DOCSLIB.ORG

General Secretary's Report to the Workers' Party Ard Fheis Annual Delegate Conference 1978

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
General Secretary's Report to the Workers' Party Ard Fheis Annual Delegate Conference 1978 Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin Materials Workers' Party of Ireland 1978 General Secretary's Report to the Workers' Party Ard Fheis Annual Delegate Conference 1978 Workers' Party of Ireland Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/workerpmat Part of the Political History Commons, and the Political Science Commons Recommended Citation Workers' Party of Ireland, "General Secretary's Report to the Workers' Party Ard Fheis Annual Delegate Conference 1978" (1978). Materials. 16. https://arrow.tudublin.ie/workerpmat/16 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by the Workers' Party of Ireland at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Materials by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License , Ard Fheis GENERAL SECRETARY'S REPORT - SINN FEIN THE WORKERS' PARTY ARD FHEIS - MARCH 1978 GENERAL SECRETARY'S REPORT· Introduction No year since 1969 has been an easy one for members of our Party. In particular the members in Belfast have had to face a continuing problem of attacks on individuals and on property. Each year since then has seen us mourn the loss of some comrades. 1977 was no exception. Easter in Belfast saw a Commemoration parade attacked and a member, John Short, murdered and a 10 year old boy, Kevin McMenamin, blown up. The sectarian assassins struck again when, in July, Trevor McNulty was murdered as he was entering the flats where he lived. Trevor had demonstrated that he was a Republican of his time. He was aware of the need to be engaged in the hard, slow, painstaking construction of our Party,the revolut­ ionary party of the Irish working class. He understood the value and need for education and of work within organisations such as the C.R.A. His place in the revolutionary struggle will be difficult to fill. No organisation or person can be under any illusion now about the nature and the aims of the Provisionals. From 1969 they have been consistent in their efforts to foment a Sectarian Civil War. Since they were spawned by the Blaney-Haughey faction of Fianna Fail, we it is who have been their most consistent enemy. We have time after time exposed their tactics and strategy and fought them, often at dire cost. Their latest atrocity, the bombing and murder at the Le Mon Hotel must surely awaken people to their true nature. There can be no excuse for any group or person who consorts with them, who attempts to excuse them or to have any contact whatsoeverwith them. They must be purged from all areas of Irish life completely. It is indeed regretable that some people who belong to progressive organisations maintain a naive illu~ion that somehow Provisionals can be persuaded to halt their murderous actions by talking to them or that a principled so called 'Irish Alternative' can be built by working with the Right Wing forces of Provisionals on one hand and the Ultra Left on the other. It is akin to believing that anarchy can be stabilised. Nevertheless, regretable as it may be, it is true that such illusions exist. We are in no doubt that at present, seemingly sincere people in other organisations are being led by the nose by a small clique of Maoist-cum-Trotskyist dilettanti. from whose activities we ourselves once suffered. Their pursuit of personal glory and ambition which they practiced in our Party, is now being carried on in another organisation. We believe that this clique are responsible for problems and difficulties that have arisen over the past year among progressive forces. We howevershall continue our work in building Unity recognising that Unity has often to be fought for. It is to the Unity of the Working Class that we are committed and we see no other viable and successful alternative to the overthrow of Anglo-American Imperialism in Ireland or elsewhere in the world than that unity. We recognise of course,that the first step in that struggle is the continued building and strengthening of principled Left Unity. The main areas of activity for the Party last year were the Local Elections in the 6 Counties and the General Election in the 26 Counties. These elections were the first that we as a