Pre-election PoW shock for SF

Sinn Féin has dismissed an election-eve statement by 320 former IRA and INLA prisoners who have called for republicans to vote against the party and for independent republican candidates in today’s election.

The statement by “Irish Republican Ex-POWs Against the RUC/PSNI and MI5” and published as an advertisement in the Irish News, declares that “a broader strategy to rebuild and consolidate the Republican Movement in Ireland has begun”.

The statement reads: “We support open and free debate among Republicans as we face the future and the unfinished struggle to bring about, by peaceful means, a thirty-two country democratic Republic on the island of Ireland.”

While the statement was signed by many respected senior republicans, especially from the Derry area, Sinn Féin said the opinions expressed only a minority view.

Responding to the letter on behalf of Sinn Féin, Assembly election candidate for Foyle Raymond McCartney -- himself a former hunger striker -- said the signatories represented only a small fraction of republicans imprisoned during the conflict.

“Over 15,000 republicans went through the prisons in the course of the recent armed campaign,” he said. “This list represents a very tiny percentage of that.

“However people are entitled to their view and I welcome the fact that republicans with a different position from Sinn Féin are contesting this election and seeking support for their position.”

Among those backing the alternative republican strategy are former hunger strikers Brendan ‘The Dark’ Hughes and ex-Sinn Féin Mid-Ulster Assembly member and founder member of the Provisional IRA, John Kelly.

“The people’s desire for peace has been cynically exploited,” the statement reads.

“We, the undersigned, have always desired peace. We reject the logic of the proposition that the interests of peace can be in any way served by our young people signing up to join the British Crown forces such as the RUC/PSNI.

The list was described by ex-prisoner activist Danny McBrearty as “not exhaustive” and said it was compiled at short notice.

“The movement has been dismembered by the current leadership. We are asking people to open their eyes,” he said.

“It is a total capitulation of what the last 30 years was about, what was the armed struggle about, why did hundreds of out patriot dead die?

“For Gerry Adams and his leadership to enter Stormont, which they told us they would never do. They told us that they would never give a bullet or an ounce, now there’s not a bullet or an ounce left.”

* A Sinn Féin councillor has resigned her seat over of the party’s decision to support the British PSNI police.

Fermanagh councillor Poilin Ui Cathain said she hoped her reservations would be proved wrong.

“I believe that this decision is now irreversible. Therefore, while I can afford to be wrong, I don’t believe that Sinn Féin has that luxury,” she told the Fermanagh Herald.

The PoWs listed as having signed the petition as of Monday morning are listed below, in alphabetical order:

