The PSNI police have accepted that the IRA was not behind a cash
robbery in Belfast at the weekend which identically mirrored the
Northern Bank heist before Christmas.
![[Irish Republican News]](https://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/rn.gif) | ![[Irish Republican News]](https://republican-news.org/graphics/title_gifs/harp.gif) |
May 30, 2005
Blame game falters in Belfast heist
AHERN INSISTENT ON EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION
Ireland will hold a referendum on a Constitution for the
European Union despite France’s rejection of the treaty,
26-County Prime Minister, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern declared today.
Lord plans further allegations against Flynn
The Ulster Unionist Party’s Lord Laird has been accused of
hiding behind parliamentary privilege to make unfounded
allegations against Irish financier Phil Flynn.
The EU constitution
The following is the edited text of an address by Sinn
Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald, speaking at a major conference on
the EU Constitution in Dublin at the weekend.
Jobs inequality for Catholics unchanged
Catholics are still twice as likely to be unemployed as
Protestants in the North, with Catholic women battling even
greater odds.
Council power-sharing resisted
An ‘unholy alliance’ between Ian Paisley’s DUP and the
nationalist SDLP has been blamed for Sinn Féin’s exclusion from
both the top posts on Belfast City Council.
Jailing of Basque leader condemned
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams MP has voiced his concern at the
jailing of Basque political leader Arnaldo Otegi and said that
is would only serve to setback efforts to establish a peace
process.
Good Friday Agreement is all there is
They say the Magic Roundabout is due for a revival. If you
remember, it was originally a French programme. For the BBC the
puppets were all given names in English like Dougal and Dylan
and Zebedee and then a script was written in English to fit
around the actions of the puppets.
The EU constitution
The edited text of an address by Sinn
Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald, speaking at a major conference on
the EU Constitution in Dublin at the weekend.
May 26, 2005
IMC reports amid talks gloom
The Independent Monitoring Commission’s latest report into
paramilitary activity in the North lacks credibility, Sinn Féin
has said.
MI5 spy device auctioned off
A device used by British military intelligence to bug Sinn Féin
headquarters in Belfast has been put on auction by the party.
Hamill inquiry opens
An inquiry has opened into the murder by a loyalist mob of
Portadown Catholic Robert Hamill in the presence of an RUC
police patrol eight years ago.
SINN FÉIN HOMES ATTACKED
The home of Gerry Adams and others belonging to Sinn Féin
members in west Belfast were targeted in a series of
orchestrated loyalist attacks today.
Prisoner seeks help
A letter by dissident republican Aiden Hulme is
being circulated by the October Fifth Association, a network of
civil rights veterans and supporters, as well as other groups,
at home and abroad.
Bus crash horror
The crash of a school bus in County Meath in which five
schoolgirls died has caused shock and grief across Ireland and
raised questions about the safety of public transport.
Time has come to beat guns into ploughshares
By Tom McGurk (for the Sunday Business Post)
After the Northern election, the wagons are once again slowly starting to circle. As the DUP and Sinn Féin make their trips to Downing Street, the Taoiseach spoke this week in Poland of the debate going on within the Provisional republican movement.
Amnesty demands probe into robbery killings
Amnesty International has called for an independent inquiry into
the killing of two criminals in an ambush by Garda police at a
rural post office.
May 22, 2005
US rebuff for Sinn Féin representative
Sinn Féin’s representative to Washington, Rita O’Hare, was
temporarily denied permission to visit the United States this
week following a dispute over her itinerary on her previous
trip.
Riot follows attacks, football
There has been rioting this evening on the Crumlin Road in north
Belfast. It appears the trouble began after today’s football
matches by Glasgow Rangers and Celtic ended.
Omagh charges man ‘facing miscarriage of justice’
The case of Sean Hoey, who is facing 29 murder charges in
relation to the 1998 Omagh bombing, has been compared to the
cases of the Birmingham Six and Guildford Four.
Inquest to open into Ludlow murder
The family of Louth man Seamus Ludlow will move closer to
uncovering the full facts surrounding his murder when a new
inquest is opened next week.
