Comments on The Pensive Quill: Defining Dissidents

The identity crisis of dissent has left no definit...

2009-05-29T09:22:02.712+01:00

The identity crisis of dissent has left no definitive authority or even unity amongst the so called “dissidents” defining the word is almost impossible as there is clearly dissent within the dissident factions.
Would it be more practical to define the cause of dissent rather than the meaning or origin of the word?
It would seem the only cohesive thing non agreement republicans have in common is that very fact, the anti treaty republicans agree on that.
Does it matter now which word precedes republican as without a clear united front there is no strength in any opposition.
The term dissident has been effectively used to great psychological effect as it undermines the minority of republicans who oppose the “new and improved progressive republicans.”
With PSF having no great republican opposition they of course dictate what republicanism is. Dissidents are relegated to the second class republican status and to date still have not conglomerated or even presented a viable United Republican Front to challenge Provisional Sinn Fein’s dominance.

The term 'dissident republican' was synonymous wit...

2009-05-25T19:57:49.292+01:00

The term 'dissident republican' was synonymous with 'opposed to the ceasefire'. In February 1995, the expression makes its first appearance in the Irish Times when Jim Cusack wrote: "Last October gardai in Dundalk also intercepted what is believed to have been an attempt to mount a booby-trap bomb attack on the security forces in Co Armagh or Co Down by dissident republicans." (Arms search to continue after gardai unearth mortar parts, Irish Times; Feb 8, 1995) Towards the end of 1995, talk of 'dissidents' increases. "The INLA and its political wing, the Irish Republican Socialist party (IRSP), have launched a recruitment drive attracting dissident republicans who have lost faith in the IRA since its ceasefire last year....Gino Gallagher added: "As time goes by people are getting more and more disillusioned with the lack of progress in the peace process and are looking to us as an alternative. At the same time we are concerned not to become a dumping ground for disaffected Provos, so we are keeping things tight." (Liam Clarke, INLA plots renewed terror campaign The Sunday Times; Oct 22, 1995; p. 1 )

But it is only in November 1995 after explosive finds in Carrickmackross that the term appeared for the first times as a headline in the Irish Times : "The fact that Republican Sinn Fein (RSF) had an armed wing only became significant in the approach to the 1994 IRA ceasefire when fears arose that dissident republican elements might pose a threat to a peace process....Republican Sinn Fein has not made any significant gain in attracting dissident Sinn Fein or IRA members, not even in republican strongholds like south Armagh, despite some reports to the contrary, according to gardai." (Jim Cusack, Gardai link explosives to dissident republican breakaway group Irish Times; Nov 11, 1995; p. 1)

The Provos tend to use the expression "microgroup" rather than "dissident republicans" to refer to these organisations.

"Either way Liam hasn't come up with an acceptable term, the only term I see in his piece is 'traditionalists', and thats arguable. "

A neutral and acceptable term could be "Republicans opposed to the Belfast Agreement" or "Anti-Treaty Republicans".
Not all of them would qualify as 'traditionalists'.

If the expression really became common usage from ...

2009-05-25T19:56:43.384+01:00

If the expression really became common usage from 1998 onwards, one comes accross it first in an article on the 1994 Loyalist ceasefire by David Sharrock: "The CLMC is expected to announce that a loyalist ceasefire will hold permanently providing IRA violence does not resume. This, loyalists argue, will make it more difficult for dissident republican elements to resume activities since they would shoulder the blame for a collapse in the peace process. The UVF and UDA may also demand to be represented in future political talks." (Loyalists order a ceasefire End to 25 years of Ulster terror, The Guardian; Oct 13, 1994)

The term appeared a few weeks later when Nicholas Watt of the London Times reported the following: "Fears that dissident republicans are planning to launch a wave of terrorist attacks in Northern Ireland were raised over the weekend when Irish police raided the homes of more than 50 activists. Most of the activists raided were members of Republican Sinn Fein (RSF), which split away from the mainstream party in 1986. Some were also believed to be members of the Irish National Republican Army, military wing of RSF. Tommy McKearney, who joined the IRA hunger strike at the Maze Prison near Belfast in the early 1980s, was among those arrested. The dawn raids on Saturday morning were cleared at the highest level of the Irish government. Albert Reynolds, the Prime Minister, pledged that the police would react to any threat to the peace process. "It was always to be expected that there would be some number of people opposed to the ceasefire. We don't expect it to be really a threat but the security authorities are very vigilant in relation to this," he said. (Dublin raid on activists raises fear of attacks, The Times; Oct 24, 1994)

This reply is long and so will be broken up in ord...

