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Irish Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Death In Derry - Martin McGuinness and the Derry IRA's War Against The British: Strong on candour, weak on analysis
Death In Derry: Martin McGuinness and the Derry IRA's War Against The British Author : Jonathan Trigg ISBN-13 : 978-1785375477 Publisher : Merrion Press Guideline Price : €19.99 This book is a valuable contribution to the literature of the Troubles period and the history of the IRA. Jonathan Trigg has secured interviews with several former British soldiers and IRA members, many under pseudonyms. This is new material. The weaknesses in the book are that it is not strong on political analysis and that it accepts simplistic versions of key events such as the Battle of the Bogside and the Falls Road rioting of August 1969. He says, for instance, that the 1971 internment raids were not extended to loyalists because of unionist pressure. Actually, this was on legal advice that such a measure could not be used against a force that did not threaten the state – the same logic by which the Irish government refused to intern IRA members at the same time. READ MORE Trigg is happy to describe the period of violence as a war, accepting terminology favoured by the IRA themselves. He writes of IRA activists in a tone bordering on admiration, apparently as one soldier respecting others. [ A former British army officer and author on former IRA members opening up to him: 'Trust is a huge issue' Opens in new window ] That will grate with some who will prefer a more moralistic approach and will not like to read of murders being described as 'successes'. Trigg is a military historian. His strengths are in understanding military culture and warfare. It is almost endearing how he admits to occasional failings in his research. One IRA man refuses to tell him what he was jailed for and he leaves it at that, when another researcher might have gone into the newspaper archives and found out. He misses some important nuances. In a chapter about the south Derry IRA centred around Bellaghy, he attributes the reduced level of republican militancy in the area to the presence of the literary centre Seamus Heaney HomePlace, and the 'thousands of tourists wandering around with their camera phones'. Clearly he hasn't been to Bellaghy lately. However, he has secured the candour of several former Provos and soldiers, and this factor provides an understanding of their actions and their thinking that earns the book a place on the shelves of any serious future researchers or writers on the period. One amusing detail is that the British army developed a remote control camera system for monitoring suspects but had to scrap it because those suspects would hear the click and the whirr of the film winder. That wouldn't be a problem with the technology of today.
Belfast Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Martin McGuinness and the story of the Provisional IRA in Derry
The paramilitary's support grew in the wake of the civil rights campaign – and the authorities response to it. Support soared for political violence in the aftermath of Bloody Sunday. But atrocities such as Claudy Bombing and the murder of Patsy Gillespie, he died after being forced to deliver a bomb to an army based, saw that support fall. By the 1990s, the IRA in Derry was ravaged by informers and was a shadow of its former self. The history of the IRA in Derry was also dominated by Martin McGuinness, later a key advocate of the peace process, and education minister. Nowhere else saw one person so prominent in the IRA for such a long period of time. Jon Trigg is a former British soldier. He's now a writer – and his new book is 'Death in Derry: Martin McGuinness and the Derry IRA's War Against the British'. He spoke to Ciarán Dunbar.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Former NI Secretary rejects reports he ‘turned a blind eye' to IRA crimes
Former Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid has denied ministers had any power over police investigations after he reportedly said the Blair government 'turned a blind eye' to IRA crimes in a meeting in 2001. Newly declassified files from the National Archives in Kew are said to include a record of a meeting that took place at Hillsborough Castle on October 9 2001 between then-Northern Ireland secretary John Reid and Sinn Fein politicians Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, alongside Mr Adam's aide. According to the Belfast Telegraph, these files reveal that the minister explicitly told Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness that the government deliberately 'turned a blind eye' to IRA criminality, including murders. Lord Reid of Cardowan, who was given a peerage in 2010, told Parliament on Wednesday that criminal investigations are a matter for the police and the courts, and that ministers 'had no power to interfere with that process'. He added that the transition from war to peace is 'not always easy' and that he and others persevered 'whatever the odds' to secure that peace for Northern Ireland. He paid tribute to David Trimble, an Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician and the first First Minister of Northern Ireland from 1998 to 2002, and to John Hume, the founder of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, for their work. Labour frontbencher Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent added that 'we should never forget the context they were operating under', and thanked Lord Reid for his role in the peace process. Lord Reid told the House of Lords: 'The conduct of investigations and prosecutions in Northern Ireland, as in the rest of the United Kingdom, was exclusively under the control of the police service, the prosecution service and the courts. 'Ministers had no locus, they had no power and no desire to interfere with that process. 'The transition from war to peace is not always easy and what ministers did do, accompanied by the work of people like Lord Trimble and John Hume, was to persevere in a political peace process, whatever the odds, and that has resulted in inestimable benefits for all the people in Northern Ireland.' His comments came after UUP chairman Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard raised the issue in the upper chamber. Lord Elliott said that, while he did not support the Northern Ireland Troubles Legacy and Reconciliation Act 2023, because of the immunity granted to perpetrators, at least the Conservative Government 'had the courage and the decency to bring it to this House for debate and voting, instead of having de facto amnesty'. He said: 'I did see that Lord Reid at the time did warn Prime Minister Blair the consequences of having Sinn Fein, linked to a terrorist organisation, in government'. He asked Lady Anderson: 'Does the minister accept that Gerry Adams was a senior figure in the IRA?' Lady Anderson responded: 'I cannot comment on anything to do with the archive and, as to the matter he raises, it is a current matter of ongoing court proceedings.' She added: 'Any alleged criminality that took place after April 10 1998 remains a matter for PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland). 