Fra Barber, Derry
Joe Barr, Tyrone
Tom Barry, Portaoise Jail
Jim Blakely, Derry
Terry Bonner, Derry
Phil Bowen, Derry
Jim Boyle, Derry
D. Boyle, Tyrone
Don Boyle, Derry
Cathy Bradley, Derry
James ‘Jimmy B’ Bradley, Belfast
Martin Bradley, Derry
Ted Bradley, Derry
John Brady, Maghaberry Jail
Ben Brady, Tyrone
Derek Brady, Portlaoise Jail
Martin Brogan, Down
Hugh Brolly, Derry
Bruno Brown, Derry
Tony Browne, Derry
Gerry Burns, Dublin
Barry Campbell, Armagh
Davy Campbell, Derry
Eddie Campbell, Belfast
Paul Campbell, Armagh
W. Campbell, Derry
James Canney, Belfast
Brian Carlin, Derry
Paul Carlin, Derry
Gregory Caroll, Armagh
Mark Caroll, Down
Conor Casey, Maghaberry Jail
Paul Carson, Belfast
Cathal Cartland, Louth
Tony Catney, Belfast
Gerard Carville, Down
John Cassidy, Derry
Ann Cinnamont, Armagh
Jimmy Clarke, Belfast
Davy Clinton, Down
Malachy Cooley, Armagh
John Connolly, Maghaberry Jail
Mickey Connolly, Belfast
Seamus Connolly, Armagh
Sean Connolly, Portlaoise Jail
Turlough Connolly, Tyrone
Emanuel Conway, Belfast
Martin Corey, Armagh
Del Coyle, Derry
Seamus Coyle, Derry
Kevin Crilly, Armagh
Anto Crowley, Portaoise Jail
Denis Cummings, Tyrone
John Joe Cummings, Tyrone
E. Curley, Derry
John Curran, Derry
Robby Davidson, Armagh
Charlie Deery, Derry
Gerard Deery, Derry
Paddy Deery, Derry
Mickey Og Devine, Derry
Pat Dillon, Belfast
Roger Dillon, Tyrone
Sean Dillon, Tyrone
Eddie Dobbins, Derry
John ‘Nobby’ Dobbins, Derry
Abe Doherty, Derry
Ciaran Doherty, Derry
Christine Doherty, Derry
Gerry Doherty, Derry
Johnny Doherty, Derry
J. Doherty, Derry
Martin ‘Ducksie’ Doherty, Derry
Maura Doherty, Derry
Seamus Doherty, Derry
Saoirse Doherty, Derry
Brian Donnelly, Derry
Gary ‘Donzo’ Donnelly, Derry
John ‘Shorty’ Donnelly, Derry
Gerry Donnelly, Derry
Michael Donnelly, Derry
Danny Doyle, Derry
Danny Duffy, Derry
Declan Duffy, Portlaoise Jail
George Duffy, Derry
Patsy Duffy, Derry
Sean Duffy, Tyrone
Shane Duffy, Armagh
Martin Dugan, Armagh
Tony Dugan, Armagh
Jim Dynes, Belfast
Atsy Edgar, Derry
Nuala Edgar, Derry
Martin Farren, Derry
John Fearon, Armagh
Damien Fields, Armagh
Patrick Fields, Armagh
Bobby Fisher, Derry
Joe Fitzsimmons, Down
Ciaran Freeman, Armagh
Tony Friel, Derry
Gerard Foster, Belfast
Anthony Fox, Tyrone
Anthony Fox, Dungannon, Tyrone
Paddy Fox, Tyrone
Philip Forsythe, Dublin
Gerard Forward, Belfast
Bruce Gallagher, Derry
Andy Gallagher, Tyrone
Anthony Gallagher, Derry
Denis Gallagher, Derry
Jim Gallagher, Derry
Michael Gallagher, Derry
Michael Og Gallagher, Derry
Tommy Gallagher, Derry
Willie Gallagher, Tyrone
Dermot Gannon, Dublin
John Gilmour, Derry
Davy Glennon, Belfast
Tommy Gorman, Belfast
Aidan Grew, Armagh
Oliver Grew, Armagh
Sean Guinness, Armagh
Seamus Halligan, Belfast
B. Hamill, Tyrone
Gerry Hampson, Derry
B. Harkin, Derry
Terry Harkin, Derry
Joe Harper, Down
Tony Hyde, Dublin
Joe Heaney, Belfast
Liam Heffernan, Belfast
Neil ‘Hega’ Hegarty, Derry
Alan Hickey, Portlaoise Jail
Eilleen Hillon, Armagh
Michael Hillon, Armagh
Noel Hillon, Armagh
Mickey Holden, Derry
John Hollywood, Armagh
Brendan ‘the Dark’ Hughes, Belfast
Cathal Hughes, Armagh
Danny Hughes, Belfast
Aidan Hulme, Portlaoise Jail
Robert Hulme, Portlaoise Jail
Robby Humphreys, Portlaoise Jail
John A. Heaney, Armagh
Liam Johnston, Belfast
Peter Jordan, Bristol
Seamus Kearney, Derry
Dan Keating, Kerry
Adrian ‘Cypie’ Kelly, Derry
Gareth Kelly, Portlaoise Jail
Jimmy Kelly, Derry
John Kelly, Derry
Vinny Kelly, Portlaoise Jail
Adrian Kirwan, Portlaoise Jail
Canice Lafferty, Derry
Paul Little, Belfast
Justin Livingstone, Armagh
Robert Livingstone, Armagh