Party had approached with preparation and confidence.. In the 6 Counties we fielded a total of 34 candidates covering the main areas of population. This figure is in sharp contrast to that of 1973 when we had 88 candidates, very many of a dubious nature. Last year our candidates reflected the changes within the Party, politically aware and conscious of the needs and problems of the people, non sectarian, in fact anti sectarian, socialist principled and hard working. The years of building a firm base paid off in that areas which had done their work and carried out the policies as adopted at Ard Fheiseanna and directed by Central Authority succeeded in expanding. Most noteworthy were the successes achieved in the major growth areas of Belfast and Cra,igavon. The Director of Elections has been holding Constituency meetings in every Westminster Constituency preparing for the forthcoming Westminster Elections sometime this Autumn. The Ard Comhairle has already ratified candidates for the following Constituencies and under the direction of Dessie O'Hagan, who is National Election Agent, the Party' in these Constituencies are building the machines and formulating the policies to put before the electorate. The June General Election in the 26 Counties provided our Party with tremendous oppor­ tunities. Sixteen Constituencies were contested and in most of these the Party did grasp the opportunity and make real gains among the people. When one considers the rout of the National Coalition Party and the massive swing to Fianna Fail, our overall performance is all the more remarkable. We not only held our vote from previous elections but substantially increased it. In particular we note the progress made in this area by Waterford and Cork N.East. We are positive that next time we will have winners in these areas. The establishing of Constituency Councils in the 26 Counties has been a major task for the Director of Elections. Many areas have already begun the task of selecting candidates, gathering finance and building the organisation by doing the necessary work locally that will convince people that we are the Party with the policies, the personnel and the will to solve their problems. The Ard Comhairle will be strict in its ratifying of candidates. Only those candidates who meet the requirements laid down will be ratified. We have entered Elections because we know that we must win a broad base of support .for our Policies. Elections have put our organisation more closely in touch with the people North and South arid in turn,have advanced the education of our members. Once Republicanism was wrongiy considered an elitist philosophy and it was thought unnecessary to contest elections or make any but a crude emotional appeal to the mass of 2 3 • the people. That policy failed. We have learned from our mistakes and the errors of other generations that we cannot succeed withoutthe broad base of understanding and support. We must continue to contest Elections, as tactical and organisational considerations dictate, as one weapon in our struggle towards a Socialist Republic. We have macie gains. As I said the fine showing made by our comrades in certain areas, . North and South, in the elections last year not only increased our Party's vote but heighten­ ed the consciousness of the people and won for our Party a share - though by no means a just share - of publicity. It is in this light we view forthcoming elections in the 6 and the 26 Counties. ~.. The Ar~Comhairle met on ten occasions since the last Ard Fheis. There were nine full meet­ ings Le. Ard Comhairle elected at the Ard Fheis plus regional delegates. The record of attend­ ance of all members is given below. Elected at Ard Fheis Tomas Mac Giolla 10 John McManus 9 Eamon Smullen 10 John Hunter 8 Malachy McGurran 10 Mick Ryan 8 Sean Garland 10 Seamus Lynch 8 Brian Brennan 10 Sean O'Cionnaith 8 Des O'Hagan 9 Tom Moore 7 Tony Heffernan 9 Kevin Smyth 7 Donncha MacRaghnail1 9 Joe Sherlock 6 Francie Donnelly 9 Cathal Goulding 4 Regional Delegates Pat McCaffrey Tyrone Mary Daly Cork/Kerry 8 Sean O'Donnell Donegal/Strabane/Derry Gerry Doherty Dubl in/Wicklow/Kildare 7 Sean Walsh KilkennylWaterfordlWexford Paddy Breen Armagh 7 T.Cosgrave/ Gerry McAI inden Sth Down/Sth Armagh 6 L. Kennedy Limerick/Tipp./Clare Seamus Harrison Antrim 5 K. Cunningham/ Ciaran Bradley Co. Derry 4 T. Coffey Connaught Attendance