Break-in news: Gerry Adams in 2013 lockout

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

Follow Gerry Adams on Twitter @GerryAdamsSF

GERRY ADAMS’S 5,000 followers after the Sinn Féin leader’s Twitter debut this week were richly entertained on the Friday teatime drive home with a two-hour mini soap opera of the former internee being locked out of his Dundalk abode.

The Louth TD was in Dundalk at lunchtime for the local launch of Sinn Féin’s campaign for a Border poll. At 4:01pm he tweeted, not knowing he would unleash a mini wave of speculation and intrigue:

“RG took the car. Took my house keys also. I feel an adventure coming on.”

An earlier tweet referring to “Shinners” had a few of the 5,000 and newshounds questioning if this was, after all, a spoof account. The Sinn Féin Press Office confirmed it was the real deal.

Doubting Thomases, fans and foes alike flocked back to the Twitter machine to follow the unfolding drama.

Episode 2, 5:35pm, Gerry tweets:

“RG’s phone constantly engaged. It’s getting dark. Wud climb in back window but downpipe broken.”

No Shinner ‘shinning’ up the drainpipe, it was chuckled.

Who was the mysterious “RG”, many wondered; why and how did he have Gerry Adams’s keys; was this a breach imperiling the republican leader’s personal security?

RG is, in fact, Richard McAuley, sometime An Phoblacht writer and resident Sinn Féin spin doctor supreme to the supreme leader and his right-hand man.

The usually ever-present RG was off duty and speeding north . . . with Gerry’s keys nestling out of sight in the glove box.

Being a conscientious driver, RG had his mobile on silent to avoid distractions in the motorway rush hour. His eye eventually caught the phone leaping about with frantic calls from Dundalk. The trusty RG swung his motor around to speed south with the keys. Unfortunately, the damage had already been done, as Gerry revealed in a tweet at 6pm tinged with a sigh:

“RG traced. Where are u now when we need u? 70 miles away. I’m in now. Starving. Need a glazier. Slán.”