Left Archive: An Phoblacht Imh 4, Uimh 6, 16 Marta 1973, Provisional Sinn Féin

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This edition of An Phoblacht joins others in the Left Archive. It strongly reflects the approach of Provisional Sinn Féin during the 1970s and in particular during the period of Operation Motorman. Under the headlines ‘No Peace, Until British Troops Leave Ireland’ and ‘One Government, One Army’ it quotes PSF Vice-President Daithi O’Conaill as saying:

Relentless struggle against British rule is the only honourable course open to our people.

Various articles are contained within including one that in the course of examining the Gardai Siochana suggests that ‘what of the position in Ireland – a state which is fast vieing with Greece, Spain and the Soviet Union as a place where police hold sway’. And ‘the Gardai… it can fairly be said, are very rough indeed in the performance of their duty’.

Other pieces promote an IRA rocket launcher, point to British Army harassment and a page long article examines the place of education in ‘the Economic Democracy which SF aims to establish’.

The editorial under the heading ‘What We Want’ states that:

‘You often hear people say – what do they want – well… We don’t want white papers from England – what we want is a Declaration of intent of the British Government to get out of Ireland – we want the release of all Political Prisoners, North, South and Overseas – We want the Irish People to back this demand for full freedom – We want the Newspapers to act as Irish Newspapers and not as rags of England – We want the lies and slander to stop – We want the Specials to look for British Spies instead of unpaid Irish Patriots – We want work for the unemployed, we want homes for the Homeless – We want care for the old age people – We want care for the drop outs and Wino’s – We want a fair deal for all men and women – We want Free Education in every sense of the word – Free Books, Free Buses and if necessary Free Meals to all the children of the nation – We want one gate into Schools not one for the rich and one for the poor – WE WANT JUSTICE, INTEGRITY, and LEADERSHIP – and went the people of Ireland to have it as well.