Sinn Fein, the IRA and me
Mary Lou McDonald — the big interview ■ ‘Every chance’ she would have taken up arms in ‘justified’ campaign by IRA ■ Attacks ‘plagiarism and theft’ of Sinn Fein’s policies now by FG and FF
SINN Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has said the IRA campaign was justified and that there is “every chance” she would have taken up arms during the Troubles.
In a major interview with the Sunday Independent, McDonald set out a staunch and unwavering defence of the IRA’s campaign of violence and her attendance at events honouring those who perpetrated atrocities.
“I wish it hadn’t happened, but it was a justified campaign,” she said.
For the first time, she signalled plans to remain Sinn Fein leader for the next decade and insisted she had not given up on leading her party into government in the coming months.
“I have my eye on the next decade as a huge decade of opportunity,” she said when asked about how long she would remain as leader.
McDonald, whose party won more votes than any other in February’s election, accused Fianna Fail and Fine Gael of “plagiarism and theft” of the Sinn Fein election manifesto in their joint-framework document which has formed the basis of three-party talks with the Green Party. She expressed hope that the Greens may ultimately opt out of forming a coalition with the civil war parties and turn to Sinn Fein.
She outlined how her party will continue to argue for a third rate of tax on people earning over €140,000 and that a wealth tax would target people’s land and yachts. “You can certainly tax wealth and you can tax land if it’s not used for productive or agricultural [purposes], and yachts and stocks,” she said.
In a wide-ranging interview, McDonald also spoke about her “difficult” relationship with her father after her parents separated in 1979, her time in Fianna Fail and how the hunger strikes were a defining moment in her childhood. Asked if she would have joined the IRA had she been old enough, she said: “Yeah, I think there’d be every chance, every possibility. I grew up in Dublin so the Troubles and the conflict were the background noise of my generation.”
She acknowledged that Sinn Fein’s response to the Mairia Cahill abuse controversy “wasn’t well handled”, but defended her own actions.
She said the involvement of former IRA members in Sinn Fein’s decision-making bodies was evidence of the huge success of the peace process, and denied they were making decisions for elected representatives. She also said she speaks to her predecessor Gerry Adams regularly.
McDonald insisted it was right that she attended events commemorating former IRA volunteers who participated in violent campaigns during the Troubles.
“Of course they matter,” she said. “Their people buried them too. Of course they matter. And British soldiers matter and loyalists matter. All of those human lives mattered, every single one of those human lives mattered. The men that died in the Blocks mattered — of course they mattered.”
McDonald also revealed that Prince Charles had been in touch with her following her recovery from Covid-19, which she contracted last month.
“So, if you want a measure of how much things have changed, there’s one I suppose small example,” she added.