Irish Republican News: Archives

December 29, 2010

Behind closed doors

The 26-County Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has drawn a veil of secrecy around the state’s banking system and the Dublin government’s efforts to reinvent the sector.

Prisoners’ Christmas visits cancelled

Republican prisoners’ families were turned away from Maghaberry jail on Christmas Eve in an apparent reprisal by warders for a new agreement on oral searches.

Grenade incident prompts questions, criticism

A grenade found outside the County Fermanagh home of a PSNI policeman has been strongly condemned by the North’s political parties.

Independence ‘almost lost’ under de Valera

One of the most respected civil servants to work for the Dublin government, TK Whitaker, has said that an almost bankrupt Ireland was in danger of losing its independence in the late 1950s.

New Year message from Gerry Adams

A statement was issued by Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams on Christmas Eve.

On the 50th anniversary of the successful breakout from Crumlin Road jail in 1960, we publish a review of his book published earlier this year, ‘Prisoner 1082, Escape From Crumlin Road - Europe’s Alcatraz’. Review by Gerry O’Hara, for the Bobby Sands Trust.

Much ruin and many regrets

The year 2010 will be remembered principally for two profound and far reaching developments in Irish politics.

Has anything really changed?

As 2010 draws to a close, has it been a momentous year for Irish Republicans in the Occupied Six Counties, or is it more of the same?

December 21, 2010

White Christmas chaos

People returning home for the festive season in Ireland continue to endure hellish travel conditions as an ice storm has severely disrupted road and air transport.

PSNI actions provoke Newry riot

The Derrybeg estate in Newry saw heavy clashes between the PSNI and nationalist youths after armoured jeeps descended on the republican estate, sealing off the entrance to the area.

Hamill prosecutions to go ahead

Three people are to be charged in connection with the sectarian murder of Portadown Catholic Robert Hamill, Crown prosecutors in the North have said.

New Parades Commission named

The British Secretary Owen Paterson has appointed a totally new seven-member Parades Commission.

Abortion ruling raises fresh controversy

There have been calls for a new referendum to legislate for limited abortion in the 26 Counties following a European court ruling that a woman with cancer had her human rights violated when she was refused an abortion.

Television stand-off ‘to end in 2012’

Television channels from the South will be beamed for free across the Six Counties by the end of 2012, it was confirmed this week.

The 1918 general strike

With calls for a general strike and civil disobedience gaining ground in the face of the economic crisis, an example in Irish history when the tactic of the general strike was successfully employed by the Irish working class.

Tell us the truth about Pat Finucane

For real reconciliation, we need acknowledgement of British security services’ relationship with loyalism during the conflict

December 17, 2010

Betrayed public demands change

A poll has confirmed the demand of the people of the 26 Counties for a political renewal following Wednesday’s humiliating vote by the Dublin parliament to cede control of economic decision-making to the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.

Stormont agrees draft budget

After weeks of delays, the DUP and Sinn Féin have signed up to the draft budget to meet 4 billion pounds (4.7 billion euro) in savings demanded by British exchequer chancellor George Osborne.

Ahern feared for career over renditions - WikiLeaks

A leaked cable published by WikiLeaks has described how former 26-County Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern knew that at least three illegal ‘extraordinary rendition’ flights had used Shannon airport when he held a meeting with the US ambassador in December 2007.

Finucane protest planned as inquiries stalled

The publication of two inquiries into collusion killings has been hit by further delays.

Fusco murder trial underway

A man accused of murdering Belfast chip shop owner Alfredo Fusco has refused to give evidence in his own defence.

Belfast attacks ‘ridiculous’ - SF

Two pipe bomb attacks took place in south and north Belfast over the past 24 hours-

Minimum wage, maximum shame

With last Friday’s passage of legislation to cut the minimum wage by 1 euro to 7.65 euro [£6.50], another shameful threshold was crossed by the Fianna Fáil-Green Party coalition; driving yet another section of society into poverty.

The appalling vista of two elections

Any day now I’m expecting to see a headline saying ‘Kitchen sink narrowly misses Gerry Adams’.

December 15, 2010

Dail surrenders economic sovereignty

The Fianna Fail/Green Party coalition has won a vote in the Dublin parliament which will cede control over the day-to-day running of the 26-County economy to the International Monetary Fund and the European Union.

December 14, 2010

WikiLeaked: Politics over peace

Classified cables from the US Embassy in Dublin released by the Wikileaks organisation have revealed that the 26-County government acted contrary to nationalist interests and consistently briefed against Sinn Fein during the peace process in the North.

Cables point to MI5’s collusion files

Calls for an independent international inquiry into the murder of Belfast defence lawyer Pat Finucane have been renewed after documents revealed British military intelligence offered to hand over secret files on the killing.

Bankers’ bonuses an injustice too far

The 26-County government has been forced into a sharp policy reversal over the payment of bonuses to senior bankers.

