Provisional IRA
“I don’t think this generation is any different than the last…”
The Guardian’s Henry McDonald reports from anarchic Londonderry on the continuing activities of vigilante group, Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD). Watch the accompanying video report here. From the Guardian report Some RAAD members are ex-Provisionals who back the peace process but still take up the gun against members of their own communities accused of antisocial activities. [...] more »
“RAAD was founded in 2008 by members and recent ex-members of the Provisional IRA in Derry…”
With Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD) claiming responsibility for recent shootings and threats in anarchic Londonderry, in the Belfast Telegraph Eamonn McCann provides some clarity on the vigilante group’s background. News reports which have lumped RAAD in with the Real IRA or Continuity IRA are wide of the mark and a source of confusion. RAAD was [...] more »
“Given these circumstances we believe the soldiers used reasonable force.”
After 8 weeks of evidence, and 3 days of deliberation, a Belfast jury has delivered their verdict in the inquest into the deaths of Provisional IRA members Dessie Grew and Martin McCaughey in County Armagh in 1990. The Detail’s Barry McCaffrey recounts some of the legal arguments from the inquest before reporting the verdict. Shortly [...] more »
Smithwick Tribunal: “members of the PIRA are anxious the tribunal complete its work as soon as possible…”
Here’s a snippet of interest from the Irish Times’ report on the latest evidence to the Smithwick Tribunal. From the Irish Times report The Smithwick Tribunal is becoming a “significant issue” among republicans who are concerned it is uncovering information on past murders, the tribunal has been told. According to a précis of intelligence information [...] more »
The End of the Northern Ireland Model of Peace Processing?
Even with the recent apparent spike in terrorist activity, including a large car bomb abandoned near Newry, and public paramilitary displays, it’s probably premature to talk of “the IRA’s resurgence”. But that’s the reference used in this article by Michael Rubin Perhaps the most important fact I learned was that British security officials believe that their pact with [...] more »
Denis Donaldson inquest adjourned for ninth time…
I had lost count… There was no sudden flurry of activity, unlike that which accompanied last year’s adjournment, but yesterday a Garda Superintendent did seek, and was granted, a further 6 month adjournment of the inquest into the death of former senior Sinn Féin member Denis Donaldson in 2006 – responsibility for which was claimed by the Real IRA. [...] more »
“…involved in criminal activity of any sort within G District from July 1, 2010 to July 28, 2011″
Given the PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggot’s current concern about certain communities, and confidence, here’s a Londonderry Sentinel report that may be of relevance. It relates to an incident in the city in August 2010 which, at the time, was blamed on dissenting republicans. From the Sentinel report At the time locals said that around 20 [...] more »
“this scam was set up, co-ordinated and run by members of the Provisional IRA based in south Armagh.”
Here’s a court case that might be worth keeping an eye on. From the breakingnews.ie report Gerard Giffney (aged 51), who had been originally from Tynan Hall Grove, in Tallaght, Dublin, appeared in court this morning after he was extradited from the UK. Mr Giffney, who had worked as a Revenue official in the 1990s, faced 22 [...] more »
“the war against British rule must continue until freedom is achieved…”
Dissenting republicans gave their response yesterday to Sinn Féin’s various Easter messages – Declan Kearney’s “there is no other IRA“, Gerry Adams’ seven step ‘plan’, or Martin McGuinness’ “We are on the road to freedom” [and his responsibility "to defend and promote the integrity of our struggle" - Ed]. And it was delivered to a reported audience [...] more »
Other reasons for McArdle’s resignation?