Colm Lynagh, Monaghan
Harry Lynn, Derry
Gearoid Maguaid, Down
Ronnie Maguire, Derry
Fr Pat Maloney, New York
Eileen Marshall, Armagh
Patrick Maxwell, Belfast
Paul Maxwell, Derry
Joe McAdams, Derry
Gavin McArdle, Armagh
Danny McBrearty, Derry
James McCafferty, Tyrone
Terry McCafferty, Belfast
Dinny McCallion, Derry
Paul McCallion, Derry
Hugh McCann, Derry
Patsy McCann, Dublin
Paul McCarthy, Portlaoise Jail
Hugh McCaughey, Armagh
Anthony McClelland, Derry
Colm McClelland, Derry
Eddie McClelland, Armagh
Gerry McClelland, Armagh
Michael McCluskey, Derry
Sharon McCluskey, Derry
Ciaran McColgan, Derry
Brian McCool, Derry
Roy McCool, Derry
Gary McCool, Derry
Kieran McCormick, Belfast
P. McCourt, Derry
Jim McCrystal, Armagh
Paddy McDaid, Derry
Brian McFadden, Derry
Thomas McFadden, Derry
Hugh Anthony McGaughy, Armagh
Gerry McGeogh, Tyrone
Gerry McGillion, Derry
Ben McGirr, Armagh
Diane McGlinchey, Tyrone
Paddy McGlinchey, Derry
Paul McGlinchey, Derry
Eddie McGarrigle, Tyrone
Tony McGrann, Belfast
Danny McGrory, Derry
Joe McGuckin, Derry
Seamus McHenry, Belfast
Martin McIlkearney, Belfast
Anthony McIntyre, Belfast
Patsy McIntyre, Derry
Colm McKeegan, Antrim
Brendan McLaughlin, Derry
Denis McLaughlin, Derry
Pauline McLaughlin, Derry
Seamus McLaughlin, Derry
John McMonagle, Derry
Martin McMonagle, Derry
Eugene McNamee, Armagh
Pat McNamee, Armagh
Mickey McNaught, Derry
Joe McNulty, Tyrone
Jimmy McPeake, Belfast
Kevin ‘Bap’ McQuillan, Belfast
Tommy McReynolds, Belfast
Peter McVeigh, Armagh
Christopher ‘Crip’ McWilliams, Belfast
Stevie Mellon, Derry
Tommy Mellon, Derry
Barney Meenan, Derry
Terence ‘Digger’ Moore, Derry
Danny Morgan, Belfast
Paddy Morgan, Armagh
Paul Morgan, Tyrone
Ivan Morley, Armagh
Gerard ‘Hucker’ Moyna, Belfast
Don Mullan, Tyrone
Gerard Mullan, Belfast
Anthony Murphy, Tyrone
Dominic Murphy, Tyrone
Andy Murphy, Tyrone
Kevin Murphy, Tyrone
Brian Murray, Armagh
Gerard Murray, Belfast
Kieran Murray, Armagh
Paddy Murray, Antrim
Damien ‘Dee’ Nicell, Derry
Cornelius Nixon, Armagh
John Nixon, Armagh
Seamus O’Ceallaigh, Derry
Brendan O’Connor, Tyrone
Eamon O’Donnell, Derry
Gerry O’Donnell, Derry
Aidan O’Driscoll, Portaoise Jail
Charlie O’Hagan, Derry
Paddy O’Hagan, Derry
Patrick O’Hagan, Derry
Myles O’Hagan, Derry
Mickey O’Hara, Armagh
Sean ‘Scatter’ O’Hara, Derry
Tony O’Hara, Derry
Patrick O’Hare, Down
Charlie O’Neill, Dublin
Colm O’Neill, Armagh
Gary O’Neill, Limerick
Frankie O’Neill, Derry
Lawrence O’Neill, Antrim
Martin O’Neill, Derry
Philip O’Neill, Armagh
R. O’Neill, Tyrone
John O’Rourke, Portlaoise Jail
Terence Page, Derry
Brian Pennyson, Armagh
Dolours Price, Belfast
Marion Price, Belfast
Raymond Quigg, Derry
John Quigley, Derry
Stephen Quigley, Derry
Steven Quigley, Armagh
Brian Quinn, Dublin
Frankie Quinn, Tyrone
Pat Quinn, Tyrone
Frank Ramsey, Derry
Paul Rankin, Derry
George Roberts, Derry
Cathy Robinson, Derry
Warren Robinson, Derry
Terry Robson, Derry
Alan Ryan, Dublin
Anto Ryan, Dublin
Kevin Satton, Tyrone
Brendan ‘Shando’ Shannon, Belfast
Art Sherwin, Dublin
Catherine Shields, Derry
Terence Shields, Derry
Christy Smith, Limerick
Colin Smith, Armagh
Hack Smith, Belfast,
Mickey Smith, Belfast
Niall Smith, Portaoise Jail
Patrick Smith, Belfast
Drew Stevenson, Derry
Lawrence Stevenson, Armagh
Stevie Stewart, Derry
John Martin Swift, Fermanagh
Patrick Tierney, Armagh
Barry Treanor, Armagh
Malachy Treanor, Armagh
Tony Taylor, Derry
Willie Taylor, Derry
Mickey Tracy, Derry
Paddy Villa, Derry
Jim Walker, Derry
Desmond Walmsley, Fermanagh
Sean Walsh, Dublin
Johnny White, Derry
Tommy White, Derry
Paul Whoriskey, Derry

Urgent Appeal