by Ard Comhairle members elected at the Ard Fheis was reasonably good throughout the year but again the record of some regional delegates is poor. This year it is necessary to remind delegates to have their meetings to elect Regional Delegates promptly aher the Ard Fheis and to only choose those members who will attend and have the. commitment to do so. The Coisde Seasta, made up of the officer board and available members of the Ard Comh­ airle'meton 37 occasions during the year. The following officers were appointed by an tUachtaran and ratified by the first full meeting of the Ard Comhairle: Vice Presidents: Malachy McGurran & Joe Sherlock Ard Runai/Org. Sec. Tony Heffernan. Treasurer: • Donncha Mac Raghnaill. Director of 0 rgan isation Sean Garland "Education Des O'Hagan.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Gerry Adams Comments on the Attack in Antrim : Sinn Féin
    Gerry Adams comments on the attack in Antrim : Sinn Féin Friday, March 13, 2009 News Feed Comments ● Home ● About ❍ Note about this website ❍ Contact Us ❍ Representatives ❍ Leadership ❍ History ❍ Links ● Ard Fheis 2009 ❍ Clár and Motions ❍ Gerry Adams’ Presidential Address ❍ Martin McGuinness Keynote Speech on Irish Unity ❍ Keynote Economic Address - Mary Lou McDonald MEP ❍ Pat Doherty MP - Opening Address ❍ Gerry Kelly on Justice ❍ Pádraig Mac Lochlainn North West EU Candidate Lisbon Speech ❍ Minister for Agriculture & Rural Development Michelle Gildernew MP ❍ Bairbre de Brún MEP –EU Affairs ● Issues ❍ Irish Unity ❍ Economy ❍ Education ❍ Environment ❍ EU Affairs ❍ Health ❍ Housing ❍ International Affairs http://www.ardfheis.com/?p=628 (1 of 11)13/03/2009 10:19:18 Gerry Adams comments on the attack in Antrim : Sinn Féin ❍ Irish Language & Culture ❍ Justice & the Community ❍ Rural Regeneration ❍ Social Inclusion ❍ Women’s Rights ● Help/Join ❍ Help Sinn Féin ❍ Join Sinn Féin ❍ Friends of Sinn Féin ❍ Cairde Sinn Féin ● Donate ● Social Networks ● Campaign Literature ● Featured Stories ● Gerry Adams Blog ● Latest News ● Photo Gallery ● Speeches Ard Fheis '09 ● Videos ❍ Ard Fheis Videos Browse > Home / Featured Stories / Gerry Adams comments on the attack in Antrim Gerry Adams comments on the attack in Antrim March 10, 2009 by admin Filed under Featured Stories Leave a comment Gerry Adams statement in the Assembly Monday March 9, 2009 http://www.ardfheis.com/?p=628 (2 of 11)13/03/2009 10:19:18 Gerry Adams comments on the attack in Antrim : Sinn Féin —————————————————————————— http://www.ardfheis.com/?p=628 (3 of 11)13/03/2009 10:19:18 Gerry Adams comments on the attack in Antrim : Sinn Féin Gerry Adams Blog Monday March 9th, 2009 The only way to go is forward On Saturday night I was in County Clare.
    [Show full text]
  • Miscellaneous Notes on Republicanism and Socialism in Cork City, 1954–69
    MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON REPUBLICANISM AND SOCIALISM IN CORK CITY, 1954–69 By Jim Lane Note: What follows deals almost entirely with internal divisions within Cork republicanism and is not meant as a comprehensive outline of republican and left-wing activities in the city during the period covered. Moreover, these notes were put together following specific queries from historical researchers and, hence, the focus at times is on matters that they raised. 1954 In 1954, at the age of 16 years, I joined the following branches of the Republican Movement: Sinn Féin, the Irish Republican Army and the Cork Volunteers’Pipe Band. The most immediate influence on my joining was the discovery that fellow Corkmen were being given the opportunity of engag- ing with British Forces in an effort to drive them out of occupied Ireland. This awareness developed when three Cork IRA volunteers were arrested in the North following a failed raid on a British mil- itary barracks; their arrest and imprisonment for 10 years was not a deterrent in any way. My think- ing on armed struggle at that time was informed by much reading on the events of the Tan and Civil Wars. I had been influenced also, a few years earlier, by the campaigning of the Anti-Partition League. Once in the IRA, our initial training was a three-month republican educational course, which was given by Tomas Óg MacCurtain, son of the Lord Mayor of Cork, Tomas MacCurtain, who was murdered by British forces at his home in 1920. This course was followed by arms and explosives training.