26-County public services in disarray

A series of reports in the past week has pointed to increasing levels of incompetence, negligence and dysfunction in the provision of state services in the 26 Counties.

Two arrested over murder of Catholic teen

Two men have been arrested in connection with the loyalist murder of 19-year-old Eileen Doherty, whose taxi was hijacked by gunmen in south Belfast over 37 years ago.

Sinn Fein in Dáil pact ahead of IMF debate

The five Sinn Fein TDs and two Independents, Finian McGrath and Maureen O’Sullivan, have agreed to form a technical group in the Dublin parliament.

Political prisoners Christmas 2010

A list of republican prisoners and the addresses of their prisons.

A new type of politics

The general election, when it comes, will be the most important in recent decades.

December 10, 2010

Bankers celebrate as kids starve

Irish children are now scavenging in bins for food, such is the dire level of poverty among some families, even as the Dublin government transferred billions from the poor to the rich.

Shamed government backs away from election

The likely date of a 26-County general election has been pushed back to March or even later as Fianna Fail and Green Party Ministers attempt to cling to power.

Duffy trial to go ahead

High-profile republican Colin Duffy suffered two beatings en route to and from a court hearing on Thursday at which he was told he would have to attend a trial in the New Year.

Tories shy away from Ballymurphy inquiry

A British minister has indicated that an investigation into the killing of eleven people in west Belfast by the British Army in 1971 is to be refused.

Adams quits Stormont

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has ended his Stormont career by praising what he said was the “remarkable” achievement of power-sharing.

Paterson linked to new Tory/UUP deal

Sinn Fein MP Pat Doherty has called on the British Secretary of State Owen Paterson to come clean on any involvement he had in brokering the latest political deal between the Tories and the UUP.

Address to Dail on 2011 Budget

The full text of the address by Sinn Fein Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty following Tuesday’s 26-County Budget for 2011

UUP looks like its about to self-destruct

Tom Elliott supplied the denial headline without even the public accusation - “Elliott denies he’s a political dinosaur,”.

December 9, 2010

Royal convoy attacked as English students revolt

A vehicle carrying ‘Prince of Wales’ Charles Windsor and his wife, ‘Duchess of Cornwall’ Camilla Parker-Bowles, was attacked by student protesters in London amid heavy rioting in the city.

December 7, 2010

Lenihan unveils ‘slash and burn’ budget

Ordinary workers, families and social welfare recipients have borne the brunt of 6 billion euro in cuts and taxes in the 26-County Budget today by Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan.

Shame on them

A casino in Tipperary and a new road in Kerry are part of two late, shabby back-room deals which have given the green light to a disgraceful political crime.

Bomb cover-up reached highest level

A classified document that details a meeting between former Six-County prime minister Brian Faulkner and British Home Secretary Reginald Maudling shows that a cover-up around the McGurk’s bar bombing went right to the top of the government.

UUP disintegration continues

The new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, Tom Elliott has insisted he is not a “political dinosaur” after another prominent party figure quit.

SF seeks two seats in Cavan-Monaghan

Sinn Fein is to run two general election candidates in Cavan-Monaghan in a sign of confidence that the party will increase its support at the polls.

Unionists oppose Ballymurphy exhibition

Unionists have sought to prevent the families of those who died in the Ballymurphy massacre from displaying photographs in Belfast City Hall next August on the 40th anniversary of their deaths.

Adams holds talks on marches

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams met senior loyalists at Stormont on Monday to discuss the ongoing impasse over sectarian parades.

The International Monetary Fund

So what is the International Monetary Fund?

National debasement disguised as a rescue plan

The Programme of Financial Support for Ireland will be subject to three-month reviews “of conditionality”, observance of “quantitative performance criteria” and “respect for EU Council decisions and recommendations”.

December 3, 2010

SF overtakes Dublin govt in poll

Sinn Fein’s support in the 26 counties has surged according to a new opinion poll, which also predicts Fianna Fail is facing a virtual wipeout in the forthcoming general election.

Doherty enters Dail as IMF/EU rules are revealed

Newly elected TD Pearse Doherty has taken his seat in the Dublin parliament, where he will be Sinn Fein’s new Finance spokesperson.

Dissident goals ‘not achievable’ - McGuinness

Sinn Fein’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has said republicans still engaged in armed struggle face prison “for an aim that is simply not achievable”.

Murdered man was innocent - HET

A former British soldier who said he had shot dead a young Catholic man in north Belfast could not have carried out the killing, according to the North’s Historical Enquiries Team (HET).

US govt annoyed by Shannon policy, judgement - WikiLeaks

A former US ambassador to Ireland said the Dublin government imposed new conditions on the use of Shannon airport by US troops in 2006 in a bid to secure extra votes ahead of a general election the following year, according to a leaked diplomatic cable.