February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Gerry Adams wants his version of an IRA to show a little tender loving care as the days tick down to the British general election on May 5, which, incidentally, is the anniversary of the death of Bobby Sands MP.
Gerry Adams has denied ever investing his energies in the ranks of the IRA. Some believe him. Many take the denial with a bucketful of salt.
But there’s no denying that Gerry Adams has run interference for the Provos on more occasions than even he might have expected.
Nobody can put a face on P. O’Neill, so it fell to Adams, and to a lesser extent Martin McGuinness, to take it on the chin following the Northern Bank heist and the murder of Robert McCartney.
Adams now wants a little payback from Mr. O’Neill. “Mirror, mirror,” some are saying. Perhaps. But Adams must always deal with the greatest internal fear harbored by the republican movement: a split.
What draws applause in West Belfast could well provoke a more fractured response in places like South Armagh or West Tyrone.
Still, given the content and timing of his speech aimed at the IRA last week, Adams clearly expects Mr. O’Neill to step forward with an olive branch that will provide suitably historical talking points for Sinn F