Irish Republican News: Archives

January 26, 2005

Minister jailed for tax evasion

The former Dublin government minister Ray Burke has been jailed for six months for “knowingly or wilfully furnishing incorrect information” on his tax returns.

Loyalist gang prowling for victims

A Catholic lawyer has been viciously beaten by a gang wielding baseball bats in an unprovoked sectarian attack.

IT’S WAR - BUT NOT AS WE KNOW IT

The Dublin government has effectively shelved the peace process until after the British general election by declaring political war on Sinn Féin.

Feuding erupts in north Belfast

An all-out feud is threatened between rival factions of unionist paramilitaries in north Belfast following a series of attacks on taxis in the area.

Another whitewash?

On one point Tony Blair’s right - British army violence and brutality aren’t systematic, they’re routine, endemic.

Governments indicted over secrecy on bombings

Families of victims of bombings in the 26 Counties in late 1972 and early 1973 have called on the British government to tell the truth about its involvement in the attacks.

Call for police base to become tourist hostel

Republican protesters burst through the security gates of Andersonstown police station in west Belfast, which closed its doors yesterday in preparation for demolition next month.

Unauthorised

When I first heard of the Northern Bank heist I suspected it might have been the IRA replying to Ian Paisley’s ‘sackcloth and ashes’ demand.

January 22, 2005

Call for US bar on ‘international terrorist’ Thatcher

Irish-American activists are watching the case of Mark Thatcher who faces legal problems similar to those which led to the recent deportation of Irish republican Ciaran Ferry.

Sinn Féin steady in poll; FF moves up

Support for Sinn Féin in the 26 Counties has remained stable despite unprecedented attacks by rival political parties and negative publicity in the mainstream media.

SHOW TRIAL CONVICTION OVERTURNED

The only man convicted over the 1998 ‘Real IRA’ Omagh bomb has had his conviction overturned, while two Garda police detectives are to be tried for perjury.

Message from Ciaran Ferry

“I remain more committed than ever to this fight for justice.” -- republican Ciaran Ferry, who has returned to Ireland after two years in a US jail fighting a battle against deportation.

Campaign for release of Martin Doherty

There is anger in Derry at the continued imprisonment of republican Martin ‘Ducksie’ Doherty by order of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.

UDA set for cash bonanza

The unionist paramilitary UDA is set to get a multi-million-pound payoff by the British government to end its activities.

What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

The conviction of Colm Murphy by the Special non-jury Court despite proven Garda forgery of a statement is examined here by Fr Des Wilson.

Adams seeks answers as public backs talks

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams is to demand an explanation from the head of the Dublin government, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, over his recent allegations linking the Sinn Féin leadership to a major bank robbery in Belfast before Christmas.

January 6, 2005

Taxi driver ordered to transport bomb

The Continuity IRA have said they were behind an incident on Saturday night in which a taxi driver was ordered at gunpoint to drive a firebomb to a west Belfast police station.

Irish troops may be deployed for Asian disaster

The Dublin government is sending a team of experts to the Asian tsunami regions with a view to sending in Irish troops for humanitarian purposes.

Bombings got point across - Ambassador

The British ambassador to Ireland, Arthur Galsworthy, said he believed the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of May 1974 had been useful.

BRITISH WITHDRAWAL TERRIFIED DUBLIN

So fearful was the coalition Fine Gael/Labour government in Dublin of a British withdrawal from Ireland in 1974, it disrupted peace talks between the IRA and the British government.

Ciaran Ferry deported

Irish republican Ciaran Ferry has been deported to Ireland in a low-key end to his incarceration by US authorities who refused him residency status.

The State Papers

A round-up of some of the other issues raised in the release of state papers over the New Year.

Failed Entity

It’s been a long time since I put pen to paper. It’s also been a long time since I was in jail. Both of those things are connected.