    [Show full text]
  • Revisionism: the Provisional Republican Movement
    Journal of Politics and Law March, 2008 Revisionism: The Provisional Republican Movement Robert Perry Phd (Queens University Belfast) MA, MSSc 11 Caractacus Cottage View, Watford, UK Tel: +44 01923350994 E-mail: [email protected] Abstract This article explores the developments within the Provisional Republican Movement (IRA and Sinn Fein), its politicization in the 1980s, and the Sinn Fein strategy of recent years. It discusses the Provisionals’ ending of the use of political violence and the movement’s drift or determined policy towards entering the political mainstream, the acceptance of democratic norms. The sustained focus of my article is consideration of the revision of core Provisional principles. It analyses the reasons for this revisionism and it considers the reaction to and consequences of this revisionism. Keywords: Physical Force Tradition, Armed Stuggle, Republican Movement, Sinn Fein, Abstentionism, Constitutional Nationalism, Consent Principle 1. Introduction The origins of Irish republicanism reside in the United Irishman Rising of 1798 which aimed to create a democratic society which would unite Irishmen of all creeds. The physical force tradition seeks legitimacy by trying to trace its origin to the 1798 Rebellion and the insurrections which followed in 1803, 1848, 1867 and 1916. Sinn Féin (We Ourselves) is strongly republican and has links to the IRA. The original Sinn Féin was formed by Arthur Griffith in 1905 and was an umbrella name for nationalists who sought complete separation from Britain, as opposed to Home Rule. The current Sinn Féin party evolved from a split in the republican movement in Ireland in the early 1970s. Gerry Adams has been party leader since 1983, and led Sinn Féin in mutli-party peace talks which resulted in the signing of the 1998 Belfast Agreement.
    [Show full text]
  • The Devlinite Irish News, Northern Ireland's "Trapped" Nationalist Minority, and the Irish Boundary Question, 1921-1925
    WITHOUT A "DOG'S CHANCE:" THE DEVLINITE IRISH NEWS, NORTHERN IRELAND'S "TRAPPED" NATIONALIST MINORITY, AND THE IRISH BOUNDARY QUESTION, 1921-1925 by James A. Cousins Master ofArts, Acadia University 2000 Bachelor ofArts, Acadia University 1997 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Department ofHistory © James A. Cousins 2008 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2008 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission ofthe author. APPROVAL Name: James A. Cousins Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Title ofProject: Without a "Dog's Chance:" The Devlinite Irish News, Northern Ireland's "Trapped" Nationalist Minority, and the Irish Boundary Question, 1921-1925 Examining Committee: Chair Dr. Alexander Dawson, Associate Professor Department ofHistory Dr. John Stubbs, Professor Senior Supervisor Department ofHistory Dr. Wil1een Keough, Assistant Professor Supervisor Department ofHistory Dr. Leith Davis, Professor Supervisor Department ofEnglish Dr. John Craig, Professor Internal Examiner Department ofHistory Dr. Peter Hart, Professor External Examiner Department ofHistory, Memorial University of Newfoundland Date Approved: 11 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Declaration of Partial Copyright Licence The author, whose copyright is declared on the title page of this work, has granted to Simon Fraser University the right to lend this thesis, project or extended essay to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users.
    [Show full text]
  • A Celebration of Our History and Heritage Dromboughil Community Association 1999-2019 a Celebration of Our History and Heritage
    DROMBOUGHIL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION 1999-2019 A CELEBRATION OF OUR HISTORY AND HERITAGE DROMBOUGHIL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION 1999-2019 A CELEBRATION OF OUR HISTORY AND HERITAGE © 2019 Dromboughil Community Association and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Museum Services. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without permission of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Museum Services. ISBN 978-1-9161494-4-1 The publication of this book has been funded under the PEACE IV Understanding Our Area project. A project supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). DROMBOUGHIL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION 1999-2019 A CELEBRATION OF OUR HISTORY AND HERITAGE FOREWORD Community is at the centre of any society and this publication, with the memories of community members of ‘by-gone days’, reminds us that this has always been the case. Dromboughil Community Association 1999- 2019: A Celebration of our History and Heritage preserves some of the history of Dromboughil, offering the reader an opportunity to learn a bit about the area. This is important as we should all know how the places we live have been shaped and formed; bearing in mind our past makes us what we are today and shapes our future. Dromboughil Community Association celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year and I wish to take this opportunity to thank the members for all the work they have done over the years to strengthen, develop and build good relations between and among all sections of the local community. Their dedication and hard-work is a credit to them and this publication also gives a brief insight into what they offer the local community.
