Irish Republican News: Archives

June 27, 2006

PRISON PROTEST ESCALATES

Republican prisoners at Maghaberry Prison are now refusing meals in an increasing protest for the recognition of political status.

Chef extradition linked to custody pressure

American chef Larry Zaitschek says he will fight any attempt to extradite him to Ireland to stand trial in connection with the Castlereagh incident.

Peaceful Springfield Road parade

Residents on Belfasts nationalist Springfield Road allowed a small sectarian parade by the Protestant Orange Order to pass through the area on Saturday.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and 26-County Taoiseach Bertie Ahern will reportedly set out a timetable of work on Thursday in the build-up to November 24, the date the North’s politicians must choose between local power-sharing or joint authority by the two governments.

‘Institutional racism’ in North

Prominent human rights lawyer Imran Khan has said there is institutional culpability in the failure to deal with racism in the north of Ireland.

Warships and warplanes

Protests will greet the largest warship in the British Navy when it arrives in Dublin on

The Framing of Michael McKevitt

The Framing of Michael McKevitt, a booklet written by Marcella Sands, sister-in-law of Michael and sister of Bobby Sands, raises serious questions about the activities of MI5 in Ireland, collusion by senior Garda police and a judiciary swayed by political rather than legal argument.

Timely reminder to second-class nationalists

In case any one is in any doubt about the purpose behind Orange marches the decision by the Parades Commission in relation to an Orange march on Belfasts Springfield Road is a timely reminder.

June 22, 2006

RIOTERS REWARDED

The Parades Commission stands accused of rewarding loyalist violence after it ruled that a sectarian, coat-trailing march can pass along the nationalist Springfield Road in west Belfast this weekend.

UDA expels leaders

There are mounting fears of a major feud among rival groups within the unionist paramilitary organisation UDA after its north Belfast units rejected instructions to expel its leadership.

CIRA prisoners call for public support

Republican prisoners in Maghaberry have called on members of the public to support their campaign for political status.

Major British operation in Armagh and Fermanagh

Hundreds of PSNI police and British army troops, took part in a massive military operation in parts of Armagh and Fermanagh on Monday.

Death of Denis Faul

Controversial priest Fr Denis Faul has died after a lengthy battle with cancer.

SF Bodenstown address

The text of Sinn Fein’s annual address over the grave of Wolfe Tone at Bodenstown. County Kildare. It was delivered at the weekend by north belfast representative Gerry Kelly.

‘The Wind That Shakes The Barley’

There is a very simple yet powerful and time honoured message in Ken Loach’s new film about the Irish people’s struggle for independence.

Violence rewarded, while Feile gets punished

Belatedly, unionists have come to recognise the concept of alienation - which they derided in nationalists.

June 17, 2006

MARCH AWAY FROM CONFLICT

Relatively little violence at the ‘Tour of the North’ parade in north Belfast on Friday night is being cited as evidence that this year’s marching season could be the quietest for several years.

Loughinisland families demand truth, justice

The families of six Catholics murdered in a County Down pub by unionist paramilitaries 12 years ago have accused police of protecting those involved in the killings.

Death of former Taoiseach

The legacy of controversial former 26-County Taoiseach Charles Haughey is under debate following his death aged 80 at his home in Kinsealy, County Dublin, on Tuesday morning.

DUP criticised for Assembly go-slow

Sinn Féin has accused Ian Paisley’s DUP of attempting to use delaying tactics to stretch the timetable within which there should be an Executive formed at the shadow Belfast Assembly.

Shackled prisoner found at Shannon

The discovery of a US military prisoner being illegally transported aboard a civilian plane at Shannon airport in the west of Ireland has reignited controversy.

Problems grow for UUP

The PSNI police are investigating the financial affairs of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), it has emerged.

Rural decline is a national crisis

The following is the full text of the Michael Davitt Centenary Lecture, given by Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams in Castlebar, County Mayo on Thursday.

Slave mentality rules

There is no political way we can say 'No' to, or change, what Peter Hain decrees.

June 11, 2006

END THE DUP VETO

Frustration is growing in the North of Ireland over the ongoing attempts by hardline unionists to obstruct and undermine the peace process.

Inequality backed by Court of Appeal

A Court of Appeal ruling which upheld British Direct Ruler Peter Hain’s decision to appoint two members of the anti-Catholic Orange Order to the Parades Commission has been strongly criticised by nationalists.

Tensions increase ahead of marching season

A Catholic pensioner of 91 was attacked in her home during the week amid a number of violent incidents across the North.

Dublin lied about torture flights - CE

A report by the Council of Europe has found Ireland guilty of collusion with the CIA in the illegal transfer of prisoners to secret interrogation centres.

Massacre arrests, 12 years on

The arrest of two people in connection with the 1994 Loughinisland pub killingws is being seen as the result of a campaign for justice by the families of the victims.

Adams on Basque peace mission

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has told representatives in Iberia that dialogue and respect for political and democratic rights was the key to achieving peace in the region

Hunger strike deal didn’t exist

Richard O'Rawe's own words show clearly there was no deal during the 1981 hunger strike.

DUP support would help Empey strategy

It was entirely understandable that nationalists and their political representatives would be cynical about the decision a few weeks ago by Reg Empey to take David Ervine into his assembly party.

June 6, 2006

HIDDEN AGENDA

Martin McGuinness has accused his enemies of trying to have him killed by claiming he was a British spy.

UVF gunmen were working for Special Branch

Members of the unionist paramilitary UVF who shot double-agent Mark Haddock last week may themselves have been working for the murderous Special Branch division of the PSNI police, according to reports.

McDowell blamed for rape law debacle

Amid a public furore over the collapse of its laws on statutory rape, the 26-County government has said a constitutional referendum may be needed to resolve the crisis.

Dog days for peace process

The first meeting of an Assembly committee established to outline the path to the restoration of power-sharing has broken up in acrimony.

Anger at Ballymena march provocation

Nationalists are angry after unionist bandsmen broke a deal struck last week surrounding a contentious parade in Ballymena on Saturday.

Film director challenges colonialist critics

Renowned film-maker Ken Loach has hit back at British press criticism of his award-winning film on the War of Independence.

Memorial for an island at peace

Long Kesh is a place apart. Inside and outside its walls it generated great pain, loss and heroism.

Britain must come clean on Haddock

The confession by the former north Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force man Mark Haddock that he has been a Special Branch informer for the last 16 years is further damning evidence of collusion.