War is over and healing and reconciliation is now needed: Gerry Adams at funeral of former IRA chief

The duty of Irish republicans is to 'complete' the journey towards a new Ireland and a referendum on Irish unity, according to former Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams.

Mr Adams was speaking today at the funeral of former IRA chief of staff Kevin McKenna.

Mr McKenna died on Tuesday and is widely accepted as being the leader of the Provisional IRA for over a decade in the 80s and 90s.

Originally from Dungannon, Tyrone, Mr McKenna had lived in Monaghan since the 1970s. He was buried at St Mary’s Church, Magherarney, near Smithborough on Thursday.

According to the Irish Times Mr Adams, who delivered a graveside oration, said Mr McKenna had shown brave leadership during the first IRA ceasefire in 1994 and "was a republican soldier who had the politics to know when to fight, and the political vision to know when to talk."

Mr Adams went on: “The republican people of the north never went to war. The war came to us.

“I’m mindful of those who have been hurt, and there has been hurt on all sides and healing and reconciliation is needed, but the war is over.

La leadership IRA di Kevin McKenna e le spallate a Martin McGuinness - https://t.co/wWl8CqblJe pic.twitter.com/LQLgu8GCs9

— Let (@les_enfants) June 27, 2019

“The future is being written now, and as we help to write that future we will not let the past be written in a way which demonises patriots like Kevin McKenna any more than we would the generations before them.

“I think the men and women of 1916 were right,” Gerry Adams said. “I think the H- Block hunger strikers were right. I think Kevin McKenna was right.

“I think the IRA was right, not in everything that it did, but it was right to fight when faced with the the armed aggression of British rule.”

Turning to the future the Louth TD said the “big challenges” of today should not be understated,

“Even as we gathered here today the so called United Kingdom is disunited, yes we have quarrels to settle with our unionist neighbours and yes partition remains, but republican Ireland remains also, resolute unbowed undefeated and looking to the future.”

Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of respected Irish Republican,Kevin McKenna Smithborough Monaghan.@newryarmaghsf wish to convey our sympathies to Kevin’s wife Marcella, daughter Grainne,sons Ciaran & Padraig & family circle
I measc Laochra na nGael go raibh a anam dílis. pic.twitter.com/KSxakdPe7K

— NewryArmagh SinnFéin (@newryarmaghsf) June 25, 2019

He went on:

“Thanks to your efforts, Kevin, and the efforts of many others there is now a growing debate about a new Ireland and a referendum on Irish unity, and thanks to your efforts there is a pathway towards unity. Our duty is to complete that journey.”