Léargas: A Podcast by Gerry Adams

Preparing for Unity: Hardly a week goes passed without some new aspect or commentary emerging on the issue of Irish Unity. When will the unity referendum by held? What criteria should the British Secretary of State apply when deciding on the date? What is the role of the Irish government? What will the question/s be that will be asked of citizens? How will the referendums be structured and what ne...

Belfast tribute to two remarkable women: Two Belfast women, Mary Ann McCracken and Winifred Carney, will soon have statues commemorating their heroism, leadership and commitment to social justice and freedom erected in the grounds of Belfast City Hall Blues legend-  Rab McCullough: Recently I asked Rab if he would join Tomboy, BikMcFarlane and other exprisoner musicans, post the Covid restrictions...

Ballymurphy came out of familiar playbook: The response of the Tory government of Boris Johnson, like that of Cameron and of every British and Unionist government for 50 years, has been to cover up the culpability of their forces in the killing and wounding of citizens. On the day that a Coroner found that nine innocent citizens were murdered by the Paras. Downing Street issued a statement in whic...

Innocent: This week the long running campaign for truth and justice by the families of the 10 people killed by the Parachute Regiment in Ballymurphy during internment in August 1971 was vindicated with the judgement in the Inquest findings. Standing Idly By. Again : In December 2017 the then Taoiseach, Mr. Varadkar said: “To the nationalist people in Northern Ireland... You will never again be lef...

Unionism at another crossroads: Monday was the birthday of partition. It was a century since the Northern State formally came into existence with the passing into law on May 3, 1921 of the Government of Ireland Act. Unionist parties, the British government and some others tried –unsuccessfully for the most part – to turn this into a birthday celebration. The British government’s colonial office in...

Let’s plan our own Future together Michelle O’Neill hit the nail on the head in her interview on the Late Late Show with Ryan Tubridy last Friday evening. She said: “In the light of Brexit there is a stark choice that has opened up for people. Which Union do you wish to be part of? Do you wish to be part of an inclusive inward looking Ireland? ... There is something better for us to own our future...

Inflexible Unionism  The current unionist narrative seeks to present the present political crisis as the fault of everyone else except themselves. Mostly they blame the Irish Protocol element of the Brexit Withdrawal Treaty, the Irish government and the EU, and the funeral of Bobby Storey ten months ago.  Black Mountain. I’m pleased to say that I sent the final draft of my new book to O Brien Pres...

The Process of Change Must Continue: The recent loyalist sponsored violence and the provocative and inflammatory language of unionist political leaders has led to speculation about what the violence is really all about? Voting for Bobby Sands: As many readers will know this year marks 40 years since the 1981 hunger strike. It was a traumatic, difficult and yet historic year which undoubtedly shape...

Why Would Arlene Leave Fermanagh? Arlene Foster talks of leaving the North in the event of a Yes referendum vote for a United Ireland.    “I cannot see how I could be British in Fermanagh, in a United Ireland, because by the very definition you are no longer British because you are living in an all-Ireland state.” I see no reason for Arlene to leave Fermanagh. That will be her decision of course,...

Bin the Orange Card  Time & again unionist leaders have whipped up anger & fear. Playing the Orange Card is older than the northern state. It’s time to call a halt. It’s time to bin the Orange Card. Inclusion and Reconciliation in the new Ireland As part of our desire for a greater understanding of the issues involved and of the measures needed to confront sectarianism and hate Sinn Féin t...

Micheál has it badly wrong on Irish unity: While no-one was able to travel to the USA this St Patrick’s Day because of the pandemic restrictions it was still nonetheless a good couple of weeks for the peace process, the Good Friday Agreement, the demand for the referendum on unity and for the campaign for a United Ireland. Friends of Sinn Féin successfully fund-raised the money to pay for major ad...

6000 DAYS. Jaz McCann writes very well. The reader is quickly drawn into his world. From the opening sentences of his Prologue Jaz paints the sights and sounds, the emotions, shocks, excitement, sadness, smells and the savage brutality and amazing horrors of his 6000 Days of incarceration, mostly in the H Blocks of Long Kesh. He also makes us witness to the incredible courage, vision, commitment,...

