The divisions within the Provisional movement, between the Adams faction and the O Bradaigh–O Conaill supporters, over the amalgamation of An Phoblacht and Republican News, the Adams move to the left, the production of Adams’s so-called grey document, and the undermining of Eire Nua were graphically illustrated by the minutes of this Sinn Fein Executive meeting held in April 1980.
Danny Morrison: | Donegal refused papers—our man was arrested delivering them—didn’t have the courtesy to ring up and cancel. |
Ruairi O Bradaigh: | If there is no confidence in Leadership, policies are no use to us. Anonymous articles and letters in AP/PN do not go down well. We must re-establish confidence by printing own names above articles. |
Joe Cahill: | I never believed in Federalism. This may come as a surprise to many of you. |
Joe O’Neill: | More harmony before amalgamation although I agreed with amalgamation. Reason for refusing papers— IRSP and other articles, disagreement with policy. Bundoran S. F. Cumann refused to sell papers—not Joe O’Neill. |
Tony Ruane: | If there is some little mistake in the paper don’t exaggerate it. Sinn Fein was not fully acquainted before the document. |
Charlie McGlade: | Sinn Fein looks upon itself as back-up to Provos. We would need to watch that we don’t just call ourselves socialists and not Republicans. Don’t get into entrenched positions—we must get rid of any discontent. In rural areas there is a real fear of Communism. |
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Liam Haddock: | Grass roots are not aware of what is happening at top—change of direction or whatever should be passed on to members. |
Matt Devlin: | People of Tyrone felt bad after what happened at ArdFheis—they felt there had been a split. Wrong time for change in policy. S.F. does not have the same credibility since the document. |
Paddy J. Kearney: | No lack of faith in leadership. People are thinking that S.F. has been demoted. Not as significant anymore. If the original document was rejected out of hand it shows how ill informed were the people who drew it up. No stance of boycott in Connaught. We sold papers. Rejection of fisheries in newsletter. |
C. Kelly: | Country areas thought document was too far to the left and that they didn’t have any say in the organisation. |
Niall Fagan: | Danger is that we will defeat ourselves. General consensus of opinion right around the country is that we are demoted—of no consequence. The most dissenting voices are the ones who are fully behind the “Brits Out” campaign. AP/RN leading us to extreme left— red left. Stifling veto on policies by one branch of the movement over the other. We need to have our confidence restored—custodial ownership—the key word. This drives them mad. |
George Stagg: | I made my position clear and that’s where I am staying. Horrified at G. Adams’ statement at Ard Fheis that “without policy going through it is not worth death of one Brit or one man in prison.” Hope we are not going to have witch-hunt. Are rumours about Sean MacStiofain true? |
Joe Cahill: | He has been given job of distribution manager in AP/RN. He is not in Sinn Fein. |
Tom Hartley: | Sinn Fein is demoting itself. If there is loss of membership that is Sinn Fein’s fault and not the [IRA]. There has been a policy crisis. We are part of a mass of people who want freedom. Perhaps that is truly international. |
Phil Flynn: | I already had my say. |
E. O Doherty: | Sixth sense says that there is discontent. Since amalgamation—discontent. No editorial and withdrawal of Christine [sic] Ni Elias’s Eire Nua. |
Paddy Bolger: | There was not the same unanimity in A/C as was in the military leadership. Smouldering discontent manifested itself after Ard Fheis. Socialism and nationalism are related. Confusion about general aims of the Movement. Sticks betrayed the Movement. Hysterical reaction to the new policy. It’s a development of Republicanism. Nothing sinister. |
John Joe McGirl: | Present policies of political parties are breaking down in front of them. No point in having document unless it is implemented. Fully support the document—it is in the line of Republicanism. Discontent being promoted from the A/C by those who do not accept document. If we want unity we must have it from in here. |
Sean O Bradaigh: | We must move on the basis that there is trust and confidence in the leadership. Original Eire Nua was designed as a left document but to win over as wide a spectrum of people as possible. There was a directive from the [Army Council]—Federalism to be put in cold storage. You cannot issue directives to the Ard Comhairle of Sinn Fein like that. Concept of leadership is meaningless unless you have followers. |
Daithi O Conaill: | Motivation of Movement has been damaged. Trust damaged—air of apathy. 1) Policy Review Committee was a failure 2) Air of arrogance coming from the [Army Council] These statements usually unify and point the way forward. You must win respect—not take it for granted. Sinn Fein committed itself to Federalism at last Ard Fheis, [the Army Council] rejects this policy. [The Army is] committed to policy of de-centralisation, nothing outlined. No alternative proposed by them to Federalism. There should be equal participation. |
Richard Behal: | Not pessimistic about outcome. Shock of this dissent may set us back on the right road. Political wing should make policy statements not the other way around. Get rid of division between [the IRA] and S.F. No inquest into why we did not contest local elections in 6 counties. Should take RTE to Strasbourg over Section 31. There is Marxist influence within the Movement. G. Adams was pulling a fast one when he stated there wasn’t. |
Gerry Adams: | Campaign of innuendo and vilification. There are nationalists within the R.M. [separatists] wrong to be only a separatist. Can anyone outline the anti-Republican essence of this document? Republicanism is composed of many elements. This struggle is a life and death struggle. Going left is not something foreign. Failed to harness the anti-establishment feeling, successive A/C have failed. What [the Army Council] did was done with best intentions. Perhaps they did make mistakes. Need to stop backbiting. We are not a National Liberation Movement. We are a Republican Movement going through a stage of national liberation. Are we a radical republican Movement? |
T. O. Sullivan: | As a member of A/C I accept document but how to sell it to the people. [The Army Council] statement is what caused division. There is not backstabbing of leadership. Leadership should have seen what the reaction would be around the country when document 1. was rejected. We have a duty to tell membership where we are going. |
Jimmy Drumm: | Comments should be passed on to the other side. G. Stagg should not be criticised for probing worms out of the woodwork. Dissension in Donegal re AP/RN not insurmountable. |
Des Long: | Changes in policy—grass roots not informed. A/C was not even kept informed. Ten acre capitalists are not going to let their land go. We will not get votes from these people with this document. Unless something else is offered we must keep Federalism. Attitude of AP/RN was—we are not carrying your policy but you will sell our paper. Insensitivity of AP/RN re centre-spread. Appeared at wrong time. We need a cooling off period. |
Christin Ni Elias: | Primary duty of party is to lead people. Lack of consultation with members of S.F. Lifting of ban is recognition of mistake that was made. Level of political awareness is greater now then in early seventies. Custodial ownership frightened people. There must be evolution. We must re-assure people that we know what membership wants. |
George Lynch: | AP/RN is whipping boy. Other side also. With exception of Meath there has been no backlash. A/C members cause of there being a backlash. I abide by decision. Never favoured Federalism but as education officer I spread it. We must abide by democratic decision of majority in this organisation. Urban and rural conflict. Land should be distributed to meet the needs of the people. The social message is not being put across. No effort was put into Federalism but now we are being told how great it was. The presentation of document is bad—people have to be told what we mean. Adverts are up in the Brochure this year—that is an answer. If leadership in consultation with S.F. members want to drop Federalism I will abide with that decision. |
Ruairi O Bradaigh: | A few points—I did not propose something at Ard Fheis that I did not believe in. |
Joe Cahill: | There is a desire to resolve difficulties. Let us now have proposals. |
Phil Flynn: | We must stand behind decision of Ard Fheis—create structures which will bring back confidence. |
These are merely the comments of all Ard Comhairle members present at the special meeting of An Ard Comhairle on 12th April, 1980. Minutes recorded in official minute book.