‘Kebabs’ jibe angers Turkish workers
A government junior minister accused of making a racist comment
has inflamed a protest by Turkish construction workers, who are
now threatening to go on hunger strike over unpaid wages.
AGREEMENT ‘NOT DEAD’ - ADAMS
Nationalists have denied claims last week from DUP leader Ian
Paisley that the 1998 Good Friday Agreement is dead and should
be given a decent burial.
Landlords’ ‘curse’ could free Lough Neagh
Fishermen and landowners around Ireland’s largest lake have
signalled their intention to claim ownership of the famous Lough
Neagh, the largest lake in Ireland.
Nationalist parties need a common goal
By Jim Gibney, (for the Irish News)
In the aftermath of the recent elections two main stories continue to dominate northern politics, changing trends within nationalism and unionism. This article looks at the fall out within the nationalist camp.
May 18, 2005
Moderate withdraws from UUP leadership race
The Ulster Unionist Party’s only remaining MP has said that she
does not want to succeed David Trimble as leader of the Ulster
Unionist Party.
LVF murder silence criticised
A unionist political leader has said it is “beyond doubt” that
the paramilitary LVF killed Lisa Dorrian in February.
PEACE EFFORTS RESUME
British Prime Minister Tony Blair is to meet Sinn Féin President
Gerry Adams and DUP leader Ian Paisley tomorrow in the first
such meeting since the elections earlier this month.
Dublin-Monaghan: time for a real inquiry
An account of the story behind the Dublin and
Monaghan bombings and the case for a public inquiry was
presented at last year’s European Social Forum by Bernie McNally
and Margaret Urwin.
SF opposes EU constitution, ID cards
Sinn Féin has launched a campaign to urge voters to reject the
European constitutional treaty, describing it as “the biggest
step so far in the creation of a superstate”.
Councils are ‘acid test’ for DUP - Durkan
The British government will be asked to appoint an administrator
to run Lisburn council if unionists refuse to power-sharing
arrangements with nationalists.
Loyalists attack cars outside besieged church
Cars parked at a Catholic church in Harryville, County Antrim
were stoned on Saturday in a troubling reminder of the siege of
the church by a unionist mob in the late ‘90s.
No turning back the clock
The following is the edited text of the address by Sinn
Féin North Belfast Assembly member Gerry Kelly to the annual
Hunger Strike Rally in Dunville Park, Belfast on Sunday.
May 14, 2005
Unionists paramilitaries up violence level
Sectarian attacks have increased over the past week, culminating
in a machete attack in which a Catholic man almost bled to death
in North Belfast.
Irish language channel to be available in the North?
The Irish language channel TG4 is to be extended across the Six
Counties by the end of the year, the British government has
promised.
ANGER AT COLOMBIA 3 DECISION
The Dublin government was today urged to intervene in a bid to
have three republicans held in Colombia returned home.
Bush to face Irish anti-war protests
The largest public protests seen in Ireland in recent years are
being planned for the visit of US President George Bush to
Ireland next month.
British fly solo on ‘reconciliation’
A truth and reconciliation process in the North of Ireland will
only have credibility if there is an independent and
international dimension to it, Sinn Féin said today.
Peace process in free fall
By Gerry Adams (for the Guardian, April 30)
Last year London experienced the largest demonstration in its history - against the war in Iraq. For those who share that position its size was a great encouragement. Here was clear evidence that people in Britain don’t regard their government as infallible; and that there is support for diplomatic measures and opposition to war.
Adams, Ahern confirm prisoners deal
Four members of the Provisional IRA remain in jail despite a
deal for their release being reached in negotiations last year,
it has been confirmed.
May 13, 2005
Move on without DUP - Adams
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has told the new British Direct
Ruler that he must now move forward on an “agenda of change”
without further delay.
