Gerry Adams is the pre-eminent republican activist of our times. A former President of Sinn Féin, he served as MP for West Belfast and as a TD in the Dáil over a four-decade period of frontline elected politics.
He is the author of several books including Before the Dawn, The Street and Other Stories and Falls Memories. His latest collection of short stories The Witness Trees will be published in the autumn.
He describes himself as "an optimistic and hopeful activist" and publishes a famed Twitter account.
IN a historic vote in the Assembly last week, members overwhelmingly passed by 46 votes to 25 a motion calling on the Irish government to implement the recommendation of the 2013 Constitutional Convention on the Constitution to extend “the right to vote in elections for President of Ireland to all Irish citizens on the island of Ireland.”
I SPENT the last week in Dublin in the Four Courts as part of the outworking of my case against the BBC’s Spotlight programme nine years ago. But more of that when it’s over, which could take another fortnight.
ON May 4 at 3pm, a statue of Bobby Sands will be unveiled in the Republican Memorial Garden, in Twinbrook, where Bobby lived. The organisers of the event, all local republican activists and all inspired by the courage and self-sacrifice of Bobby and his comrades, have worked hard over recent years to raise the funds for the statue. Former hunger striker Pat Sheehan, who spent 55 days on the 1981 hunger strike, will speak about Bobby and his comrades who died.
I HOPE you all had an enjoyable Easter. Across the island and further afield commemorations were held at countless locations to remember those who fought in the 1916 Easter Rising and in all of the generations of the freedom struggle. The Belfast turnout was big and Pearse Doherty, who made an exceptional speech, was given a very warm welcome. I saw no mention of his remarks or those of other republican speakers on RTÉ, BBC or other broadcasters. So much for public service broadcasting.
I DIDN'T think Easter is almost upon us. It has crept up on me. For Irish republicans Easter holds a special significance. It is synonymous with the 1916 Easter Rising and the heroism over a century ago of those who rose up against the British Empire and declared for a Republic. It is also a time when we remember all of those women and men – over countless generations – who gave their lives in pursuit of Irish sovereignty and independence.
THE delay in building the new Casement Park is totally unacceptable. Like many Gaels of my age I grew up with Casement. I played there for our school teams and enjoyed sports days as well. I have watched umpteen games over the decades. Until 2013. That was the last time Casement Park hosted a game. On June 10, 2013.
The North began, the North held on,The strife for native land;When Ireland rose to smite her foesGod bless the Northern land.Thomas Davis IN the 1790s Belfast was the centre of an Irish political movement which linked Antrim and Down with the Republics of France and America, and Belfast citizens celebrated the Fall of the Bastille, drank toasts to Mirabeau and Lafayette and studied Payne’s great book, The Rights of Man.
FRIDAY past was the eighth anniversary of the death of our friend and leader Martin McGuinness. Like many others, I am sure, I was perplexed as it dawned on me that eight years had passed since we lost him. In my head I thought it was five or six years ago. But as we people of a certain age should now know, time waits for no-one. I remember as if it was yesterday dashing to the hospital. Even though we were anticipating his death there was nonetheless a numbness, a shock to be told that Martin was gone.
IF truth be told the long-standing claim of neutrality by the southern Irish state is not all it’s made out to be. It is a fact that successive Irish governments have turned a blind eye to American war planes using Shannon as a stopping-off point for attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as carrying munitions to Israel for its genocidal war against the people of Palestine. US planes carrying political prisoners to interrogation and detention sites, where they were tortured, stopped at Shannon to refuel. A breach of international law. The government did nothing.
IT has been a very busy and eventful couple of weeks for all of those who speak and enjoy the Irish language and who have campaigned for decades against government policies of institutionalised exclusion, inequality and discrimination.
SEACHTAIN na Gaeilge used to run for one week, but because it was so popular it was extended. It now runs annually from March 1 to 17 – St Patrick’s Day.
ON Tuesday we buried our friend and comrade Brendan McFarlane. Bik texted me just two weeks or so ago to say he was back in hospital. He had been battling cancer for some time. A few days later the medics stopped his treatment. There was nothing else they could do for him. Suddenly and unexpectedly he was gone. He died peacefully surrounded by his loving family.
LAST week we remembered Frank Stagg, who died on hunger strike in an English prison in February 1976.
LAST week we remembered Frank Stagg, who died on hunger strike in an English prison in February 1976.
ROSELEEN Walsh is one of 36 women who were interned in the early 1970s. Her latest book – My Internment – tells the very personal story of her life as a young woman in West Belfast in the late 60s and early 70s. Of the constant pressure and danger of living under British occupation and of her time as an internee in Armagh Women’s Prison.