I had heard the name Gerry O’Hare long before I met him in person. His name and that of his then wife Rita were prominent in republican circles, certainly in West Belfast, even before Rita, a mother of their three children, Terry, Rory and Frances, was shot and seriously injured by the British army while Gerry was interned in Crumlin Road Jail. Free article

The Bridge of Killaloe spans the River Shannon between the towns of Killaloe, County Clare and Ballina, County Tipperary. This setting, surrounded by beautiful countryside, was the scene 100 years ago of one of the most notorious acts of terror by the British crown forces in the violent month of November 1920. Free article

Writing in his latest blog, Declan Kearney reflects on the historic victory for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the US election and the need for continued support for the peace process. Free article

Sinn Féin's education spokesperson Karen Mullan has called for action to tackle holiday hunger and support families. Free article

As the British government and its Unionist allies prepared to divide Ireland, and as they planned to put the UVF in uniform and arm them as the B Specials, the UVF was active along the emerging border. One of their victims was IRA Volunteer Michael Kelly, recalled here by Monaghan Sinn Féin activist Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, former Cavan-Monaghan TD. Free article

A once banned civil war based novel by Liam O’Flaherty has been republished after 87 years. Free article

Notorious for their sectarianism and inextricably linked with decades of Unionist one-party rule in ‘Northern Ireland’, the B Specials pre-dated the formal establishment of the Six-County state and their formation 100 years ago this month signalled the British government’s intention to impose Partition by force, while re-arming Unionism to subdue the nationalist minority. Free article

2 November 2020 marks the centenary of the execution of a brave young Irishman who refused to serve any longer in the British Army in protest at British Government terror in Ireland. It was soldiers of the Connaught Rangers who made that protest in India. Free article

“The only message I have for anybody is ‘Hold on and stick to the Republic.’” – Kevin Barry Free article

New research on the use of plastic bullets shows the premeditated decision to attack 1984 rally where Sean Downes died as a result of a plastic bullet fired at point blank range. Free article