2009-05-25T19:55:43.786+01:00

This reply is long and so will be broken up in order to fit.

"it sheds no light on where the term 'dissident' actually came from. Was it the media that gave rise to the term, or was it provisional republicans?"
"I too am eager to find out when and where the "dissident" term originated"
The aim of the article was not to define "dissident" in general, but only within the specific context of Irish Republicanism.
It seems that the term was first coined by the media. The search engine 'News UK' (http://www.newsuk.co.uk/newsuk/home.do) brought the following results.

With " dissident republican"entered in "Word(s) in article", a search through all these publications (Publications: Belfast Telegraph, The Daily Express/The Express on Sunday, Daily Mail/The Mail on Sunday, The Daily Mirror/The Sunday Mirror, Daily Record/Sunday Mail, The Daily Telegraph/The Sunday Telegraph, Edinburgh Evening News, Evening Times, Financial Times, The Guardian, The Herald/Sunday Herald, The Independent/The Independent on Sunday, Irish Times, News Letter, News of the World, The Observer, Scotland on Sunday, Scotsman, South Wales Echo, The Sun, Sunday Business, The Sunday People, The Times/The Sunday Times, Wales on Sunday, Western Mail) brought up these results for the following years:

1993 - 0
1994 - 3 (one of them unconnected to Ireland)
1995 - 7
1996 - 6
1997 - 12
1998 - 346

dissident (adj.) Look up dissident at Dictionary.c...

2009-05-20T22:03:14.613+01:00

dissident (adj.) Look up dissident at Dictionary.com
c.1534, from L. dissidentem (nom. dissidens), prp. of dissidere "to be remote, disagree, be removed from," lit. "to sit apart," from dis- "apart" + sedere "to sit" (see sedentary). The noun in the political sense first used 1940, with rise of totalitarian systems, especially with ref. to the Soviet Union. The noun is first recorded 1766, in allusion to Protestants.

Smart entry by Liam and sharp comments by Marge. T...

2009-05-20T01:23:10.302+01:00

Smart entry by Liam and sharp comments by Marge. Thanks for the guest piece, and I too am eager to find out when and where the "dissident" term originated.

Thats an excellent history of defining dissidents,...

2009-05-19T11:00:00.000+01:00

Thats an excellent history of defining dissidents, but it sheds no light on where the term 'dissident' actually came from. Was it the media that gave rise to the term, or was it provisional republicans?

Either way Liam hasn't come up with an acceptable term, the only term I see in his piece is 'traditionalists', and thats arguable.

The term 'dissidents' is an umbrella term, and like all umbrella terms it is imprecise. Over time it has taken on negative connatations, but when it was first used it was neutral. Liam doesn't outline how or why this happened. Was it through the behaviour of 'dissidents' or did the shinners impose upon it the negative connations that go with it?

There is no doubt that Provisional republicans benefit when their detractors within republicanism are labelled dissidents and the label is shunned by the majority of nationalists. Thats why I think its a good thing that groupings have come together to counteract this.

The on going situation of trying to get a UI one traffic jam at a time isn't helping.

First I think what is needed is a term that all agree on. Perhaps 'traditionalists' as a new umbrella term, or something else? Then those within the term need to decide how to go about pursuing their goal of a United Ireland, in a way that is acceptable to the majority of nationalists.

I still think they need to take in the fact that there is no appetite for violence, and if they follow the political road then what is the difference between them and Sinn Fein, so how do they proceed????

I welcome groups that want to have dialogue with ordinary nationalist people who have a United Ireland at heart. Recently in a bar on the Falls we were in company and the discussion turned to a UI, and one guy , after being asked if he still held the prospect dear said, 'what at £7.50 a pint?' (laugh). Thats the sort of attitude that has to be overcome, theres no point in demonising that attitude if we are to get a UI by persuassion rather than force.