Gerry McGeough

Gerry McGeough (born 1958, [cite web | title = Gerry McGeough - Biography | author = Gerry McGeough | url = http://gerrymcgeough.blogspot.com/2007/02/gerry-mcgeough-biography.html | publisher = HibernianMedia.com | date = 15 February, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-18] near Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland) is a prominent Irish Republican who was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), Sinn Féin activist and editor of The Hibernian magazine.

Early life

McGeough joined the Provisional IRA East Tyrone Brigade in 1977, aged 19. After activity in Northern Ireland and Europe, he was arrested (along with another IRA member, Gerry Hanratty) in August 1988 while crossing the Dutch-German border with two AK47 rifles in his car. He was charged with attacks on the British Army of the Rhine and held for four years in a specially built German detention centre. His trial in Germany was interrupted by extradition to the United States, where he was charged with attempting to buy surface-to-air-missiles in 1983. He served three years of his sentence in American prisons until his release in 1996 whereupon he was deported from the U.S. to the Republic of Ireland. [cite web | title = Behind the Mask: The Ira and Sinn Féin | author = | url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/ira/etc/script.html | publisher = "Frontline" | date = 11 October, 1997 | accessdate = 2007-04-18] [cite web | title = Former IRA prisoner to contest Fermanagh-South Tyrone seat | author = | url = http://www.u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=79618 | publisher = UTV | date = 29 January, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-18]

McGeough led Sinn Féin's opposition to the referendum on the Nice Treaty in the Republic of Ireland. [ [http://www.redaction.org/ireland/nice_to.html 'Nice to be Back on the Winning Side'] , A. Shaw, Red Action Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 12, July/Aug 2001.] He was also a Sinn Féin national executive (ard-comhairle) member for Trinity College Dublin before becoming disgusted with what he perceives as the socially "liberal" views of "nouveau Sinn Féin". [cite web | title = Isn't it time that the double-speak stopped? | author = Henry McDonald | url = http://observer.guardian.co.uk/nireland/story/0,,1113153,00.html | publisher = "The Observer" | date = 28 December, 2003 | accessdate = 2007-04-18]

Catholic Activist

McGeough is known for his strong Catholic views:

"You would never get a leader of Sinn Féin condemning abortion, homosexual "marriage" or anything of that nature. I, as an Irish nationalist and Roman Catholic, never want to see the day when there are abortion clinics in every market town in Ireland. But looking around there is no political grouping willing to take a stance against that". [cite web | title = IRA bomber attacks Sinn Féin on abortion | author = Henry McDonald | url = http://observer.guardian.co.uk/nireland/story/0,,1113241,00.html | publisher = "The Observer" | date = 28 December, 2003 | accessdate = 2007-04-18]

In May 2006, McGeough, as editor, and Charles Byrne, a 28-year-old from Drogheda, launched a monthly magazine called "The Hibernian", dedicated to “Faith, Family and Country”. McGeough is associated with the Ancient Order of Hibernians. [ [http://www.searchlightmagazine.com/index.php?link=template&story=172 Ex-Provo gives new life to Irish clerical fascism] , Scott Millar, Searchlight Magazine, August 2006]

In 2007 McGeough declared he would be standing for election in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections against Sinn Féin in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency. He put himself forward as a protest against Sinn Féin's vote in January 2007 to work with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI); a condition demanded by the DUP for re-instating the stalled Northern Irish Assembly. [cite web | title = Gunrunner in poll threat to Sinn Féin | author = Henry McDonald | url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,,1984587,00.html | publisher = "The Observer" | date = 7 January, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-18] He polled 1.8% of the vote. [cite web | title= Fermanagh and South Tyrone election result 2007 | url = http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/afst.htm]

Arrest

On 8 March, 2007 McGeough was arrested by the PSNI whilst leaving the election count centre in Omagh. The arrest was in connection with the 1981 shooting of Sammy Brush, who is now a councilor for the Democratic Unionist Party in Ballygawley, was a ranking member of the Ulster Defence Regiment at the time of the attack. [cite web | title = Republican candidate is arrested | author = | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6432381.stm | publisher = BBC | date = 8 March, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-18] [ [http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/northwest-edition/daily/article2339567.ece Assembly candidate arrested over 1981 murder attempt] Belfast Telegraph 08 March 2007. Accessed 11 March 2007] McGeough and Vincent McAnespie were charged with attempted murder, conspiracy to murder and possession of firearms with intent to endanger life. Both men were remanded in custody to appear at Dungannon Magistrates' Court on 4 April 2007. [cite web | title = Pair face 1981 murder bid charge | author = | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6440749.stm | publisher = BBC | date = 12 March, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-18] [ [http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/article2353297.ece Arrest of pair on polling day was an abuse of the electoral process, counsel tells hearing] Belfast Telegraph Accessed 16 March 2007] McAnespie was released on bail shortly after, and McGeough was remanded after the Crown prosecutor alleged that he was linked to the Continuity IRA. He was at last granted bail on 29 March after a High Court challenge. [cite web | title = Bail given to arrested candidate | author = | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6508219.stm | publisher = BBC | date = 29 March, 2007 | accessdate = 2007-04-18]

References

External links

* [http://gerrymcgeough.blogspot.com/ Gerry McGeough's blog]
* [http://www.hibernianmedia.com/ The Hibernian Magazine]