'The UK Government does not comment on National Archives releases or releases related to previous governments. 'I would, however, like to take this opportunity to pay thanks to the secretary of state at that time, as well as all secretaries of state for Northern Ireland for their role in the incredibly challenging work helping to maintain peace, as well as delivering and implementing the Good Friday Agreement, including the effective decommissioning of weapons. 'We owe them an immense debt of gratitude and should never forget the context under which they were operating.' Lady Anderson said of Lord Reid: 'He is absolutely right and he knows better than I, as someone who served our country in government in numerous roles at Cabinet level, that the police have complete operational independence. 'I think we owe everybody that operated as politicians, both in Northern Ireland and in the UK Government, who worked so hard in the most difficult of circumstances to deliver peace, a huge debt of gratitude. 'Every day we now have to live up to the promise of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, the spirit of the Stormont House Agreement, to make sure that the people of Northern Ireland and the people of Great Britain have that peace that was so difficultly earned.' The meeting which is said to have taken place between Mr Reid and the Sinn Fein politicians would have happened amid a backdrop of pressure on the IRA to start the process of decommissioning its large arsenal of weapons. According to The Belfast Telegraph, the National Archives files say that Mr Reid told Mr Adams and Mr McGuinness that the IRA 'could not expect HMG (Her Majesty's Government) and the UUP to say this publicly, but in practice we could seek to shift the focus away from decommissioning. 'The quid pro quo was that other paramilitary activities – smugglings, beatings, robberies and murder – would come under closer scrutiny. 'We had turned a blind eye to these activities in the belief that the IRA was involved in a process of transition.' He reportedly added that 'if the IRA was not involved in any of the issues the government claimed, then it should have nothing to fear from intensified efforts to prevent murders, beatings, robberies and other criminality'. A fortnight after the meeting, on October 23, the IRA announced that it had decommissioned its first tranche of materiel. According to the Belfast Telegraph, the newly released files also reveal that Mr Reid told Tony Blair in August 2001 that it was increasingly difficult to justify devolution with Sinn Fein while it was 'linked to an active, private army' which had 'undiminished' criminal activity. In an eight-page memo to the Prime Minister, Mr Reid apparently said: 'We cannot for much longer go on hiding the truth about what they are really getting up to – killing, robbing, targeting, developing new weapons, racketeering.'
Irish Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Gerry Adams defamation trial: Michael McDowell says politicians and media believe ex-Sinn Féin president was in IRA
Senator Michael McDowell has told a jury he has not met a politician other than Martin McGuinness and Martin Ferris who did not believe former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was a member of the Provisional IRA. Mr McDowell, a former tánaiste and attorney general, was giving evidence at the High Court in the fourth week of the trial of Mr Adams's defamation action against the BBC. Mr Adams claims a BBC Spotlight programme and a related article published in 2016 defamed him by falsely accusing him of sanctioning British agent Denis Donaldson's killing at a cottage in Glenties, Co Donegal , in 2006. The BBC denies it defamed Mr Adams, who insists he had no involvement with the death, for which dissident republicans claimed responsibility in 2009. READ MORE On Wednesday, asked by BBC senior counsel Paul Gallagher about Mr Adams's reputation among the public, Mr McDowell said he is known as a politician who was a leading member of the IRA and active in the IRA during its period of 'armed struggle'. He said he was reputed to have been a chief negotiator between the provisional movement and the British government in the 1970s and, thereafter, he was reputed to have a role in the Belfast IRA as its officer commanding. Following this he was believed to have become a member of the IRA's army council, Mr McDowell said. Asked for his view on how widespread these beliefs are, Mr McDowell said that, excluding former Sinn Féin politicians Martin McGuinness and Martin Ferris, he had never met anyone in the 'political process or the media' who did not believe he was in the IRA 'and who have not treated him on that basis'. He said that during the peace process, immediately following the Belfast Agreement in 1998, the view of those in the Irish Government, based on intelligence briefings, was that Mr Adams was a leading member of the army council, along with Mr McGuinness and Mr Ferris. Mr McDowell is yet to be cross-examined. Ann Travers, whose sister was murdered by the IRA, gave evidence at the High Court in Dublin, where former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams suing the BBC. Photograph: Brian Lawless/ PA Wire Earlier, Ann Travers, whose sister was killed by the IRA in 1984, said Mr Adams's reputation was that of a 'warmonger'. She said she believed this because of his support of the IRA and 'the murder of innocent people'. Ms Travers told the jury that while walking from Mass, her sister was killed, her father was shot six times, and said there was also an attempt on her mother's life. The witness said she was an advocate for South East Fermanagh Foundation, a support group for victims of violence with about 5,000 members. She said Mr Adams' reputation within victims' groups as someone 'heavily involved' with the murder of innocent people, and as a senior member of the IRA, and senior member of Sinn Féin. Under cross-examination from Declan Doyle SC, for Mr Adams, Ms Travers said Mr Adams has 'cast a long and dark shadow' over her life, and said she 'would even have a fear of him'. She said that when she speaks to people about Mr Adams, most roll their eyes and their heads. When put to her that Mr Adams's reputation is that of a peacemaker, she said: 'I'm very sorry, but I would disagree.' She said that if she were to be asked about peacemakers in the context of Northern Ireland, the first person she would think of is John Hume. Asked if she agreed Northern Ireland is peaceful now compared to during the Troubles, she said: 'Of course, we should all be grateful we're not getting murdered anymore.' Mr Doyle put it toher that her evidence was tainted by personal hurt and tragedy, and a personal animus against Mr Adams. Ms Travers denied this, saying: 'Obviously, I don't love Mr Adams.' She did not agree with the suggestion there would be no peace in Northern Ireland were it not for Mr Adams. The trial continues before Mr Justice Alexander Owens.