Paisley says never
DUP leader Ian Paisley has said that the DUP will “not be
talking to the IRA now, tomorrow or ever” and that general
election results in the North of Ireland represent the “burial”
of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
Spellar out as new Ministers move in
The North’s most controversial Minister, John Spellar, has been
replaced by a millionaire Tory renegade as part of British Prime
Minister Tony Blair’s cabinet reshuffle.
ROAD TO NOWHERE
The 26 County government has given final approval to the
construction of a motorway through the Hill of Tara, the ancient
seat of the High Kings of Ireland.
Council elelction results
The successful republican candidates in last week's local ouncil elections in the North.
Northern MPs not wanted in Dail - McDowell
Sinn Féin has clashed with Dublin’s Minister for Justice Michael
McDowell on the issue of the right of northern MPs to
representation in the 26-County parliament.
McCartneys allege fresh threats
The family of Robert McCartney say they have been warned of
threats from criminal elements to have them “burnt out” of their
homes and business.
DUP triumph kills off Agreement
By Damien Kiberd (for Daily Ireland)
There is a lot of vainglorious talk about the place, but the reality of the matter is as follows. The politics of the Six Counties are now controlled by two political parties, one of which is linked to an army and the other of which is linked to a church.
May 9, 2005
Mob attack kids’ bus
A junior soccer team have pulled out of their football league
after a sectarian mob attacked their minibus in County Antrim.
Concern at Omagh charge ‘stunt’
A lawyer acting for Omagh bomb accused, Sean Hoey, has said he
is profoundly disturbed at reports alleging that his client will
be charged with murder in relation to the 1998 Omagh bombing.
Hain the Pain?
The new British Direct Ruler in Ireland, Peter Hain, has insisted
today that securing a lasting peace settlement was a priority
for Labour’s third term.
UUP CRUSHED
Blame and retribution have replaced joy and sorrow following a
crushing defeat for David Trimble and his Ulster Unionist Party
and Sinn Féin’s eclipsing of the rival nationalist SDLP in the
North’s elections.
Remembering James Connolly
The story of the Easter rising is well known. The
story of James Connolly, however, is less well known.
Election news round-up
A summary of the news from each of the 18 Westminster
constituencies.
Don’t mention the Famine - Ahern
Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has ruled out a national day to
mark Ireland’s Great Famine -- in case “nobody turns up”.
Trimble’s road to nowhere
When the historical archive of David Trimble’s political life is
assembled, the infamous Drumcree sequence will reemerge in all
its irony.
May 3, 2005
Video highlights PSNI violence
The Police Ombudsman is to be asked to investigate an incident
in Derry at the weekend in which a group of PSNI police were
caught on video punching and kicking members of the public.
British favour united Ireland - poll
Less than one in three of British voters want the North of
Ireland to remain part of their country, according to a new
opinion poll.
‘No dispute’ as loyalists march
Sinn Féin have lambasted the Parades Commission for failing to
place restrictions on a massive late night loyalist band parade
north of Belfast.
BRAGGING RIGHTS
The Westminster election in the North of Ireland on Thursday has
become a two-horse race between Sinn Féin and Ian Paisley’s DUP.
Both parties are hoping to gain bargaining power as the North’s
largest party in the upcoming peace process negotiations.
Sinn Féin election manifesto
The following is an appeal for the Westminster election by Sinn
Féin President Gerry Adams, followed by the key points of the
party’s election manifesto.
Pipe-bomb disrupts Belfast marathon
Republican dissidents were accused of targeting PSNI police
chief constable Hugh Orde with a bomb planted on the route of
Belfast’s marathon run on Monday.
A defining point
By Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams (for Irish News)
This is a crucially important election. It is about the future - the type of Ireland we want to build in the 21st century.
No cure for ‘The Doc’ if IRA disband
By Danny Morrison
The remark at a DUP press conference that David Trimble is facing not just “the electric chair” but “the rope” was vintage Paisley. Cocky, vainglorious, petty stuff that had his merry band of followers roaring in the aisles at Trimble being ‘executed’ twice - across the North as leader of the UUP, and at a personal level at the hands of David Simpson in Upper Bann.
