I happened to be in Galway on the Twelfth and so I took myself to the Townhall theatre to see the world premiere of the new documentary ‘Gerry Adams –a Ballymurphy Man’. It was being shown as part of the Galway Film Festival. Already at 3pm the crowds were gathering outside sheltering from the sun under trees. Gerry himself arrived and was greeting by many already assembling. When the show began at 4.15pm, the Townhall was packed – several hundred. It was hot outside almost 30 degrees Celsius. It was cool inside with air- conditioning and therefore most comfortable.
The Producer of the film, Trisha Ziff, who used live in Derry and now lives in Mexico, came out to welcome us and to introduce the film. She said it took five years to make the film and that her co-producer had died recently. She mentioned that there were many others like Richard McAuley and Frankie Quinn who contributed greatly to the making of the film/documentary.
The documentary began with video of Gerry out walking with his dogs in the countryside near Belfast. Gerry began by telling us about how as a young fella just out of school aged 15 years he began working in a bar. Soon after he became involved in political action about housing in West Belfast. He spoke about the poverty, discrimination and deprivation which existed. This was most effectively conveyed by amazing shots of poverty and deprivation from TV footage and photos of that period. He told about the meetings and how communities came together to try to find a way out of the poverty and bring about change in the terrible living conditions. The Civil Rights movement was formed in 1967-68 and was influenced by the African -American resistance and the student’s movements in Europe. It was a time of hope.
The Civil Rights movement was met with a violent opposition from the then powerful Unionist establishment and their armed police force- the RUC. Television played an important role in showing the RUC beating peaceful protestors. The reality of British- unionist rule in the northeast of the island was seen throughout Ireland and all over the world for the first time. As the resistance of locals especially the women became more organised the British government sent over their SAS soldiers who had experience of counter-insurgency in other British colonies. The reaction of Unionists and the RUC/B specials to the Peoples Democracy march from Belfast to Derry showed what Nationalists and Civil rights activists were up against. Gerry made the point that these special regiments of the British army were sent over to support the Unionist establishment -not to keep the peace as is so often claimed by revisionists in the media and in the academy.
Gerry Adams was born into the close –knit community in West Belfast. From an early age, he was deeply influenced by his grandmother with whom he was sent to live as his family expanded. That may explain his total commitment and admiration for the role of women in political life.
While still in his teens, he was confronted with the reality of British colonial rule Unionist misrule when the RUC attacked a Sinn Fein office in West Belfast because a candidate in the election dared to place an Irish Tricolour in the office window. A young firebrand demagogue, Rev Ian Paisley demanded that the RUC remove the Tricolour. The RUC broke down the door and removed the Irish flag. That event left a lasting impression. This was an early lesson in the meaning of British occupation in Ireland. This episode was for Gerry and many young people in his community a political awakening and marked the beginning of his life of resistance and political activism.
He was to receive further political education in 1971 when he was arrested and interned without trial on the Maidstone prison ship in Belfast harbour and later in Long Kesh. While in prison he continued to read Irish history and listen to stories about the past from older republicans. He was a quick learner and showed a depth of understanding that few had at such an early age. This may explain why he was selected along with Martin McGuinness to go to London with other republican leaders to discuss a ceasefire and political settlement with members of the Conservative British government. Nothing came from those discussions but Gerry and the younger activists were learning quickly about the need to be smart to defeat the enemy. He had chosen a political path to further republicanism.
Gerry went on to become an elected member for Sinn Fein in West Belfast and boycotted the British parliament. He was later elected to the Dáil in Dublin to represent the constituency of Louth.
The most moving part of the film for me was the part dealing with the 1980-81 hunger strikes when republican prisoners decided that resistance in Long Kesh and the support from outside and from all over the world was their only chance. The election of Bobby Sands as MP for Fermanagh/South Tyrone was a turning point in modern Irish history. The people had spoken but Thatcher and the British refused to concede the demands of the republican political prisoners. The sadness felt by their families and by the whole community at the deaths of the hunger strikers is well captured. The determination to move forward is clearly seen.
This documentary is important for a deeper and more accurate understanding of the background to the conflict. It is important for all of us to understand how and why this conflict began and how huge efforts were made by Gerry and others to bring the war to an end. It is important for us to understand Gerry Adams’ political formation and convictions.
Gerry stated once again that while he was not in favour of some IRA actions he would never distance himself from the IRA as he understood what motivated many to joined the armed resistance to British rule in Ireland`. Many saw no alternative. They chose to resist the British attack on the nationalist/Catholic community in the only way they considered appropriate. After the atrocities in Ballymurphy in August 1971 and in the Bogside in 1972, the number of young people wanting to join the republican resistance increased. It was clear that the IRA did not come from nowhere nor did they start the war. Condemnations-especially those coming from Churchmen and politicians did not work because they were not dealing with the root causes of the warfare.
Gerry was forthright in his criticism of successive Dublin governments and Catholic Church leaders who colluded with British governments to try to destroy the republican movement and the people’s demands for justice and human rights.
Prompted by the popular support for the hunger-strikers it became clear to some leading republicans that there was a desire for a political process to replace the armed resistance. Throughout the 1980s, Gerry was instrumental in promoting the peace process along with John Hume the leader of the SDLP. He had been in contact with two priests in West Belfast, Fr Alec Reid and Fr Des Wilson to help with his endeavours to establish a united nationalist/republican coalition so that a peaceful political way forward might be created. Gerry was busy trying to find an alternative political way forward. He was busy communicating with other republicans -inside and outside of prison-and with politicians in the south and in the SDLP.
He makes it clear that faced with oppression and injustice resistance by the people is always necessary.
In this Documentary, Gerry challenges much of the revisionism of those writers who claim that Republicans were the cause of the conflict in Ireland. Gerry gives a truthful account of what really happened. It would be well for all those who want to further peace and justice on the island and to create a New Ireland, to listen to what he says.
Gerry Adams is a thoughtful man. In the film he shows great empathy for the working class Unionist/Protestant community who were, he says, just as deprived as Nationalists in West Belfast. He refers to the sectarianism which has been promoted here for generations and which has destroyed some young peoples’ minds by encouraging them to hate Catholics -just because they are different.
The story of the Ballymurphy man is an amazing one and this is a most informative documentary. The film was engrossing from start to finish. It went on for two hours -plus. I missed the Tyrone versus Kerry match on the Twelfth of July but I learned a lot not just about the life and times of Gerry Adams but about the history of these troubled times in Ireland.
This new documentary film on the life and times of Gerry Adams is a must -see for those who want to understand how the war came to the streets of West Belfast and how Gerry Adams helped to bring armed resistance to an end. He saw the potential and the opportunity for advancing the republican struggle by peaceful political means.
well written. A lovely piece Joe!