons.
To describe Brian as a political icon is not to overstate his contribution to the Irish and anti-imperialist struggle over the last five decades.
Brian was a republican and a socialist. He supported the struggle for freedom at its most intense and the Peace Process that followed.
He was, of course, the artistic genius behind the famous, or if you were in his sights, the infamously mischievous ‘Cormac’ cartoons which were a feature of An Phoblacht and Republican News for many years.
His cartoons were politically incisive and funny. For many readers, the first thing they scoured the paper for was the gem that ‘Notes by Cormac’ held for them.
In the 1970s, he published political comics such as Resistance Comics and he contributed to other publications, including the British weekly Socialist Challenge and Fortnight magazine.
His political wit and ability to hit the nail on the head meant he could sum up very complex political events and situations in the turn of a phrase.
This was summed up when, in designing a poster for some campaign or other, he challenged the interested parties with the slogan, “Decisions are made by those who turn up . . . Be there.”
Brian’s political activism wasn’t confined to his cartoons, although it should be said that Brian’s talent was of as high quality art as you would get anywhere.
Brian was also a writer of brilliant political songs and a singer of the highest quality.
In the best traditions of Pete Seeger or Bob Dylan, the Moore pen produced protest songs that inspired, raised awareness and, of course, poked fun at the political establishment.
He also regarded rebel songs, much maligned by “trendy lefties”, as a form of protest song in so far as they were songs and stories about the Irish struggle, which he saw clearly as an anti-imperialist struggle. And Brian’s commitment to radical politics was reflected at his funeral with both the Tricolour and the Red Flag draping his coffin.
Brian saw no contradiction in being a republican and a socialist and as part of the band People of No Property challenged the oppression of nations, classes and women.
Like so many people living in the Six Counties, Brian was radicalised by events as they unfolded on our streets.
He was a member of the Revolutionary Marxist Group which later merged with People’s Democracy and played some role in the street protests that were part of life in the North.
In the early 1970s, the issue of internment was to the fore and after one demonstration, when protesters were blocked as they attempted to march to Long Kesh along the M1 motorway, Brian ended up in Crumlin Road Jail.
Waking up in the Crum, Brian mused, “I’m going to miss work.” He was working in the Civil Service at the time.
When it dawned on him that he’d rather be in jail than ‘at work’, Brian realised he was better off out of the day job and focusing on his work as a political activist.
After internment, the H-Blocks and Armagh prison protests become the big issue and Brian was there with his pen and guitar making politics in his own inimitable way.
In later years he turned his pen to writing plays and the West Belfast drama group Dubbeljoint staged Paddy on the Road, about the life and times of Christy Moore.
That Christy Moore approved the project is testament to the quality and integrity of Brian’s script. The outcome, with Brian’s close friend Terry ‘Cruncher’ O’Neill playing Moore, was a huge success.
With his talent, Brian Moore could have been a very wealthy man but he never sought riches or aggrandisement or the limelight. Instead, he used his enormous talent to fight for his class and the freedom of his country.
His sudden and premature death has robbed us of a very talented and committed comrade.
Gerry Adams said:
“His weekly contribution to the paper touched on the big issues of the time: the war, repression, sectarianism, collusion and much more. His cartoons lampooned the British Army and RUC, the British Government and media. If he witnessed injustice he turned his satirist’s pen loose.
“His death is a huge loss for his family but also to the wider republican community.”
To his partner Máire, Brian’s son Cormac , his brothers Gerry and Danny, his sister Maura, to Conor and Roisín and to Sandra, we offer our deepest condolences.