Irish Republican News: Archives

August 28, 2020

‘Internment 2.0’

A Palestinian doctor and political activist has been charged under the “Terrorism Act”, alongside nine Irish republicans as part of a major Crown Forces operation to imprison leading members of the Saoradh political party.

McFadden family ‘refuse MI5 protection’ - Saoradh

Saoradh have said the family of Dennis McFadden have ended their associations with the recently identified MI5 agent, and they should face no hostility or recrimination for his actions.

Disturbances in Lurgan follow searches, arrests

Petrol bombs were thrown in Lurgan on Sunday night following PSNI searches and a bomb alert.

Hooded Men bid to pave way for other victims

The Hooded Men are to take Britain’s refusal to investigate legacy state crimes in the conflict to the Supreme Court in London.

Anger at lengthy sentence in Connor retrial

Belfast woman Christine Connor has been sentenced to 20 years in jail over an alleged plot to encourage online acquaintances to carry out attacks against the PSNI, despite a judge’s admission that she suffers from “significant” mental ill-health.

Loyalist campaign against GAA continues

The erection by loyalists of a banner in Dungannon referring to the GAA (Gaelic Athletics Association) as the “sporting wing of the IRA” has been condemned by Sinn Fein.

The Burnings

The shooting of a member of Britain’s Royal Irish Constabulary 100 years ago sparked weeks of anti-Catholic violence. An account of an infamous episode in the town’s history which became known as ‘The Burnings’.

Golfgate is a story of ruling class entitlement

Irish EU Commissioner Paul Hogan resigned on Thursday, the latest casualty of a golf outing that showed how the class system works in Ireland. A look at an ongoing story by Paulie Doyle, for Tribune magazine.

August 24, 2020

Entrapment alleged as top Saoradh official named as MI5 agent

A man presenting himself as a lifelong republican activist, Dennis McFadden, has been accused of working with British military intelligence to help imprison leading members of Saoradh.

August 21, 2020

Saoradh under attack

Raids have taken place over four days across three jurisdictions in one of the largest actions in recent years by state forces against a legal political party.

Coalition in crisis over Covid dinner madness

Micheál Martin’s coalition government has been deeply rocked by the fall-out from an anniversary dinner of the Dublin parliament’s Golf Society.

Family goes to court after inquest into double killing refused

The daughter of a female IRA Volunteer killed along with her sister almost 50 years ago is set to launch legal action against the Six County Attorney General after a new inquest was refused.

PSNI silent after delivering threat for loyalists

Loyalist paramilitaries are being effectively shielded by Six County PSNI police while passing on racist threats to their targets, judging from a recent case in south Belfast.

Setback for ex-PoWs as discriminatory pension scheme advances

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill has reluctantly agreed to progress a one-sided compensation scheme for victims of the past conflict after a judge ruled that an ongoing delay was unlawful.

New effort to realise Roger Casement’s dying wish

A new campaign to reinter the remains of Easter Rising leader Roger Casement has been launched in West Belfast.

Gaza goes dark under new terror campaign

Gaza’s electricity supply has been cut to around three hours a day as Israeli bombing of the besieged Palestinian enclave has continued for ten consecutive days.

Questions the BME community ask about Noah Donohoe

The handling of the disappearance and death of Noah Donohoe has also raised concerns about systemic racism in the North of Ireland.

Minister quits amid outrage over virus double standards

A Minister in the Dublin government has resigned this morning for attending a parliamentary jolly with more than 80 people, including several other politicians and ‘elite’ figures, which breached Covid-19 regulations.

August 14, 2020

Donohoe family seek justice

Fiona Donohoe, the mother of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe, has begun a justice campaign and is seeking public assistance for an investigation into the unexplained death of her son in June of this year.

Policing hypocrisy reaches a new level

The discriminatory nature of the Stormont authorities’ approach to bonfires was laid bare last weekend as nationalist areas were flooded with riot PSNI police in order to remove small amounts of materials ahead of relatively tiny nationalist events, while a giant pyre saw loyalists cheer the sectarian burning of Irish flags and symbols.

Johnson ‘loves and celebrates’ partition of Ireland

Plans to mark the centenary of the partition of Ireland have received a mixed reaction from Irish politicians after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the division of the island was “obviously” a cause for “celebration”.

Martin fearful as unity debate continues

The 26 County Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said he is increasingly concerned that Irish unity may come about sooner rather than later, and possibly quite suddenly.

Prisoner assaulted on anniversary of unimplemented agreement

Republican political prisoner Luke O’Neill was viciously assaulted by warders at Maghaberry jail last week before being removed to an isolation unit, according to fellow prisoners.

Shocking stabbing of teenager recalled

The father of one of the teenagers who was with schoolboy Thomas Devlin on the night he was murdered by loyalists has spoken for the first time about the events of 15 years ago that changed the lives of three families forever.

Mickey Devine: The last hunger striker to die

Mickey Devine, from the Creggan in Derry city, was the tenth and final hunger striker to die in the 1981 fight against the criminalisation of Irish republican prisoners.

We do not have clear and equal policing

Violence, arrests, prosecutions and incarcerations are all avoidable if we have clear and equal policing of both sides of the divide to include managing illegal bonfires.

August 7, 2020

Rioting follows PSNI raids in Derry

Vehicles were hijacked and burned and the PSNI were attacked with petrol and paint bombs in three nights of disturbances in Derry this week following brutal police raids in the city.

Anger as PSNI invade west Belfast estate

The IRSP has slammed what it said was an “anti-community” PSNI operation in the republican Divis area of Belfast to seize a small amount of wood gathered for a traditional August bonfire.

John Hume honoured around the world

Mourners from across the political spectrum attended and paid their respects at the funeral of John Hume, the former SDLP leader whose death prompted international tributes on Wednesday.

Catholics facing intimidation

A new Gaelic sports club set up in east Belfast with the goal of uniting communities has already been targeted by loyalists.

Calls for united Ireland campaign to be accelerated

Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty has called for the campaign for a united Ireland to be stepped up.

Prisoner wins right to access library books

A republican prisoner has won a High Court battle to secure access to library books. Sean McVeigh is currently being held within the segregated regime at Maghaberry Prison.

Beirut emergency appeal

Belfast-based political activist Fra Hughes been asked by friends in Lebanon to highlight the following appeal.

Remembering John Hume

John’s contribution to Irish politics cannot be underestimated. When others talked endlessly about peace John grasped the challenge and helped make peace happen.

August 3, 2020

Adams pays tribute to John Hume

Former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams says John Hume’s decision to meet him for talks in 1986 “was a breakthrough moment in Irish politics” and described the Good Friday Agreement as “a landmark moment for both of us”.

John Hume has died

It has been announced this morning that the former SDLP leader and Noble Peace Prize winner John Hume passed away late last night. He died after a short illness at the age of 83 after suffering from dementia for many years.