ADAMS CARRIEd REMAINS -- Stormont Watch

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Date Posted: Wed, Feb 20 2008, 1:05:12 PST
Author: iapl_newsroom32@hotmail.com
Subject: ADAMS CARRIEd REMAINS
In reply to: Now on The Blanket 's message, "List of writings by Brendan" on Sun, Feb 17 2008, 23:24:08 PST

ADAMS ACTS AS PALLBEARER AT HUGHES FUNERAL 2008-02-19 14:31:00.0 EST Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams today carried the coffin ofa former IRA hunger striker who fell out with the party overthe peace process. Brendan `The Dark` Hughes, once one of Belfast`s most fearedIRA gunmen, died at the weekend after a short illness aged 59. Crowds swelled to more than 2,000 as his coffin - draped inthe Irish Tricolour and topped with black beret and gloves,was carried from his home in west Belfast to St Peter`sCatholic Cathedral in the Divis Street area of the city. Hughes spent 53 days on hunger strike in the top securityMaze Prison in 1980 and fellow faster Raymond McCartney, whois now a Sinn Fein Assembly member, was among the mournersat the biggest republican funeral seen in Belfast for someyears. Hughes was Officer Commanding the IRA men in the Maze duringthe battle of wills over prisoner of war status and themen`s refusal to wear prison uniform. He led the dirty protest - when the men wore nothing but ablanket and smeared their cell walls with their own excrement. That developed into the hunger strike led by Hughes butcalled off after 53 days when one of the men, Sean McKenna,was near death. Bobby Sands took over as OC and in 1981 ordered anotherhunger strike which first claimed his own life and then ninemore republicans. Hughes was released from jail in 1986 and resumed activerepublicanism again but became disillusioned with thedirection of the Sinn Fein leadership in the run up to theGood Friday Agreement in 1998 and dismissed them as `theArmani suit brigade`. He accused them of betraying core republican principles andtheir working class background. Despite the fallout a former comrade loyal to the Sinn Feinleadership said: "There was still a lot of respect and fondness for Brendan despite all the things he said inrecent years." Mr Adams` decision to carry the coffin was a clear sign any rift had been healed. ________________________________________________________

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Replies:

IRSN SALUTE BRENDAN -- iapl_newsroom32@hotmail.com, Wed, Feb 20 2008, 1:25:55 PST
- NO MORE LIES -- Bogsider, Sat, Feb 23 2008, 19:49:42 PST