Hmmm... I get the feeling that Mark may have read this, if anyone wants to read up on McIntyre and Bew's latest thoughts on paper.

Superb! Cheers BG.

Starts at 31:51. Adams gems -

"Jeepers"

"I don't get in huffs" 41:03

Short-term advantages catch up on you - Athboy strategy Gerry ?

Most interesting of all Gerry concedes that the IRA is involved in criminality 42:40

Talk about being full of one's own importance?

I know politicians in general and Northern Irish ones in particular tend to display that trait, but Adams is continually one of the worst culprits at coming over all precious.

I suppose it comes of being courted and pandered-to at Leinster House, Downing Street and the White House, he doesn't like it when that paraphernalia and way of life is now questioned or under threat.

I liked him talking of his passion for plain speaking - so why would he be so keen on defending The Agreement then?

A stunning display of petulance. Asked about a return to "war" he says he won't discuss it because "I don't want to". Refuses to say whether any SF members are on the Army Council or specifically whether Ferris is a member and responds to the O Snodaigh aide's conviction with "What about Ray Burke"?

It is time the media closed the door on Adams and his ilk. Their time has now past. Even the DUP were prepared to give the murdering IRA scum a chance.

Move on and forget them. They represent no one but a few Papist lunatics.

We won.

To the victor the spoils.

The Pope is on the run.

God Save The Queen.

What 'stall' is this?

The Pope is on the run.

That's appallingly distasteful.

I must say IJP

I found "The Pope is on the run" quite humerous ;)

A number of things come together here. For years, interviewers have struggled to cope with Adams preposterous denials of IRA involvement and interviews have suffered as a result. The opening exchanges are a somewhat sarcastic end-run around the difficulty. On reflection Adams testiness is at the realisation that these are not real questions in the sense that truthful answers are expected or even sought, but word games of his own devising in which ultimately he is being mocked. The IRA statement can be seen in this light. A bully has no difficulty being hated, but they insist on being taken seriously. I think the sea change that has taken place may be that they no longer are.

"I think the sea change that has taken place may be that they no longer are [being taken seriously]."

Jimmy, do you think they are rattled because their ceasefires are being taken for granted, which in turn means that a long phase of Irish history has just ended?

I think that's part of it, but only a part of it. Asking Adams about when he learned of the sattement seems to me code for "we both know you wrote it but let's have some fun with you". He's used to a little more deference than this and he's claerly not happy with it.

Most unstatesman-like language from someone who said "I don't get in huffs" !

http://www.breakingnews.ie/2005/02/05/story187962.html">“They need to take their heads out of their asses for a start.”

If at first

Gerry clearly does not like having the piss taken by interviewers