Left Archive: United Irishman – An t-Eireannach Aontaithe, Meitheamh (June) 1975, Official Sinn Féin

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This edition of the United Irishman from Official Sinn Féin is one of a series of United Irishman and Starry Ploughs that date from the period of the feud between the INLA and the OIRA in 1975.

This edition has a front page that argues for the ‘Civil rights answer to civil war’ and references a two page spread on Job Crisis Grows – More Firms Collapse. In relation to the death of Liam McMillen which the previous May edition had considerable coverage of there is a letter from OIRA volunteer Noel Jenkinson in Parkhurst Prison on the ‘phenomenon known as the I.R.S.P. and the serious damage being done to the Republican Movement to the advantage of the British’. Another letter sending regrets on the death of Liam McMillen from the Irlandsfronten, Norway is printed. The Editor notes that: ‘…many other tributes have arrived at Head office from all parts of the world…we feel that readers would like to know that a special commemoration was held in New York at which the oration was delivered by Liam Kelly, formerly of County Tyrone’.

The editorial does not mention those events, but instead examines in part ‘the end, however temporary, of the Provisional campaign…’. The Sinn Féin Platform column looks at both the Criminal Law (Jurisdiction) Bill and ‘the total bankruptcy of the Government’s Northern policy’. There’s also a reprint of a message from Sinn Féin to the Vietnam Veterans Against the War.

There’s another long article on International Women’s Year which is prefaced as ‘the contribution by some female members of Sinn Fein to the on-going struggle to secure women’s rights. Some comparisons with Socialist countries are included to illustrate how far the women of Ireland must progress to secure equality with men’.

On the last page there is a short piece ‘I.R.A. denies attack’. It notes that the ‘Irish Republican Publicity Bureau has been asked to release the following statement issued by GHQ Irish Republican Army’ and ‘Mr. Costello has accused the Irish Republican Army of an attempt on his life. The Irish Republican Army did not shoot Mr. Costello.’