    [Show full text]
  • PDF(All Devices)
    Published by: The Irish Times Limited (Irish Times Books) © The Irish Times 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of The Irish Times Limited, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographic rights organisation or as expressly permitted by law. Contents Watching from a window as we all stay the same ................................................................ 4 Emigration- an Irish guarantor of continuity ........................................................................ 7 Completing a transaction called Ireland ................................................................................ 9 In the land of wink and nod ................................................................................................. 13 Rhetoric, reality and the proper Charlie .............................................................................. 16 The rise to becoming a beggar on horseback ...................................................................... 19 The real spiritual home of Fianna Fáil ................................................................................ 21 Electorate gives ethics the cold shoulders ........................................................................... 24 Corruption well known – and nothing was done ................................................................ 26 Questions the IRA is happy to ignore ................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • “A Peace of Sorts”: a Cultural History of the Belfast Agreement, 1998 to 2007 Eamonn Mcnamara
    “A Peace of Sorts”: A Cultural History of the Belfast Agreement, 1998 to 2007 Eamonn McNamara A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Philosophy, Australian National University, March 2017 Declaration ii Acknowledgements I would first like to thank Professor Nicholas Brown who agreed to supervise me back in October 2014. Your generosity, insight, patience and hard work have made this thesis what it is. I would also like to thank Dr Ben Mercer, your helpful and perceptive insights not only contributed enormously to my thesis, but helped fund my research by hiring and mentoring me as a tutor. Thank you to Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Malcolm whose knowledge and experience thoroughly enhanced this thesis. I could not have asked for a better panel. I would also like to thank the academic and administrative staff of the ANU’s School of History for their encouragement and support, in Monday afternoon tea, seminars throughout my candidature and especially useful feedback during my Thesis Proposal and Pre-Submission Presentations. I would like to thank the McClay Library at Queen’s University Belfast for allowing me access to their collections and the generous staff of the Linen Hall Library, Belfast City Library and Belfast’s Newspaper Library for all their help. Also thanks to my local libraries, the NLA and the ANU’s Chifley and Menzies libraries. A big thank you to Niamh Baker of the BBC Archives in Belfast for allowing me access to the collection. I would also like to acknowledge Bertie Ahern, Seán Neeson and John Lindsay for their insightful interviews and conversations that added a personal dimension to this thesis.
    [Show full text]
  • – Report of the Executive Council Biennial Delegate Conference
    Report of the Executive Council Biennial delegate conference 7 Tralee – 10 July, 200910 July, 32 Parnell Square, Carlin House, Dublin 1 4-6 Donegall Street Place, T +353 1 8897777 Belfast BT1 2FN Report of the F +353 1 8872012 T +02890 247940 F +02890 246898 Executive Council Biennial delegate conference [email protected] [email protected] www.ictu.oe www.ictuni.org Tralee 7–10 July, 2009 Overview by David Begg 07 Section One – The Economy 11 Chapter One – The Free Market Illusion 12 Chapter Two – Did Unions Cause the Recession? 16 Chapter Three – Low Standards in High Places 19 Chapter Four – Setting the Record Straight 22 Chapter Five – The All Island Economy 26 Section Two – Society 31 Chapter One – The Jobs’ Crisis 32 Chapter Two – Social Infrastructure 43 Section Three – Partnership, Pay & the Workplace 49 Chapter One – Partnership, Pensions and Repossessions 50 Chapter Two – Flexible Working and Equal Treatment 56 Chapter Three – Employment Permits and Regularisation 60 Chapter Four – Employment Law (the European Dimension) 64 Chapter Five – Employment Law (the Irish Dimension) 69 Section Four – Congress Organisation 73 Chapter One – Finance and Congress Committees 74 Chapter Two – Congress Networks 82 Chapter Three – Private and Public Sector Committees 86 Chapter Four – Building Union Organisation 97 Chapter Five – Congress Education & Training 102 Chapter Six – Communications & Campaigning 108 Section Five – Northern Ireland 115 Chapter One – Investing in Peace 116 Chapter Two – The work of NIC-ICTU 121 Chapter Three – Education, Skills & Solidarity 125 Section Six – Europe & the Wider World 131 Section Seven – Appendices 143 Executive Council 2007-2009 1 Patricia McKeown 9 Eamon Devoy UNISON (President) TEEU 2 Patricia King 10 Pamela Dooley SIPTU (Vice President) UNISON 3 Jack O’Connor 11 Seamus Dooley SIPTU (Vice President) NUJ 4 Joe O’Flynn 12.
