Borderless thoughts on Politics, Public Affairs, the media and anything else that matters from Conall McDevitt, SDLP MLA for South Belfast
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  • Gerry Adam’s questions ‘haven’t gone away’

    Posted on January 11th, 2010 Conall McDevitt 2 comments

    The BBC reports:

    Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams has said that his brother, Liam, should never have been a member of the party.

    Liam Adams is wanted by the PSNI over claims that he sexually abused his daughter.

    Mr Adams had claimed his brother had been dumped from Sinn Féin at a stage when archive photographs appeared to show he was still active in the party.

    Mr Adams said he knew his brother was active in republican circles but not that he was still in the party.

    Except.

    This does not tally with what Suzanne Breen uncovered in the Sunday Tribune last week. 

    Liam Adamschaired the Edentubber Martyrs’ commemoration in Co Louth attended by 1,000 republicans on 9 November 1997. He introduced the main speaker, Sinn Féin national chairman Mitchel McLaughlin. The event was reported in The Dundalk Democrat.

    A Sunday Tribune investigation has uncovered a massive cover-up of Liam Adams‘ Sinn Féin involvement. He is portrayed as playing a short-lived, minor role. Louth TD Arthur Morgan claimed Liam Adams “was never a party officer”.

    Today, we reveal Liam Adamswas Sinn Féin’s most senior official in Co Louth. He was chairman of the Louth comhairle ceantair, liaising directly with the national Sinn Féin leadership.

    In June 1996, he welcomed Martin McGuinness to Dundalk and stood beside McGuinness at the official opening of Sinn Féin’s new office in the town. In Dundalk’s The Argus, McGuinness is photographed cutting the ribbon with “Liam Adams, chairman of Louth comhairle ceantair” by his side. It’s inconceivable Gerry Adams didn’t know of his brother’s senior position then.

    It seems the questions remain, not just for Mr Adams but also as the Irish News and Slugger O’Toole note, for Sinn Fein Louth TD, Arthur Morgan who has now remained silent on the issue for 21 days.

    Although he was a party member, he was never an officer, and certainly was never in the running, as has been stated in the media, for nomination as a candidate in the 1997 Dáil elections,’ said Deputy Morgan.

    However subsequently unearthed archive material proves that this was not the case… Deputy Morgan has since been unavailable for comment… In the meantime, it’s our intention to post daily bulletins on whether or not the Louth TD emerges to speak to the press… And when he does we’ll relay soonest his explanation for the discrepancy in his statement with the facts…

    Business, Current Affairs, Politics, Public Affairs
     

    2 responses to “Gerry Adam’s questions ‘haven’t gone away’”

    1. Éamon Glic January 12th, 2010 at 13:14

      Arthur Morgan’s continued silence on this issue speaks volumes and highlights the key differences in how both the media and SF/DUP have handled the shocking revelations that have been unearthed in the last month. Arguably it was self interest and self preservation in the DUP camp that led to the leak and it didn’t take too much poking around to turn the leak into a flood. Once the media sensed blood they were quick to go for the easy target.

      In comparison the instilled code of omerta that is disciplined in the SF ranks has become apparent and so far no party members have broken rank and it appears that journalists are still scared to go digging. In fact SF still operate with such military precision that in most cases the media have pandered to Adams et al accepting what they have said all too easily and avoiding anything resembling a difficult question. Investigative journalism seems to deter our journalists when they have to do the investigating themselves

      The DUP initially stood silent too, however their silence came at a time when they needed to voice their support. Yesterdays demonstration of support may well be too little too late for Robbo (intentionally or not remains to be seen) In contrast the shinners have again held the party line from the top down and those who could ratttle the cage have remained silent. A stark contrast of collective vs individual opportunism, which comes at the cost of the democratic institutions and at the expense of the electorate.

    2. Tazia January 21st, 2010 at 21:12

      “In comparison the instilled code of omerta that is disciplined in the SF ranks has become apparent and so far no party members have broken rank and it appears that journalists are still scared to go digging.”

      If SF do a press release admitting they are up to their ears in pork pies, the media might cover it.

      Otherwise, can you name many journalists in NI who are capable of discovering their own facts?

      When Damian McBride attended the multi-dept press officer meetings in Basingstoke, they were meeting ‘as the govt’.

      And that is also replicated in our Tammany Hall for Trumpton press officering. The political parties learn from civil servants. They breed of each other.

      Having said that, no party ( in NI) is immune to scandal – they all have stuff in the closet. Some of the smiling innocents have quite shocking stuff they need buried.

      Hence the modest level of public stabbing.

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