Ruairí Ó Brádaigh: The Life and Politics of an Irish RevolutionarySince the mid-1950s, Ruairí Ó Bradáigh has played a singular role in the Irish Republican Movement. He is the only person who has served as chief of staff of the Irish Republican Army, as president of the political party Sinn Féin, and to have been elected, as an abstentionist, to the Dublin parliament. Today, he is the most prominent and articulate spokesperson of those Irish Republicans who reject the peace process in Northern Ireland. His rejection is rooted in his analysis of Irish history and his belief that the peace process will not achieve peace. Instead it will support the continued partition of Ireland and result in continued, inevitable, conflict. The child of Irish Republican veterans, Ó Bradáigh has led IRA raids, been arrested and interned, escaped and been "on the run," and even spent a period of time on a hunger strike. An articulate spokesman for the Irish Republican cause, he has at different times been excluded from Northern Ireland, Britain, the United States, and Canada. He was a key figure in the secret negotiation of a bilateral IRA-British truce. His "Notes" on these negotiations offer special insight to the 1975 truce, the IRA cease-fires of the 1990s, and the current peace process in Ireland. Ó Bradáigh has been a staunch defender of the traditional Republican position of abstention from participation in the parliaments in Dublin, Belfast, and Westminster. When Sinn Féin voted to recognize these parliaments in 1970, he led the walkout of the party convention and spearheaded the creation of Provisional Sinn Féin. He served as president of Provisional Sinn Féin until 1983, when he was forced from the position by his successor, Gerry Adams. In 1986, with Adams as its president, Provisional Sinn Féin recognized the Dublin parliament. Ó Bradáigh led another walkout and later became president of Republican Sinn Féin, a position he still holds. |
Contents
Matt Brady and May Caffrey | 1 |
19501954 | 36 |
December 1956March 1957 | 61 |
June 1959February 1962 | 92 |
September 1968October 1970 | 140 |
November 1970December 1972 | 164 |
November 1974February 1976 | 219 |
March 1976September 1978 | 248 |
EPILOGUE | 335 |
NOTES ON SOURCES | 347 |
407 | |
Other editions - View all
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh: The Life and Politics of an Irish Revolutionary Robert W. White Limited preview - 2020 |
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh: The Life and Politics of an Irish Revolutionary Robert W. White Limited preview - 2020 |
Common terms and phrases
abstentionism abstentionists aigh Ard Chomhairle Ard Fheis Army Council arrested asked Behal Belfast Bell bombs Brádaigh interview British Army campaign Cathal Goulding Catholic cease-fire chief of staff County Curragh Dáil Dáithí O'Connell delegates Derry Deutsch and Magowan Drumm Dublin Éire Nua election Feeney Féin's Fianna Fáil Gerry Adams hunger strike internment IRA's Irish Press Irish Republican Irish Troubles January Joe Cahill John Joe McGirl Kelters killed Leinster House Longford Leader Lost Lives Lynch Maguire Martin McGuinness Matt Brady McKittrick McLogan meeting Mountjoy Nationalist Northern Ireland Ó Brád officer organization Paddy party Patsy Phoblacht Phoblacht/Republican police political prisoners Protestant Provisional IRA Provisional Sinn Féin raid Rees Republic Republican Movement Republican Sinn Féin RÓB IVs Roscommon Ruairí Ó Brádaigh SAOIRSE SDLP Séamus Seán Mac Eoin Seán Mac Stiofáin Seán Ó Brádaigh Secret Army Sinn Féin Ard Stormont tion Twomey Ulster Unionist United Irishman Valera volunteers vote