Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
End of era as Adams bows out
Gerry hands SF reins over to McDonald
GERRY Adams’ tenure as leader of Sinn Fein has come to an end after more than three decades with Mary Lou McDonald officially taking over as party president.
The Dublin Central TD was ratified as the new leader at a special party conference in the RDS in the city yesterday.
Around 2,000 delegates gathered at the event for the historic handing over of the presidency. Mr Adams announced in November last year that he would be stepping aside after 34 years in the role.
In her first speech as the new party president Ms McDonald said she wanted to secure and win a referendum on Irish unity.
She added: “I want us to achieve this with respect, graciousness and generosity.
“Irish unity cannot be a crude exercise of simply stitching north to south and returning to business as usual.
“We do not want a 32 county free state.
“We want a new Ireland, in which rights are guaranteed, cultures respected and the diversity of our identities embraced.”
She said that as a new generation takes the reins of Sinn Fein leadership it was now time to bring “innovative and modern ways of advancing our politics.”
She added: “Now is the time for fresh thinking and bold ideas to take us forward.
“Our focus must be on building Sinn Fein into an organisation that is fit for purpose, and our purpose is to win, to win elections, to increase our political strength, to realise our ambition of being in government north and south, to win progressive political victories every single day. And ultimately to win Irish unity.” Mrs McDonald warned that Brexit
There can be no imposition of a border on the island of Ireland
MARY LOU McDONALD
DUBLIN YESTERDAY
represents a real threat to the prosperity, economic, social and political life of Ireland.
She said: “It fundamentally challenges 20 years of hard won progress.
“There can be no imposition of a border on the island of Ireland.
“Ireland will not be the collateral damage in the political games and antics of Tories in London.”
Referring to the political crisis at Stormont she insisted that Sinn Fein is “up for a deal”.
She added: “We are committed to real powersharing, to working for agreement with our unionist partners.
“We want the Assembly and Executive up and running. “This can only happen on the basis of equality, respect and integrity for all.
“The talks are ongoing. The Sinn Fein team is committed to positive outcome.” Paying tribute to Mr Adams, Ms McDonald said: “There would be no Good Friday Agreement, no peace process without Gerry Adams.
“My political mentor. An inspirational leader. A great friend.
“When others said it was impossible, Gerry Adams, along with Martin McGuinness, John Hume and indeed others, bravely walked the path to peace.”
Sinn Fein’s Northern Ireland leader Michelle O’Neill was also officially ratified as Mrs McDonald’s deputy.