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IMMEDIATE: Sunday 24th November 2013
The Late Fr Alec Reid describes Gerry Adams as a “man sent by God” in new TV3 doc.
TV3’s new two-part documentary series ‘Sinn Féin: Who Are They? shows Sinn Féin as people have never seen them before.
Former IRA members challenge Gerry Adams in new TV3 documentary series.
Gerry Adams denies he’s a liability to the party and refuses to admit he was a member of the IRA, while former members challenge his denial.
Martin McGuinness reveals why he won’t discuss his past in the IRA for fear of damaging the peace process.
‘Sinn Féin: Who Are They?’ airs on Monday 25th November at 10pm on TV3.
Video link to view the full documentary is available on request.
In what is thought to be his last ever TV interview, Father Alec Reid, the priest who helped broker the IRA’s historic ceasefire, has described Gerry Adam’s as a “man sent by God”. Speaking to TV3 as a contributor to a two-part documentary series called Sinn Fein Who Are They?, the late Fr Reid paid tribute to Gerry for the role he played in securing peace in Northern Ireland.
Speaking to TV3’s Ursula Halligan, Fr Reid said: “I’d say he’s the most capable politician we have and the other politicians mightn’t like that, but I’d say he’s one of the most capable politicians in Europe. I would say that Gerry Adams was a man sent by God, in other words he was part of Gods providence for peace in Ireland.”
TV3’s brand new two-part documentary series Sinn Féin: Who Are They? opens the lid on a party which remains an enigma in Irish politics. TV3 Political Editor Ursula Halligan gets rare access to the people who make Sinn Féin tick. Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness, Mary Lou McDonald, Pearse Doherty and Martin Ferris all speak candidly about their past, present and future.
The first part of ‘Sinn Féin: Who Are They?’ tackles the popular perceptions of Sinn Féin and asks whether or not they are true. Leading politicians pour scorn on Sinn Féin over Gerry Adams’ “credibility” problem while Adams continues to maintain his stance that he is not, nor has he ever been, a member of the IRA. Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Martin McGuinness, expresses his fear of damaging the peace process by discussing the past, and Mary Lou McDonald, speaks to Ursula about how a middle class girl from Rathgar ended up in Sinn Féin.
Ursula Halligan joins Gerry Adams on the Cooley Mountains in Co. Louth, where she pushes him to discuss his involvement with the IRA.
Adams says: “The point I’m making is that I’m very, very clear about my denial of IRA membership but I don’t disassociate myself from the IRA.”
However, former IRA members Anthony McIntyre and Richard O’Rawe contradict Adams’ denial of IRA membership and both claim that Adams was a key figure in the IRA. O’ Rawe was Public Relations Officer for IRA prisoners during the hunger strikes in the Maze Prison.
He said: “Gerry Adams played a leading role during the campaign. I first met him on the day I approached Billy McKee to join the IRA. He was knockin’ about.”
When Anthony McIntyre, who served 18 years in prison, was asked about Gerry Adams association with the IRA, he said: “Charlie Haughey could say he was never in Fianna Fáil….Ian Paisley could say he was never in the Free Presbyterian Church, that securocrats made it up to discredit him. No serious historian or journalist believes it. Can you name me one historian or journalist who has corroborated it? I know of none.”
In response to why Gerry Adams won’t admit to his role in the IRA, Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey said: “If Gerry Adams was to come out tomorrow and say he was a member of the IRA, the next question would be: What did you do and when did you do it? So, for me, it’s a never ending cycle of nonsense.”
Former Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble discusses British intelligence information and he states: “It’s quite clear that the [British] Government thought he was. They would not have interned him otherwise. The reason he was interned was because he was believed to be an active member of the IRA.”
Former SDLP Deputy Leader Bríd Rogers also speaks out about Adams’ IRA denial: “The dogs on the street know he was in the IRA. He was taken out of jail to go to Westminster as part of an IRA delegation.”
Gerry Adam’s credibility has often been brought into question by his refusal to admit involvement in the IRA but he is certain that if he ever was to become a liability to Sinn Féin, the party would be quick to make a change.
When asked if the constant criticism he receives from Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin and others bothers him, he said: “They’re just playing politics. They have never contributed anything to the peace process.”
One man who thought Adams was wonderful was Fr Alec Reid, a key player in the peace process. In what was his last ever TV interview, the late Fr Alec Reid described Gerry Adams as a “man sent by God” for his role in in the peace process.
“I’d say he’s the most capable politician we have and the other politicians mightn’t like that, but I’d say he’s one of the most capable politicians in Europe. I would say that Gerry Adams was a man sent by God, in other words he was part of Gods providence for peace in Ireland.”
When Ursula meets with Martin McGuinness, he refuses to talk about IRA actions of the past for fear of upsetting the peace process, stating “I’m very reluctant to say anything that would destabilise the present or the future. There is any amount of negative elements out there that would use anything that I say in this interview against the process – I’m not going to give them that luxury.”
“What we have to do is recognise the enormous change that there has been which came about as a result of dialogue and peace negotiations and pledge ourselves to make sure that that never, ever happens again.”
Ursula also catches up with Sinn Féin T.D. Mary Lou McDonald as she is grocery shopping. When Ursula asked the question - how did a girl from Rathgar end up in Sinn Féin, Mary Lou replies: “Because she did. I was looking for something real, somewhere you could make a difference and Sinn Féin provided that space.”