BreakingNews.ie
21-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Gerry Adams had reputation of being in IRA army council, Michael McDowell says
Senator Michael McDowell has told a jury in Gerry Adams' defamation case that he has never met any politician – apart from Martin McGuinness and Martin Ferris – that did not believe the former Sinn Féin president was a member of the Provisional IRA. Mr McDowell, a former tánaiste and attorney general, was giving evidence at the High Court on the fourth week of a trial hearing into Mr Adams' action. Advertisement Mr Adams claims a BBC Spotlight programme and a related article published in 2016 defamed him by falsely accusing him of sanctioning British agent Denis Donaldson's killing at a cottage in Glenties, Co Donegal, in 2006. The BBC denies it defamed Mr Adams, who insists he had no involvement in the death, which dissident republicans claimed responsibility for in 2009. On Wednesday, asked by BBC counsel Paul Gallagher SC about Mr Adams' reputation among the public, Mr McDowell said that Mr Adams' is known as a politician now, who was a leading member of the IRA, and who was active in the IRA during its period of 'armed struggle'. Former Sinn Fáin president Gerry Adams in conversation with singer songwriter Christy Moore outside the High Court in Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA He said he was reputed to have been a chief negotiator between the provisional movement and the British government in the 1970s, and thereafter, he was reputed to have a role in the Belfast IRA as its officer commanding. Advertisement Following this he was reputed to have become a member of the IRA's army council, Mr McDowell said. Asked, in his view, how widespread these views are, Mr McDowell said that excluding former Sinn Féin politicians Martin McGuinness and Martin Ferris, he'd never met anyone in the 'political process or the media' who did not believe he was in the IRA, 'and who have not treated him on that basis'. He said during the peace process that immediately following the Belfast Agreement in 1998, the view of those in the Irish Government, based on intelligence briefings, was that Mr Adams was a leading member of the army council, along with Mr McGuinness and Mr Ferris. Asked more generally about Mr Adams' reputation among politicians, Mr McDowell said that he has never met any politician that did not believe he was a leading member of the IRA during its armed campaign, and thereafter a dominant figure within its army council. Advertisement Mr McDowell is yet to be cross-examined. Earlier, Ann Travers, whose sister was killed by the IRA in 1984, said Mr Adams' reputation was that of a 'warmonger'. She said she believed this because of his support of the IRA and 'the murder of innocent people'. Ms Travers told the jury that while walking from Mass, her sister was killed, her father was shot six times, and said there was also an attempt on her mother's life. The witness said she was an advocate for South East Fermanagh Foundation, a support group for victims of violence with about 5,000 members. She said Mr Adams' reputation within victims' groups as someone 'heavily involved' with the murder of innocent people, and as a senior member of the IRA, and senior member of Sinn Féin. Advertisement Ann Travers, advocate with the SEFF victims' group whose sister was murdered by the IRA, outside the High Court in Dublin. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Under cross-examination from Declan Doyle SC, for Mr Adams, Ms Travers said Mr Adams has 'cast a long and dark shadow' over her life, and said she 'would even have a fear of him'. She said that when she speaks to people about Mr Adams, most roll their eyes and their heads. When put to the witness by Mr Doyle that Mr Adams' reputation is that of a peacemaker, she said: 'I'm very sorry, but I would disagree.' She said that if she were to be asked about peacemakers in the context of Northern Ireland, the first person she would think of is John Hume. Ireland Gerry Adams case: Spotlight programme 'probably' w... Read More Asked if she agreed that Northern Ireland is peaceful now compared to during The Troubles, she said: 'Of course, we should all be grateful we're not getting murdered anymore.' Mr Doyle put it to the witness that her evidence was tainted by personal hurt and tragedy, and a personal animus against Mr Adams. Ms Travers denied this, adding, 'obviously, I don't love Mr Adams'. Advertisement Put to the witness that there would be no peace in Northern Ireland were it not for Mr Adams, and that that is his reputation, she said she didn't agree. The trial, before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, continues.
