Don’t forget Sinn Féin’s sinister past

IN 1984, 22-year-old Mary Travers was shot dead by Provisional IRA thugs as she left mass on the Malone Road in Belfast with her parents (who were also targeted but survived).

This is just one of many examples of the cold-blooded, senseless murder campaign, carried out by the Provisional IRA over 30 years.

Their campaign of bombings, systematic assassination of Protestants, extortion, racketeering, drug dealing and general intimidation left nearly 2,000 people dead and many more maimed.

In this context last Sunday’s (Sept 18) RTÉ Radio 1’s interview with Martin McGuinness must surely rank as one of the most craven ever carried out on Irish radio.

No hard questions were asked of McGuinness.

The essence of terrorism is the killing of innocent people for political ends, and by any standards McGuinness was a significant leader in the PIRA terrorist campaign.

When he was asked about his IRA past he didn’t answer the question and typically the interviewer did not pursue the matter.

In reality the media and especially RTÉ have almost airbrushed Sinn Féin and the PIRA’s sinister past out of existence.

This cowardly silence extends to the vast majority of politicians and churchmen in the country and allows people like McGuinness a free hand in spewing out Sinn Féin propaganda built on the murders of many truly innocent people.

Finally, perhaps the image of Sinn Féin’s Martin Ferris collecting the killers of Garda Gerry McCabe should be considered as a fitting symbol for Sinn Féin’s presidency efforts.

Anthony Hartnett

Bishopstown

Cork