While reaching for a box of Cheerios in a Superquinn in North Dublin, Mary Lou touches on stereotypes and states that Sinn Féin is “a much bigger social mix than you might imagine.”
McDonald also says that although she couldn’t see herself as party leader in the short term she wouldn’t rule out being leader of Sinn Féin in the long term, should a vacancy arise.
With a cast list of close to fifty contributors, Sinn Féin: Who Are They? features a number of household names in Irish politics, including Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness, Mary Lou McDonald, David Trimble, Ruairi Quinn, David Andrews, Willie O’Dea and Alan Shatter. Other Sinn Féin party members from across the organisation north and south are interviewed, as are former IRA members, republican critics, political rivals, academics and commentators.
Sinn Féin: Who Are They? airs Monday 25th November at 10pm on TV3.
Images have been sent to your picture desk.
Further relevant quotes from Episode 2 are included in ‘Notes to Editor’ below
ENDS
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Notes to the editor:
Additional quotes from Episode two (airing 2nd December 2013)
ON GERRY ADAMS AND THE IRA
Ursula (to Gerry Adams): “Where you ever a member of the IRA?”
Gerry Adams: “No”
Ursula: “Never?”
Gerry Adams: “No”
Martin McGuinness said: “Gerry Adams is on the public record as saying that if a truth and reconciliation commission of an international standard is established then he’s prepared to go to it.”
Ursula: “Will he tell the truth about his membership of the IRA?”
Martin McGuinness: “We’ll know that when we see such a commission established, if it is ever established.”
He added: “I’m not going to tell anyone who was in the IRA and who wasn’t. Why should I?”
Ursula: “Truth?”
Martin McGuinness: “No, no. It’s up to me to tell my truth. It’s up to others who were involved in the conflict to tell theirs.”
ON LEADERSHIP
Donegal TD Pearse Doherty, has ruled himself out of a leadership bid because he fears spending too much time away from his family.
He said: “For me personally, to take on more responsibility would tip the balance completely in the wrong direction. It’s one of my greatest fears in life – that at some time in the future I would regret the amount of time I spent away from my (four) children and family. That may change as things change but that’s the position I’m in at this point in time.”
Gerry Adams himself confirms that he intends to lead the party in the next General Election and refuses to say who he would like to be his successor.
“We’re blessed with a raft of leaders and it’s not within my authority and I’m not inclined to anoint. Look at the last person who was anointed by an outgoing leader. It’s not the business I’m in.”
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Non Sinn Féin Contributors:
Alan Shatter TD – Fine Gael - Minister for Justice
Ann Travers – Sister of IRA Victim
Anthony McIntyre – Former IRA Member
Des Dalton – President of Republican Sinn Féin
Prof. Conor Gearty – London School of Economics
Danny Morrison – Director of Publicity Sinn Féin, 1979-1990
Reverend David Latimer – First Presbyterian Church Derry
Dennis Bradley – Former Intermediary between IRA and British Government
David Trimble – Leader of Ulster Unionist Party - 1995-2005
Bríd Rogers – Deputy Leader of SDLP- 2001-2004
Killian Forde –Sinn Féin Councillor- 2004-2009
Brian Hayes TD Minister of State Fine Gael
Alan Dukes – Leader of Fine Gael -1987-1990
Tony Heffernan – Official IRA 1969-1972
Dr. Martin Mansergh – Fianna Fáil, Former Special Advisor on Northern Ireland
Austin Currie – SDLP MP 1964-1972
Prof. Henry Patterson – University of Ulster
Alex Kane – Director of Communications Ulster Unionist Party 1998-2010
David Andrews – Fianna Fáil - Minister for Foreign Affairs – 1997-2000
Ken Maginnis – Ulster Unionist Party MP 1983-2001
Alastair Campbell – Press Advisor to Tony Blair – 1997-2003
Henry Mc Donald – Irish Editor - The Observer
Dr. Brian Feeney – St. Mary’s College Belfast
Dr. Kevin Rafter – DCU
Willie O’Dea TD – Fianna Fáil
Noel Whelan – Political Commentator
Prof. Richard English – University of St. Andrews
Fr. Alec Reid – Redemptorists Order, Clonard Monastery
Richard O’Rawe – Former IRA member, PRO IRA Prisoners, Maze Prison 1981
Brendan Keenan – Economic Editor – Irish Independent, 1993-2013
Ruairi Quinn TD – Labour, Minister for Education
Séan Garland – IRA 1953-1969, Official IRA 1969-1972
Robert Ballagh – Artist
Robert Saulters – Grand Master, Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland 1996-2011
David McConaghie – Worshipful District Master, Ballymena
Matthew Thompson – Orange Order, Ballymena
Hubert Scullion – District Master, Ballymena
Sinn Féin Contributors:
Gerry Adams T.D. – President of Sinn Féin
Gerry Kelly MLA
Alex Maskey MLA
Aengus O’ Snodaigh T.D.
Mary Lou Mc Donald – T.D.
Mairéad Farrell – Sinn Féin
Martin Ferris T.D.
Cllr Toiréasa Ferris – Kerry County Council
Pearse Doherty T.D.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin T.D.
Martin Mc Guinness MLA – Deputy First Minister
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