Alan started his political life with Official Sinn Fein’s youth organization when still at school but broke with republicanism and went on to help set up Dublin Anarchist Group in 1978. Later he was involved in setting up the Anarchist Workers Alliance and later still he was a founder member of the Workers Solidarity Movement. Although Alan parted company with the WSM more recently, he nevertheless continued to be active politically until his death. Alan was on the platformist wing of the libertarian movement.