AS the new Fine Gael/Labour Government took office at the end of June 1981, Joe McDonnell was facing death in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh. He died on July 8th after 61 days on the Hunger Strike. He was 29 years old.
He was the fifth Hunger Striker to lose his life in the struggle for the restoration of political status.
Less than three hours after Joe died, 16-year-old Fianna boy... Free article

The Siege of Short Strand

BY PEADAR WHELAN

» BY PEADAR WHELAN

IN the dark of night of Monday 20th June, more than 100 masked loyalists, wearing surgical gloves, attacked nationalist homes in the Short Strand area of east Belfast.
The highly-organised and orchestrated attack was as unprovoked as it was unexpected.
Dozens of homes in the Short Strand along the Mountpottinger and... Free article

SECOND ANNUAL SINN FÉIN SUMMER SCHOOL | SCOIL SHAMHRAIDH NA SAOIRSE

» BY DES O’GRADY

» BY DES O’GRADY

THE second annual Sinn Féin Summer School, Scoil Shamhraidh Na Saoirse, was held over two days at the Mills Inn, Baile Bhúirne, County Cork, on the weekend of 8th and 9th of July. This year the event drew a capacity audience from the four corners of Ireland as well as from... Free article

‘UNITING IRELAND’ EVENTS IN DUBLIN AND CORK | ‘I DTREO POBLACHT NUA - TOWARDS A NEW REPUBLIC’

» BY BRENDAN KERR

WHILE Independent TD Shane Ross was busy telling listeners on RTÉ’s Marian Finucane Show that “not even Sinn Féin talks much about a united Ireland any more”, Sinn Féin was actually hosting two very successful conferences on that very theme in Dublin and Cork City -... Free article

THIS POEM is being carried because it is written by someone who has personally endured the horror and brutality of being force-fed while on hunger strike.
Gerry Kelly, Sinn Féin Assembly member for North Belfast, was sentenced in London in November 1973 for his part in the IRA bombing of the Old Bailey.
He and a number of other prisoners immediately went on hunger strike for... Free article

The Hunger Strike and Fleet Street’s graveyard of truth

» BY ROY GREENSLADE

THIRTY YEARS ON from the hunger strike in which 10 died, consider the pitiless, dishonest way it was reported
Thirty years ago, eight men were on hunger strike in the Maze Prison [Long Kesh]. Four of their Irish republican comrades had already fasted themselves to death, and a further six would do so in... Free article

Foot in the mouth

» BY DANNY MORRISON

ED MOLONEY and Anthony McIntyre surely had their tongues protruding from their cheeks like gumboils when they claimed that they believed they could be killed if the interviews they carried out as part of the Boston College project were handed over to the British authorities. It is such nonsense and a very weak defence when there are better... Free article

COLLUSION, CROWN FORCES AND THEIR AGENTS | MURDER OF CITIZENS AT THE HEART OF BRITISH POLICY IN IRELAND

» BY PEADAR WHELAN

IF AL HUTCHINSON, the North’s Police Ombudsman, were a boxer involved in a bout, his corner would be on the point of throwing in the towel.
Hutchinson has taken so many hits in the past year that it’s hard to believe he is still on his feet.
The credibility... Free article

» LE MÁIRTÍN Mac EOIN

BA MHAITH an scéal é ón Aire Oideachais, Ruairí Quinn, i rith na míosa go bhfuil dhá scor scoileanna nua, idir bhunleibhéil is dara leibhéil, le tóigeáil thar na sé bliain seo rómhainn.
Dúirt an tAire go bhfuil na scoileanna seo ag teastáil mar gheall ar fhás an daonra, ach n’fheadar anois an leór an dá scor sin i bhfianaise na bhfigiúirí ón Daonáireamh a... Free article

MANY THANKS, Taoiseach, for the céad míle fáilte in the last week of June when six of us from the Northern Assembly arrived at Leinster House to make further progress towards the establishment of the North/South Parliamentary Forum.
As you know, Taoiseach, this is one of the still unresolved matters arising from both the Good Friday Agreement and the St Andrew’s Agreement.
It was... Free article