WHO IS BEHIND HARDLINE GROUPING?
Who is behind the hardline grouping?
THE 32-County Sovereignty Committee has been accused of providing political cover for the Real IRA. MARTINA PURDY looks at the main figures in the committee
THE hardcore republican group styling itself the 32-County Sovereignty Committee first emerged last December, after a meeting in Dublin.
As Gerry Adams made history by becoming the first republican leader since Michael Collins to go to Downing Street, the group set out to destroy Sinn Fein's attempt to cut a deal that did not involve immediate British withdrawal.
The group had emerged some weeks after a former IRA quartermaster from Co Louth failed in his bid to oust the IRA leadership.
The man is an IRA veteran who moved against the leadership after Sinn Fein signed up to the Mitchell Principles of democracy, effectively
renouncing violence.
His attempted coup had been anticipated by the IRA army council who had mustered enough support to defeat the quartermaster. He left taking a handful of hardcore republicans with him.
Mainstream republicans attempted to downplay Press reports of a split.
Sinn Fein vice-President Pat Doherty said there were no dissidents, just an "odd powder puff here and there."
Conversely, the committee, which changed its title to "movement" a few months ago. boasted it had more than 200 members.
It clashed very publicly with Sinn Fein at the April Ard Fheis in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement when the party"moved to suspend members associated with the committee, many of them in the tiny Balbriggan branch.
The group's chairman Francie Mackey, an Omagh Councillor, was prevented from entering the Ard Fheis and instead gave a Press conference outside.
The movement, which recently launched its own newspaper, and a fundraising drive in the US claims the Agreement cannot solve the political conflict in Ireland because it copperfastens partition.
The movement argues that the Referendum was illegal because it was carried out in two jurisdictions, and has filed the 1919 Irish Declaration of Independence with the United Nations.
Denying it is a political party, the group maintains it is a single issue movement focusing on Irish sovereignty.
The "Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the security forces have publicly linked some members of the group to the Real IRA and the Omagh bombing, but the Sovereignty Committee has denied this, accusing the security forces of trying to demonise them.
Its members are not well-known to the general population. But the following people were responsible for its formation:
Michael Ahern: A Carlow republican who began as chairman but stepped down a few months ago, apparently due to ill health.
Francie Mackey: Replaced Mr Ahern as chairman. He has been an Omagh councillor for around 13 years. In the immediate aftermath, he refused to condemn the bomb, accusing the media of playing word games. He did however say it could not be justified. It is believed he has since condemned the bomb. In an outspoken attack on Sinn Fein, he accused the party of abandoning republican principles. He was suspended from the party in March and quit in June. He was joined on a platform in West Belfast in May by former IRA prisoner, Tommy McKearney.
Bernadette Sands-McKevitt is vice-chairman of the movement. She is the sister of hunger striker, Bobby Sands. Her partner is Michael McKevitt who is a County Louth republican. They live in Blackrock outside Dundalk with their children.
She has been an outspoken critic of the Good Friday Agreement. The US government has revoked her visa and indicated neither she nor her committee will gain access to the country.
Fra Brown is well-known in Republican circles. He joined the committee as secretary. He is a former Sinn Fein councillor in Dundalk.
Val Lynch and Beatrice NiShearbhain are treasurers. Ms NiShearbhain has not been actively involved with Sinn Fein for several years.
Joe Dillon is the group's public relations officer. He is from Greenlawns. Skerries.
In January, he was charged with having possession of explosives without lawful object after one and a half tonnes of explosives were found in Howth. He is out on bail.
Michael Burke became national organiser when the committee was set up.
Eamon Flanagan is a committee member. He is from the Square, Skerries, a seaside resort village north of Dublin.
In January, he was charged with possession of explosives without lawful object and membership of Oglaigh na hEireann. The explosives, one and a half tonnes, were found in Howth. He is out on bail.
He is believed to have been suspended from the Sinn Fein Balbriggan branch.
Rory Dougan served as Sinn Fein's former director of elections in Co Louth. He resigned from the party.
Since joining the committee, he claimed the electorate were being "sold a pup" at the May 22 referendum.
He appealed to his former comrades in Sinn Fein to side with the group.
Gerry McNamara was suspended from Sinn Fein's Balbriggan branch earlier this year.
Although not officially listed as a committee member when the group was set up Enda O'Riordan appeared on Channel Four news last night to discuss the group.
He said the bomb in Omagh, and others such as the 1987 Enniskillen bomb could not be justified.
