Cynical Versus Clinical

Today, as last Sunday and the Sunday before that, Suzanne Breen, the Northern Editor of the Sunday Tribune, has been clinically tearing to shreds the protective web of deceit that Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams has been cynically weaving around himself since it was first suggested that he played a major role in promoting and covering for his brother Liam. Liam Adams has been at the centre of a public controversy over charges that he raped his daughter for a number of years, commencing when she was an infant. Gerry Adams has publicly stated that he believes Liam is a paedophile who did seriously sexually assault his own daughter but has denied either covering for him or promoting him within the party structure.

Each week Breen brings new knowledge to public light. Each week Adams is found scurrying for the nearest fig leaf which immediately becomes translucent the minute he touches it, leaving what he seeks to conceal exposed. His parrying simply does not bear up to the thrusts from Breen, his explanations increasingly seen as self serving; more to do with safeguarding his political career while displaying haughty indifference to the rape victim at the centre of the story. Like an old champion, long past it, but desperately trying to hold onto his title by foul means not fair, he flails under the withering assault of a determined investigative reporter. She nimbly scores with each punch; he clumsily hopes he can gouge her in the eye on the blind side of the audience.

There is no doubt whatsoever that contrary to what Gerry Adams has maintained, his brother Liam was a reasonably senior official within Sinn Fein for an extended tenure in the period after Gerry Adams, the party’s national leader, concluded that Liam was a child rapist. Far from being made a persona non grata he was made the person in charge of Sinn Fein in County Louth. Breen’s coverage of the matter is one firm bulwark against investigative journalism in Ireland going for its swansong. If society depended on the Irish Times to keep it informed of major anomalies in the accounts of leading politicians it would quickly discover the ‘paper of record’ to have a pauper’s record – poor.

Last week the Observer columnist Nick Cohen made the chilling observation that in speaking publicly about his own family background of sexual abuse and physical violence Gerry Adams had bared a soul few thought he possessed. That Cohen strikes a chord with what he says and Adams does not is down to the Catholic politician’s long history of soulless political dishonesty which has been routinely employed to mask any flaw which might call into question the great leader’s greatness. The ruthless jettisoning of all principle to facilitate organised lying now means that as much credence is being given to the Sinn Fein president’s denials of cover up as it is to his gainsaying of IRA membership.

There is little to be surprised at in the Adams stance. As the song goes about the tree at the waterside, he shall not be moved. What began as a long war strategy has become a long leader phenomenon, without parallel in Western Europe according to press reports. The strong man of African and Central American politics is the model that most resembles the Adams reign.

It is beyond question that he has demonstrated a tenacious ability to hold on to the reins of power in a changing world where virtually every thing else has changed except the leader of Sinn Fein. Most other party leaders across the globe have moved off the scene to make way for fresh faces and new ideas. But not in Sinn Fein where permanent leadership seems to be an article of faith.

The cult of personality in Sinn Fein, assiduously cultivated over the years, is so strong that not a mute of discord has been heard from within the ranks. Its senior officials including elected representatives seem prepared to go down in history, not as activists who for political-strategic reasons defended the IRA against allegations of robbing banks ok killing and kidnapping those it took umbrage to, but as swindlers on a par with Irish bishops who thought that safeguarding the political career of one man should trump the need of a raped and tormented woman for justice.

It is understandable that the party president, lacking any moral compass, is quite willing to sacrifice what remains of the party’s credibility and the reputations of many of his colleagues in his bid to ensure that ‘I’m alright Jack.’ Their fate matters not to him. Why the indifference is not reciprocated from those with so much to lose is something that cult researchers will ply their trade to.

Posted in: Gerry + Liam Adams