Gerry Adams has stated that anyone who thinks war is glamorous is deeply mistaken and this generation in Ireland must bring an end to conflict once and for all.
Speaking to columnist Maureen Dowd in today’s New York Times, Adams says of the Troubles
“There were dreadful things done. Anyone that thinks the war was glorious or glamorous. . . It’s about killing people and inflicting horror on people,’’
he said, adding: “It’s always the poor who suffer most.
“When you have a nation that is ruptured by partition, that isn’t allowed to govern itself, that can’t shape its own society or aspirations, you’re always going to have this cycle. And we have to break the cycle, so we’re not handcuffed to the past.
“The old thing in Irish Republican resistance was, ‘Well, we did our best and the other generation will carry it on.’ But we don’t want another generation to carry it on. We want this done and dusted. No other kid should have to go to prison, have to kill anyone, be put in an early grave.’’
Asked about the McConville case for which he was recently arrested, Adams stated he did not know who had carried out that killing.
He said the McConvilles had suffered “a grave injustice’’ and had the right to know the truth.
Did he know who was responsible?
“No, I don’t, no,” he responded.
He stated the Boston College Oral History project, in which he was allegedly named as involved in the McConville killing by dissident Dolours Price, was a trap set to get him.
Dowd noted that Price admitted in the Daily Telegraph that revenge was part of the motive in naming Adams and that she suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after being force fed for 200 days when in jail on an IRA bombing conviction.
Adams said the dissident groups were clearly out to get him. “They said I should be shot,’’ Adams recalled, “that we were traitors.’’
Asked if he had been scared by events in the past Adams said 'yes.' “Anybody who’s not scared,’’ he said with a grim smile, “don’t ever be in their company."
He said he was released because “there’s no evidence” against him.
Gerry Adams has stated that anyone who thinks war is glamorous is deeply mistaken and this generation in Ireland must bring an end to conflict once and for all.
Speaking to columnist Maureen Dowd in today’s New York Times, Adams says of the Troubles
“There were dreadful things done. Anyone that thinks the war was glorious or glamorous. . . It’s about killing people and inflicting horror on people,’’ he said, adding: “It’s always the poor who suffer most.
“When you have a nation that is ruptured by partition, that isn’t allowed to govern itself, that can’t shape its own society or aspirations, you’re always going to have this cycle. And we have to break the cycle, so we’re not handcuffed to the past.
“The old thing in Irish Republican resistance was, ‘Well, we did our best and the other generation will carry it on.’ But we don’t want another generation to carry it on. We want this done and dusted. No other kid should have to go to prison, have to kill anyone, be put in an early grave.’’
Asked about the McConville case for which he was recently arrested, Adams stated he did not know who had carried out that killing.
He said the McConvilles had suffered “a grave injustice’’ and had the right to know the truth.
Did he know who was responsible?
“No, I don’t, no,” he responded.
He stated the Boston College Oral History project, in which he was allegedly named as involved in the McConville killing by dissident Dolours Price, was a trap set to get him.
Dowd noted that Price admitted in the Daily Telegraph that revenge was part of the motive in naming Adams and that she suffered from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after being force fed for 200 days when in jail on an IRA bombing conviction.
Adams said the dissident groups were clearly out to get him. “They said I should be shot,’’ Adams recalled, “that we were traitors.’’
Asked if he had been scared by events in the past Adams said 'yes.' “Anybody who’s not scared,’’ he said with a grim smile, “don’t ever be in their company."
He said he was released because “there’s no evidence” against him.
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