Irish Republican News: Archives

March 29, 2011

An apology for murder

The British government has apologised for killing a south Armagh girl, who was shot dead by a paratrooper almost 35 years ago.

Maghaberry stitch-up exposed

The personal details of a former Maghaberry governor were planted by a prison warder in a prominent republican’s cell at the County Antrim prison, it has been admitted.

Bomb defused at Derry courthouse

The armed group known as Oglaigh na hEireann has said it planted a device near Derry’s courthouse which caused a major bomb alert on Sunday evening and Monday morning.

Kenny denies corruption in Tribunal brush-off

The governing Fine Gael party has been accused of corruption over its links with businessman Denis O’Brien in a heated Dail debate.

Irish census contractor ‘linked to war crimes’

Anti-war organisation ‘Shannonwatch’ has said that the 2011 census, taking place across the 26 Counties on April 10th, is being managed by a company accused of committing torture, war crimes and civil conspiracy in Iraq.

De Valera’s secret betrayal

Dublin governments were conspiring with Britain to smear prominent republicans and defeat the IRA as long ago as the 1930’s, according to a new radio documentary.

Loughinisland eyewitness speaks out

A witness to the Loughinisland massacre was not only never called on to identify the killers, but she alleges that her details were later passed on to a relative of the suspected getaway driver.

To impunity and beyond

The most potent force for revelation in Irish politics is the man whom Charles Haughey, with all the emotion conjured by the receipt of huge bank drafts, affectionately called “Big Fella”, Ben Dunne.

March 25, 2011

‘Job-sharing’ offer rejected

A suggestion by Sinn Fein’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness that he is prepared to consider sharing the role of First Minister if Sinn Fein tops the polls in the North’s Assembly election has drawn a hostile, if predictable, reaction from unionists.

McGeough sentencing deferred after strip-search drama

Prominent republican Gerry McGeough developed chest pains while refusing to be strip-searched before his court appearance in Belfast on Monday.

Low standards in public office confirmed

The Dublin government has been accused of seeking to cover up the findings of the Moriarty report, which found former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry had acted in “profoundly corrupt” manner.

Britain ends equality in PSNI hiring

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams TD has attacked a decision by the British Secretary to scrap the 50-50 recruitment procedure to the PSNI police, under which equal numbers of Catholics and Protestants were employed by the force.

Coalition cop-out in Brussels

Despite his previous prediction two weeks ago, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has failed to secure reduction in the interest rate on the EU bailout for the 26-County State at a summit of European leaders today.

Orwellian Ministry strikes again

The DUP’s Six-County ‘Minister for Culture’ Nelson McCausland has insisted an annual arts festival held in south central Belfast include pro-Israeli views and Christian music in its line-up, according to a BBC report.

Another war for oil

Declarations from western powers that the military strike against Libya is motivated solely by a desire to protect the civilian population cannot be taken seriously

SF photocall shows its a party without borders

There was powerful symbolism when Sinn Fein brought together the party’s TDs and MLAs at Stormont this week.

March 22, 2011

Tribunal finds former Minister guilty of corruption

In its final report, the Moriarty Tribunal in Dublin has accused former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry of “profoundly corrupt” dealings and a “venal abuse of office”.

March 21, 2011

Circuses

One of the largest military operations in the history of the 26-County State is being prepared in advance of the back-to-back state visits of British monarch Elizabeth Windsor and US President Barack Obama.

High spirits at White House bash

US President Barack Obama has described an “incredible bond” between the US and Ireland at the annual St Patrick’s Day party at the White House.

Fine Gael faces backbone test

Speculation is growing that the new Dublin government will this week be forced to require that at least some bond-holders ‘share the burden’ of losses in the Irish banking system as tensions mount within the European Union over the cost and scale of the international bailout loan plan for the 26-County State.

Spy data was destroyed, court hears

The British Army had secretly bugged a car belonging to a County Armagh teenager on the night he is accused of involvement in a Continuity IRA attack on a member of the PSNI in 2009, it has been revealed.

