Irish Republican News: Archives

November 28, 2017

Snap election averted as Minister resigns

The disgraced Irish Deputy Prime Minister, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald, has resigned, preventing a 26 County general election before Christmas.

November 25, 2017

Election likely as Varadkar defends disgraced Minister

The 26 County minority government could collapse on Tuesday after Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar refused to back down over a motion of no confidence in the deputy prime minister, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald.

A new generation taking over at Sinn Fein

A historic Sinn Fein Ard Fheis has paved the way for a smooth transition of power after two senior Sinn Fein members ruled themselves out of a potential party leadership contest.

Relatives dying before seeing justice for victims

A coroner’s court has found the British Army had no justification for shooting dead 25-year-old Joseph Parker at a Christmas dance in north Belfast in 1971. His wife, who was pregnant with their second child at the time, died before she could hear his shooting declared “not justified”.

Britain to rewrite talks deal with amnesty for killer soldiers

Gerry Adams has described as “an act of bad faith” a move by the British government to add a new section about an amnesty for British crown forces onto a bill for the implementation of the 2014 Stormont House Agreement.

Saoradh activists targeted at party conference

A stop-and-search operation by the PSNI targeted dozens of republican activists attending the Saoradh Ard Fheis in Derry last weekend.

Taylor apologises for referring to Varadkar as ‘the Indian’

Former Ulster Unionist Party Deputy Leader John Taylor, now styling himself ‘Lord Kilclooney’, has been forced to issue an apology after referring to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as “the Indian”.

The Manchester Martyrs

150 years on from their execution, a historical look back at three Fenians whose bravery in giving their lives in struggle helped to sustain it.

Ballymurphy republicans don’t retire

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams on his party’s historic annual conference.

November 23, 2017

Govt pact over as Fianna Fail say no confidence in Minister

The latest embarrassing revelation of attempts to silence a police corruption whistleblower has escalated dramatically tonight with apparent confirmation that a deal underpinning the minority 26 County government is at an end.

November 19, 2017

Upheaval for Sinn Fein as Adams announces retirement

It was an emotional night for Sinn Fein supporters in the RDS last night as Gerry Adams confirmed he was making his last Presidential Address after more than 30 years at the head of the organisation.

November 18, 2017

Gerry Adams to step down as Sinn Fein leader

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams tonight confirmed he will stand aside as leader of the party next year, and gave credit to other members of the leadership who have stepped aside or are in the process of doing so.

45 years for the truth

Rulings that the murder of 11-year-old British Army victim Francis Rowntree was ‘not justified’ and that the rubber bullets fired at him were lethal have been widely welcomed, although 45 years late and following the recent death of his mother.

Sinn Fein clear way to enter Dublin govt as junior party

The prospect of a Sinn Fein Tanaiste serving under a Fine Gael or Fianna Fail Taoiseach is closer today after a controversial vote at Sinn Fein’s annual conference in Dublin this weekend.

Decision time for Tories on Irish border

Hard-right Tories and British tabloids have expressed fury after the EU and the Dublin government both insisted on a British commitment that there will be no ‘hard border’ -- physical installations or patrols -- following Britain’s departure from the EU.

Unexpected encounter provokes violent prison assault

Republican prisoners in the north of Ireland have hit out at the brutality they are routinely being subjected to, after three of their number at Maghaberry were assaulted by warders during a remand hearing.

‘Walter Mitty’ administration in denial about homeless crisis

Comments this week by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and others in the Dublin government have sparked outrage among homeless charities and housing campaigners.

Rock star rocked back by Sinn Fein Mayor

Former rock star and TV celebrity Bob Geldof has been accused of hypocrisy after returning his freedom of the city of Dublin in protest at disgraced Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi holding the same honour, while he retains the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

The Rohingya

The Rohingya are often described as “the world’s most persecuted minority”.

No Stone Unturned - review

Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney exposes the collusion which shielded the perpetrators of the 1994 Loughinisland massacre from justice. The shocking No Stone Unturned finally names the chief suspects while revealing the RUC’s deliberate mishandling of the multiple murder inquiry.

November 13, 2017

Direct Rule budget passes through Westminster

Sinn Fein has said talks with unionists to restore the Six County Executive are over after it was confirmed today that the British government is pushing a ‘Northern Ireland’ budget bill through all stages of the Westminster parliament, a key step towards the return of full Direct Rule of the north of Ireland from London.

November 11, 2017

RSF figure ordered held without trial

A prominent Armagh republican, Gabriel Mackle, has been interned on the orders of the British Direct Ruler James Brokenshire.

Direct Rule budget ‘not the end’ for Stormont - May

The British Prime Minister has spoken separately to the Sinn Fein and DUP leaderships to insist that hope remains for a talks deal to retain the Stormont Assembly.

PSNI ‘compelled’ to produce collusion report

The PSNI is being ordered by a High Court judge to finalise and publish an all-encompassing report into suspected British state collusion with a loyalist unit behind more than 100 murders.

Intimidation rising, figures show

Hundreds of people are being forced from their homes every year by loyalist paramilitaries, according to figures released this week.

Call for new inquest into murder of John Copeland

Senior republican Eddie Copeland has asked for a new inquest into the death of his father.

The forgotten victim of Enniskillen

The 30th anniversary of the Enniskillen bombing was widely commemorated this week in Ireland and Britain, but Adam Lambert, a young Protestant killed instead of a Catholic in a reprisal attack, was largely forgotten.

The funerals of Frank Stagg

Frank Stagg who died on hunger strike aged 33, had three funerals and two burials. One funeral had no body and one burial was done in darkness. His life is commemorated on three headstones in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina, County Mayo.

The pain and humiliation of Brexit

When I hear what the EU negotiators are telling the UK, I invariably feel a jolt of pleasure.

November 4, 2017

An end to the Good Friday Agreement?

An attempt to inject urgency into the Stormont talks process this week failed to resolve a stand-off over the Democratic Unionist Party’s refusal to implement past agreements on equality and respect for nationalists, leading to speculation that the process has reached an endpoint.

‘Arm na Poblachta’ claims rocket attack

A newly announced IRA group has claimed responsibility for a rocket reportedly discovered in the Poleglass area of Belfast following a telephone warning.

Documentary finds RUC massacre conspiracy

A retired RUC police detective has admitted a colleague involved in the investigation into the massacre of six Catholic men in County Down in 1994 was more interested in setting up another murder than catching the killers.

Attempt to bypass the law as soldiers are questioned

Sinn Fein has strongly rejected the latest attempt to rule out prosecutions of British soldiers for war crimes committed during the conflict in Ireland.

It’s slums or the street as housing crisis deepens

The Dublin government is being urged to declare a national emergency following the identification of landlord-operated slums and another rise in homelessness in the face of a chronic shortage of accommodation.

Catalan cabinet ministers interned by Spain

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams TD has strongly criticised the Spanish government after eight Catalan ministers were sent to jails in Madrid on charges of “rebellion” and “sedition” over a referendum on independence.

The racist worldview of Arthur Balfour

Arthur James Balfour will, no doubt, be praised effusively by supporters of Israel for a brief document he signed 100 years ago.

A new way forward for Ireland

Sean Bresnahan, Chair of the Thomas Ashe Society Omagh, argues that the Eire Nua initiative for a Federal All-Ireland Republic, developed by Sinn Fein in the 1970s and still supported by Republican Sinn Fein, can best advance a new beginning for all of the Irish people.