Republican News · Thursday 16 April 1998

[An Phoblacht]

There was a classic little misprint on the front page of Monday's Irish News. They quoted Gerry Adams in his Easter Sunday speech in Carrickmore: ``...I believe the impudence which we have generated through 30 years and more of struggle will see us make further big advances towards our goal of a United Ireland''.

It could have a certain ring to it - Vote Sinn Féin, the Impudent Party. After all, they have on more than one occasion been called cheeky b*****ds.

One of the tricks of the television trade has been revealed with a picture of the UDP's Davy Adams standing on a box while being interviewed by Channel Four's Jon Snow along with the taller Mitchel McLaughlin.

other politician who made use of the box was the UUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson.

 

Put Gerry Adams in a cowboy hat, a spangly jacket and give him a guitar and he may look like his namesake, Jerry Adams. Jerry plays out of Nashville, Tennessee and we'll let you know if he decides to tour the Country and Western heartland of the Six Counties.

 

David Trimble had an article in the Unionists' favourite paper, The Daily Telegraph, on Monday, taking its readers through the negotiations in typically brisk fashion. Indeed, so brisk that you would wonder why so many people were completely exhausted by Friday evening.

Take the negotiations with Bertie Ahern on Strand Two, all-Ireland bodies. David tells us: ``The session took a bad turn at the end, when some people with a more republican outlook joined. I had though we could have wrapped up the issue, but we had to end the session because the newcomers were threatening to derail the accord we were about to reach. We agreed to meet the Irish on Thursday but internal dissension within their team prevented this, and it required the intervention of Mr Blair to finalise agreement on this issue.''

God help us from these republican newcomers, but isn't it interesting that others had problems with dissenters but not the Unionists. I'm sure David has found out since just how troublesome dissenters can be.

 

David's friends among the leader writers of the Daily Telegraph may well be among the dissenters. Their editorial on Monday identified what they saw as the greatest problem with the Agreement - the release of 1200 ``criminals'' onto the streets.

``It is completely unprecedented. It is an offence against justice. It will, if implemented, mark a comprehensive defeat for the rule of law in this country's history.''

Uncharacteristic wavering in the Telegraph's support for Trimble. He may be in trouble.


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