VINCENT DOHERTY member Block/Armagh and the national committee of Peoples Democracy, the Irish revolutionary organisation. He attended the Ard Fheis (annual conference) of Sinn Fein on the week-end of 31 October - 1 November. Below, he outlines his impressions of the significance of the outcome of the Ard Fheis for the future development of the Irish struggle.
In the course of his contribution to the Ard Fheis, Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Fein, delegates that the movement had to concern itself not merely with 'winning the war', also with 'winning the peace' years ago such a remark would have short shrift delegates. This year it was warmly applauded.
The 'winning the peace' remark came during the discussion on federalism which, along with election strategy, provided the major debates at this On both questions the CONCICICC. traditional leadersmip Republican movement serious set-backs at the hands of what has been called the 'Republican left'.
The federalism debate particularly important as it dealt with the nature of Loyalism. policy of Sinn Fein was developed in the early 1970s when sections of the Republican leadership believed that the British government was seriously considering withdrawal from Ireland.
As one speaker at the conference put it, federalism was seen as an olive branch LOVAIISH WILA proposal to establish four provincial parliaments within a united Ireland, one of which, a nine-county Ulster would have a Loyalist majority.
At the Ard Fheis the Republican left argued that this policy outdated and that it represented a 'sop to Loyalism'. Danny Morrison, Sinn Fein director of publicity and editor of An Phoblacht/Republican Vews, went further when he stated that federalism was 'an inverted form of sectarianism'.
The speakers in favour retention of the federal policy read like a 'Who's Who' of the Republican 'old guard'. Ruadhri O'Bradaigh, Daithi O Connaill, Sean McStiofian, Richard Behal and Christine ni Elias saw federalism as a mechanism for decentralisation and local control In the final contribution from the floor to the debate, Paddy Bolger, who is also associated Republican left, contended that if there was some validity in the federal policy after the 1972 overthrow of the stormont unta. It now represented a policy of appeasement' Lovalsun.
For him, federalism was 'the back door He argued that Loyalism and the Northern State 'must be smashed'. The motion to drop the federal policy was carried by a substantial majority.
The other main debate at conference was on elections. Only last year the Ard Fheis re-affirmed its traditional opposition participating in elections, with the Socialist Challenge 18 November 1981 is a National H Committee, socialist vicetold the Republican but A few Anti--Block/Armagh candidate Photo: DEREK SPEIRS (IFL) unsavoury, February Robert Bradford - а тап 01 Oliver Cromwell, massmurderer of the Irish.
who was assassinated by the IRA at the weekend was an violent and sectarian individual.
ne nirst came lo orominence u 1974 when, in the general ne won ne own nels
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A man of God? THE REV Robert Bradford