    [Show full text]
  • The Workers' Party in the Oail
    Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin Materials Workers' Party of Ireland 1987 Ard Fheis Annual Delegate Conference - 1987 : General Secretary's Report Workers' Party of Ireland Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/workerpmat Part of the Political History Commons Recommended Citation Workers' Party of Ireland, "Ard Fheis Annual Delegate Conference - 1987 : General Secretary's Report" (1987). Materials. 24. https://arrow.tudublin.ie/workerpmat/24 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by the Workers' Party of Ireland at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Materials by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License General Secretary's Report INTRODUCTION Few would now deny that the Workers' Party has established itself as the party of the Irish working class, particularly coming after the results of the recent general election in the Republic and the steady growth and activity of the Party in Northern Ireland. We have demonstrated over the past years in very practical and positive ways what the Workers' Party stands for. In and out of Parliament we have consistently upheld the interests of the working class. The struggle to build and expand the Workers' Party is not an easy one. We need only look back over the past fifteen or so years to see the progress we have made. In the February election of 1973 we put forward 10 candidates and received a total of 15,000 votes.
    [Show full text]
  • “Colin Duffy Is As Entitled to Due Process As Anyone Else” : Sinn Féin
    “Colin Duffy is as entitled to due process as anyone else” : Sinn Féin Friday, March 27, 2009 News Feed Comments ● Home ● About ❍ Note about this website ❍ Accessing our old website ❍ Contact Us ❍ Representatives ❍ History ❍ Leadership ❍ Links ● Ard Fheis 2009 ❍ Clár and Motions ❍ Gerry Adams’ Presidential Address ❍ Martin McGuinness Keynote Speech on Irish Unity ❍ Keynote Economic Address - Mary Lou McDonald MEP ❍ Pat Doherty MP - Opening Address ❍ Gerry Kelly on Justice ❍ Pádraig Mac Lochlainn North West EU Candidate Lisbon Speech ❍ Minister for Agriculture & Rural Development Michelle Gildernew MP ❍ Bairbre de Brún MEP –EU Affairs ● Issues ❍ Irish Unity ❍ Economy ❍ Education ❍ Environment ❍ EU Affairs ❍ Health ❍ Housing http://www.ardfheis.com/?p=995 (1 of 7)27/03/2009 13:54:00 “Colin Duffy is as entitled to due process as anyone else” : Sinn Féin ❍ International Affairs ❍ Irish Language & Culture ❍ Justice & the Community ❍ Rural Regeneration ❍ Social Inclusion ❍ Women’s Rights ● Help/Join ❍ Help Sinn Féin ❍ Join Sinn Féin ❍ Friends of Sinn Féin ❍ Cairde Sinn Féin ● Donate ● Social Networks ● Campaign Literature ● Featured Stories ● Gerry Adams Blog ● Latest News ● Photo Gallery ● Speeches Ard Fheis '09 ● Videos ❍ Ard Fheis Videos Browse > Home / Latest News / “Colin Duffy is as entitled to due process as anyone else” “Colin Duffy is as entitled to due process as anyone else” March 27, 2009 by sinnfein Filed under Latest News Leave a comment “Colin Duffy is as entitled to due process as anyone else” Commenting after Lurgan man Colin Duffy was charged in connection with the attack at Antrim Barracks, Sinn http://www.ardfheis.com/?p=995 (2 of 7)27/03/2009 13:54:00 “Colin Duffy is as entitled to due process as anyone else” : Sinn Féin Féin Assembly member for Upper Bann John O’Dowd has reminded the media that Mr Duffy is entitled to due process and more importantly the presumption of innocence.