Mick has some thoughts on Mary McArdle standing down as a special advisor below. It may have been that Sinn Fein or Ms. McArdle felt the need for her to move on and as Mick says Ann Travers may on UTV have been determined to see it as an act of reconciliation. A slightly different [...] more »
Mary McArdle to leave post
The BBC are reporting that the special advisor to Culture Minister Caral Ni Chuilin, the convicted murderer, Mary McArdle, is to leave her post “soon.” This is apparently as part of normal party policy to rotate staff. Ann Travers the sister of Mary Travers (McArdle’s victim who was murdered whilst leaving church in 1984) has [...] more »
Terrorists and Forgiveness
The News Letter yesterday had an article quoting (and interviewing Ian Bothwell of the Crossfire Trust in Darkley). He suggests that some Republicans he has spoken to are “seeking forgiveness for their past.” From the News letter: He says he knows several former IRA members who would like closure on the deeds they have committed [...] more »
“The agency’s investigation has produced evidence of what might be characterised as a lawless lifestyle”
The BBC reports the delayed start of the Serious Organised Crime Agency’s [SOCA] application for a civil recovery order of property and assets belonging to Seamus Francis Mullan. A former member of the Provisional IRA who was serving a life imprisonment sentence for the 1985 murder of an off-duty RUC officer before being freed on early release licence in [...] more »
“this device may have been here for some considerable time, possibly many years…”
There’s good news, and there’s bad news, as a 36 hour security alert in Kinawley, County Fermanagh, ends with two controlled explosions by the British Army’s bomb disposal team and the removal of a viable device “for further forensic examination”. From the BBC report Police have said that a bomb found in a field in County [...] more »
Boston College: A glimpse of the archive…
Let’s keep the dialogue ‘hinged’ this time. With Ed Moloney and Anthony McIntyre aiming to try to head the US Government off at the pass, the legal battle over each ruling along the way continues in the PSNI/HET’s attempt to access some of the material in the Boston College Belfast Project archive. In the meantime, [...] more »
Twentieth anniversary of Teebane
Almost any date in Northern Ireland is the anniversary of a death from the Troubles. Often the less iconic are forgotten about. As such marking one event may be unfair to the relatives of the less well known about deaths. Sometimes, however, the anniversary is such that is should be marked. This is the 20th [...] more »
“and ‘Soon’ would have known this”
Perhaps the most interesting [and least covered? - Ed] response to the release of UK National Archive files from 1981 was that of the Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, TD. An edited version of his blog post appeared at the Guardian. The interesting part is not his declaration of “Another myth busted”. That particular ”war of words”, as Brian [...] more »
Boston College to hand over Dolours Price interviews
According to Kevin Cullen, reporting for the Irish Times, US district court judge William Young is continuing his in camera review of the Boston College archive material. And he has already ordered the college to hand over the recorded interviews of former Provisional IRA member Dolours Price. From the Irish Times report College officials said [...] more »
Boston College Ruling: “These are serious allegations, and they weigh strongly in favor of disclosing the confidential information.”
Via Newshound. The Boston Globe reports the long awaited US court ruling on the release of the Boston College archive material. And it’s something of a half-way house. For now. From the Boston Globe report A federal judge rejected yesterday a motion by the trustees of Boston College to quash subpoenas that order them to turn [...] more »
“Maybe your client is understating his importance.”
Yesterday Dublin High Court rejected an application by Freddie Scappaticci, who denies he was a British army agent within the Provisional IRA known as “Stakeknife”, for a judicial review of the Smithwick Tribunal’s decision to allow witness Kevin Fulton to give evidence from behind a screen – and for a halt in the hearing of that evidence until [...] more »
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Sunday Supplement
It being Sunday, we’ve all got time to consider and ponder things at greater length than during the working week, yes? If it’s good enough for the Sunday papers, it’s good enough for this guest blogger. So here’s the review section… Actually, it’s my introduction to a book published last year, Goin’ Down Slow: selected [...] read our review » -
“Unionism Decayed 1997-2007″ by David Vance: book review
I initially wrote this when the book was first published three years ago; whilst certain elements of it now sound dated, its basic premise that the period of 1997-2007 was a period of irreversible decay for Northern Irish Unionism can still be argued as a valid opinion. My own feeling is that it did indeed [...] read our review » -
Ian O’Riordan’s Miles to Run: An invitation to madness?
Ireland is in the middle of a boom – a running boom. Chances are, even if you have never run a step yourself (apart from some painful P.E. classes many moons ago), someone you know has taken up running over the last little while. Road races in Northern Ireland and in the Republic have seen [...] read our review »
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