It is my great privilege to have met many fine women and men over the years. The Léargas series of books is a record of some of these I came to know or to know of along life’s journey. It is very personal to me. This week I published the latest of these. The seventh book in the series is titled; ‘Kathleen Thompson – Up The Republic, She Raised The Battle Cry’. It is a tribute to my good friend Kat...

A date to remember Dates can evoke powerful memories for all of us. The birth or death of a loved one; a wedding; a new job; a joyous family occasion or a tragedy. Some memories can be so strong that it’s as if we are still there now. The smells, the noise, the fear, the joy, the sadness. March 1st, the date I pen these words, is one of those dates for me.  Walking the Belfast Hills I have always...

So what are we to make of the threats by some Unionist leaders over the Irish Protocol? Do we ignore them? I think not.  Even though we have heard all this all our lives it is too serious to ignore. Operation Fear needs challenged. Threats of violence or the use of violence by Unionists to get their own way have been a regular feature of Irish political life going back to the nineteenth century. S...

Fly Me To The Moon. I downloaded a new album, Cheek to Cheek, by Tony Bennett and Lady GaGa. It is brilliant. I am a longtime fan of Mr Bennett and in more recent times, Lady GaGa. Tony Bennett is celebrated for his decades of singing hit songs.  He has also been a life long activist, a dedicated pacifist and an advocate for social justice and a cleaner environment. He marched with Martin Luther K...

Brexit - A Child of the DUP. I have been watching the machinations of the DUP over the Article 16 carry on. T So, what’s it all about? For me it’s very simple. Brexit is a child of the DUP. The DUP were hell bound for Brexit. They disregarded all advice and suggestions from all quarters about the likely consequences. Now they complain. Very much like someone jumping into a lake and then complainin...

On the 5th of February 1992, five  people were brutally murdered, with a further seven  injured in a massacre carried out by the UDA.   Each year the relatives and friends and the local community hold a remembrance ceremony at the site of the attack. This year, in keeping with Covid restrictions only relatives attended. They wore masks and were socially distanced. Video footage of the event shows...

 Fra McCann's amazing life of struggle I have known Fra McCann for almost 50 years. Even as he battles prostate cancer Fra continues to live his life as a republican activist – an MLA representing the people of the Falls, an area and a people he loves. Like many others it was the pogrom of August 1969 that changed Fra’s life.  The barricades went up in Belfast and local people stepped forward...

Des Wilson – A Voice for the Poor and Oppressed by Joe McVeigh Fr. Joe McVeigh was a close friend and colleague of Des Wilson. It wasn’t just that both were priests. They both shared a passionate believe in justice and were committed to standing up for the rights of citizens against a British state apparatus which was oppressive and violent. The ANC and the 1981 hunger strikers The year after the...

Singing and climbing in 2021 A Chairde,  a very happy 2021 to you all. Here are ten personal things I want to do in this bright new year.  ·        Survive the pandemic. Stay alive and stay healthy. That means following the health advice and getting the vaccine as soon as I can.  ·        Climb Errigal again. I used to do that regularly but the pandemic and travel restrictions intruded. Ewan McCol...

The Government of Ireland Act was signed into British Law by a British King on 23 December 1920. In 1998 Sinn Féin succeeded in having this act scrapped - I will write about that process and its implications in the New Year. Partition was born out of violence and the threat of greater violence by unionism supported by the British government. In July 1920 nearly five thousand Catholics who were wor...

Nollaig Shona agus athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibhse go leir. I know it’s going to be a strange Christmas. It’s always poignant as we think of absent friends and family but this year especially we think of those who fell victim to the Pandemic. It’s very important that we do the best we can to stay safe, to keep our families and our friends safe and to follow the basic health advice and rules.  It’s...

This week's Podcast has its roots in a conversation with Danny D; Rab; & Tomboy.  We were all in Cage 11 with Bobby Sands and recalled his learning the guitar.  I  also reflect on the ongoing plight of the Palestinian people.

Its Gerry Adams here again. And a very big welcome to you all to this Podcast. On Friday Sinn Féin published its discussion paper the Economic Benefits of a United Ireland. It is an exciting contribution to the growing conversation about the future, about a new Ireland – a shared, agreed Ireland.  The big question that some people put up who are against the ending of the union and self-government...