Oct 20, 2009
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh: In the interests of historical accuracy
In the interests of historical accuracy
Ruairi O Bradaigh, President of Republican Sinn Fein, Dublin 1
20/10/09
Arising out of recent publicity in The Irish News on the 1981 hunger strikes I wish to clarify certain matters.
- Dr Garrett Fitzgerald places Gerry Adams as president of Sinn Fein in 1981.
I was president at that time.
- Sinn Fein’s task in 1980-81 was to campaign in support of the hunger strikers.
Sinn Fein knew nothing of conditions alleged to be on offer for settlement of the strike.
- I do not believe that the army council of the IRA was aware of such alleged conditions either.
In the interests of historical accuracy I wish to place this information on the public record.
It has withstood the blows of a million years, and will do so to the end.