THE 32-County Sovereignty Committee has been accused of providing political cover for the Real IRA. MARTINA PURDY looks at the main figures in the committee
THE hardcore republican group styling itself the 32-County Sovereignty Committee first emerged last December, after a meeting in Dublin.
As Gerry Adams made history by becoming the first republican leader since Michael Collins to go to Downing Street, the group set out to destroy Sinn Fein's attempt to cut a deal that did not involve immediate British withdrawal.
The group had emerged some weeks after a former IRA quartermaster from Co Louth failed in his bid to oust the IRA leadership.
The man is an IRA veteran who moved against the leadership after Sinn Fein signed up to the Mitchell Principles of democracy, effectively
renouncing violence.
His attempted coup had been anticipated by the IRA army council who had mustered enough support to defeat the quartermaster. He left taking a handful of hardcore republicans with him.
Mainstream republicans attempted to downplay Press reports of a split.
Sinn Fein vice-President Pat Doherty said there were no dissidents, just an "odd powder puff here and there."
Conversely, the committee, which changed its title to "movement" a few months ago. boasted it had more than 200 members.
It clashed very publicly with Sinn Fein at the April Ard Fheis in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement when the party"moved to suspend members associated with the committee, many of them in the tiny Balbriggan branch.
The group's chairman Francie Mackey, an Omagh Councillor, was prevented from entering the Ard Fheis and instead gave a Press conference outside.
The movement, which recently launched its own newspaper, and a fundraising drive in the US claims the Agreement cannot solve the political conflict in Ireland because it copperfastens partition.
The movement argues that the Referendum was illegal because it was carried out in two jurisdictions, and has filed the 1919 Irish Declaration of Independence with the United Nations.
Denying it is a political party, the group maintains it is a single issue movement focusing on Irish sovereignty.
The "Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the security forces have publicly linked some members of the group to the Real IRA and the Omagh bombing, but the Sovereignty Committee has denied this, accusing the security forces of trying to demonise them.
Its members are not well-known to the general population. But the following people were responsible for its formation:
Michael Ahern: A Carlow republican who began as chairman but stepped down a few months ago, apparently due to ill health.
Francie Mackey: Replaced Mr Ahern as chairman. He has been an Omagh councillor for around 13 years. In the immediate aftermath, he refused to condemn the bomb, accusing the media of playing word games. He did however say it could not be justified. It is believed he has since condemned the bomb. In an outspoken attack on Sinn Fein, he accused the party of abandoning republican principles. He was suspended from the party in March and quit in June. He was joined on a platform in West Belfast in May by former IRA prisoner, Tommy McKearney.
Bernadette Sands-McKevitt is vice-chairman of the movement. She is the sister of hunger striker, Bobby Sands. Her partner is Michael McKevitt who is a County Louth republican. They live in Blackrock outside Dundalk with their children.
She has been an outspoken critic of the Good Friday Agreement. The US government has revoked her visa and indicated neither she nor her committee will gain access to the country.
Fra Brown is well-known in Republican circles. He joined the committee as secretary. He is a former Sinn Fein councillor in Dundalk.
Val Lynch and Beatrice NiShearbhain are treasurers. Ms NiShearbhain has not been actively involved with Sinn Fein for several years.
Joe Dillon is the group's public relations officer. He is from Greenlawns. Skerries.
In January, he was charged with having possession of explosives without lawful object after one and a half tonnes of explosives were found in Howth. He is out on bail.
Michael Burke became national organiser when the committee was set up.
Eamon Flanagan is a committee member. He is from the Square, Skerries, a seaside resort village north of Dublin.
In January, he was charged with possession of explosives without lawful object and membership of Oglaigh na hEireann. The explosives, one and a half tonnes, were found in Howth. He is out on bail.
He is believed to have been suspended from the Sinn Fein Balbriggan branch.
Rory Dougan served as Sinn Fein's former director of elections in Co Louth. He resigned from the party.
Since joining the committee, he claimed the electorate were being "sold a pup" at the May 22 referendum.
He appealed to his former comrades in Sinn Fein to side with the group.
Gerry McNamara was suspended from Sinn Fein's Balbriggan branch earlier this year.
Although not officially listed as a committee member when the group was set up Enda O'Riordan appeared on Channel Four news last night to discuss the group.
He said the bomb in Omagh, and others such as the 1987 Enniskillen bomb could not be justified.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0156
Published Date: 21-Aug-98
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