By Kayla Whalen
On October 22, 2001, Gerry Adams gave a speech calling for the disarmament of the IRA to further peace negotiations and the Good Friday Agreement. This speech is important to hear/read because it is evidence from Adams himself that Hughes and Price were correct in their accusations that he wiped his hands clean of the IRA. Once he became the leader of his own group, he no longer claimed any involvement in the IRA and instead viewed them as a violent, separate entity. Early in the speech, he states “…in the last decade or so the peace process has brought the people of this island to a series of crossroads. These have uniquely offered up a choice, an opportunity to move forward to a better future, to stay stuck in the present or to slip back into the past” (Adams Speech). This already has the connotation that the past and present were seen as a dark ages of sorts, and were violent and bloody. He says this as though he was not a part of it, and can only judge the actions of others through the lens of hindsight. Yet, he was a part of it. By removing himself from the IRA and the friends he had once had, he created a sense of disillusion throughout the IRA and the society that supported them. However, this disillusionment seems necessary in hindsight as it was able to lead to peace in a country that was in desperate need for an end to violence.
Later on in the speech, he makes a call for everyone in Ireland to contribute to a more ideal future. After he explains how he met with other leaders such as Nelson Mandela and President Bush, he exclaims that they support a future where everyone can coexist peacefully. He then says that “In our view it is not only possible but imperative that everyone committed to a new future play their part fully in bringing about the achievement of a lasting peace in Ireland.”
The Sinn Fein leadership has been seeking to create a context in which all of the key players in this crisis can share in the effort to end it, and share in the effort to build trust and confidence.” This line is calling to everyone in Ireland, including both the IRA and the British. Adams only goal is to keep the Good Friday Agreement alive, and the only way to do that is to make sure that everyone agrees to not cause violence, no matter the reason. Although the IRA may have had good reasons for the violence, the majority of Ireland wished to not live in fear as they did in the midst of the twentieth century. Adams is supported because he is now arguing for peace, but his past tells a different story. He was once passionate for the eradication of the British, but now he is seen as a pawn by former IRA members who view him as someone who only wishes to keep his power. Arguing for peace in a country that had not seen peace in a long time will give anyone power. Adams turned his back on the issue and by making speeches such as this. He is creating a sense of confusion and anger in those who knew him in the past, but at the same time creating hope and prosperity for those who wish to see him as he is in the present.
References:
“Full Text of Gerry Adams’ Speech in Belfast.” (2001, October 22). The Guardian. Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/oct/22/northernireland.devolution1
Picture: https://sl.sbs.com.au/public/image/file/9d9fc20a-91db-46c8-bf13-fbc45455a22f/crop/16×9
A Reader's Guide to Say Nothing 