    [Show full text]
  • Sinn Féin in 2017
    Sinn Féin in 2017 Seamus O’Kane Appearing in these pages this time toxic reputation of Gerry Adams in the three years ago was Kieran Allen’s arti- eyes of a Southern electorate, his poor cle, ‘The Politics of Sinn Féin: Rhetoric performance in leaders’ debates, and an and Reality’1 which provided a clear anal- establishment media opposed to anything ysis of a party whose radical image did to the left of Thatcher (nevermind any- not match their actions. Merely updat- thing republican). ing this article would not be particularly The Assembly election in the North useful as it remains relevant. Indeed, if but a few months later saw a continuation one requires a broad overview of the party of what commentator Chris Donnelly had from a socialist perspective, one would be been describing as ‘nationalist malaise’3 advised to re-read it. It is worth noting, characterised by falling voter turnout and however, the significant gains made by a decline in support for nationalist parties the party since then, both in the North as their traditional support base switched and in the South. off from politics, changed their alle- The 2016 General Election saw Sinn giances, or became outright disillusioned. Féin return to the Dáil with 23 seats, at- Sinn Féin’s drop in support resulted in tracting many of the voters who had been the loss of four incumbents, and a net betrayed by the Labour Party and were loss of one MLA. One of these losses was politicised by the water charges struggle. due to a bizarre decision in Fermanagh This led to them overtaking Labour to be- and South Tyrone to run four candi- come the third largest party for the first dates where only three Sinn Féin seats time since Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin became existed, leading to the loss of incumbent the first Sinn Féin TD to take a Dáil seat Phil Flanagan.
    [Show full text]
  • OFFICIAL REPORT (Hansard)
    OFFICIAL REPORT (Hansard) Vol u m e 2 (15 February 1999 to 15 July 1999) BELFAST: THE STATIONERY OFFICE LTD £70.00 © Copyright The New Northern Ireland Assembly. Produced and published in Northern Ireland on behalf of the Northern Ireland Assembly by the The Stationery Office Ltd, which is responsible for printing and publishing Northern Ireland Assembly publications. ISBN 0 339 80001 1 ASSEMBLY MEMBERS (A = Alliance Party; NIUP = Northern Ireland Unionist Party; NIWC = Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition; PUP = Progressive Unionist Party; SDLP = Social Democratic and Labour Party; SF = Sinn Fein; DUP = Ulster Democratic Unionist Party; UKUP = United Kingdom Unionist Party; UUP = Ulster Unionist Party; UUAP = United Unionist Assembly Party) Adams, Gerry (SF) (West Belfast) Kennedy, Danny (UUP) (Newry and Armagh) Adamson, Ian (UUP) (East Belfast) Leslie, James (UUP) (North Antrim) Agnew, Fraser (UUAP) (North Belfast) Lewsley, Patricia (SDLP) (Lagan Valley) Alderdice of Knock, The Lord (Initial Presiding Officer) Maginness, Alban (SDLP) (North Belfast) Armitage, Pauline (UUP) (East Londonderry) Mallon, Seamus (SDLP) (Newry and Armagh) Armstrong, Billy (UUP) (Mid Ulster) Maskey, Alex (SF) (West Belfast) Attwood, Alex (SDLP) (West Belfast) McCarthy, Kieran (A) (Strangford) Beggs, Roy (UUP) (East Antrim) McCartney, Robert (UKUP) (North Down) Bell, Billy (UUP) (Lagan Valley) McClarty, David (UUP) (East Londonderry) Bell, Eileen (A) (North Down) McCrea, Rev William (DUP) (Mid Ulster) Benson, Tom (UUP) (Strangford) McClelland, Donovan (SDLP) (South
    [Show full text]