Sinn Fein displays cross-border unity

Sinn Fein brings its strengthened team of southern representatives to Stormont today [Monday] for the first time since the party’s General Election gains in the 26 Counties.

Heritage plan sought for Dublin city centre

Dublin Sinn Fein TD Aengus O Snodaigh has called for the establishment of a 1916 Quarter encompassing the GPO and the historic buildings on Moore Street and for a Ceathru Gaelteachta [Irish speaking quarter] to develop the Irish language in the city.

Action alert for Gerry McGeough

On February 18, 2011, after almost 4 years of a politically motivated arrest and trial, Gerry McGeough’s case ended with a “guilty” verdict handed down by a British diplock court

My name is Jude, and I’m a wrong-thinker

I wish I wasn’t but I’m afraid I am. Twist and turn, duck and weave, in the end the brutal truth confronts me: I am a wrong-thinking person. How do I know? Because when people start a sentence with “All right-thinking people will...” I end up disagreeing with them.

March 17, 2011

Obama to visit Ireland

US President Barack Obama has said he intends to visit Ireland in May.

March 16, 2011

A week to betrayal

The new Fine Gael-Labour coalition has already backed away from pre-election promises to give the people a say on the EU-IMF bailout deal.

Nelson report suppressed until after election

The British government has said it is carrying out “checks” the findings of a public inquiry into the murder of human rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson, which it is now feared will be withheld until after the May 5 election.

St Patrick’s Day controversy

A row has erupted over the flying of the tricolour at a St Patrick’s Day parade in Downpatrick, County Down.

Nuclear concerns follows Japanese calamity

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is to raise the issue of the Sellafield nuclear plant on the west coast of England following fresh anxiety in Ireland in the wake of the partial meltdown of a number of reactors in the northeast of Japan.

Ballymurphy families join in USA visit

Sinn Fein’s Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness will join DUP leader Peter Robinson and 26-County Taoiseach Enda Kenny among a smaller coterie of Irish politicians than usual to visit Washington DC for the annual St Patrick’s day bash at the White House this wee

Deaths of Sean Cronin, Brian Moore

Leading republicans have expressed their sadness at the death of well-known IRA veteran, author and journalist Sean Cronin.

The Drumboe Martyrs

In March 1923, six weeks before the end of the civil war, the execution of republican prisoners by the Free State regime reached its height.

The Tribulations of Brendan Lillis

The Life Sentence Review Board is said to consider the case of Brendan Lillis on the 22nd of March. If it fails to act humanely and release him the West Belfast man may well end his days in prison.

March 10, 2011

A fresh start

A new government has started work following a day in which a significant change in the political order in the 26 Counties finally became tangible at Leinster House.

Repression of republicans intensifies

A number of British Army Landrovers rolling through the streets of Derry have been linked to a new wave of repressive Crown force raids across the North.

Sinn Fein warns over royal protests

Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has warned against protests turning violent when Elizabeth Windsor, the professed ‘Queen of England’, is brought to the 26 Counties later this year.

Stormont in disarray as budget vote passed

A pre-election row has erupted over the ‘Six-County budget’ in the Stormont Executive, with the Ulster Unionist Party and the SDLP both vehemently opposing financial plans agreed by Sinn Fein and the DUP.

St Matthews attacked again

There were clashes in east Belfast on Wednesday night after a Catholic church was defaced by loyalists for a second time in a week.

Address by Gerry Adams to the Dublin parliament

The following is the full text of the address by Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams on the first meeting of the new parliament at Leinster House.

Position paper by Maghaberry prisoners

A document issued on the 25th February by a group of republican prisoners opposed to the criminalisation policy at Maghaberry jail in the North of Ireland.

When oppressed overcome fear it doesn’t come back

When I see popular uprisings like those that have been happening across the Middle East over the last month I am brought back in time to my teenage years and the streets of Belfast circa 1968.

March 9, 2011

Enda Kenny becomes Taoiseach

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has received his seal of office from President Mary McAleese at Aras An Uachtarain this afternoon following his election as Taoiseach of the 26-County state. He received 117 votes to 27 at the first sitting of the new Dublin parliament.

March 6, 2011