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Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has said that he had always considered Martin McGuinness to be at the highest leadership level of the Provisional IRA until near the time it disarmed in 2005.
The late Mr McGuinness, who was Deputy Prime Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive for 10 years until his death in 2017, consistently denied that he remained a member of the IRA after 1974, the year he received his second conviction for crimes related to the paramilitaries.
In a new RTÉ One documentary examining the life and legacy of the Sinn Féin politician, Mr. Ahern said: “I’ve always dealt with Martin. Martin was indeed, if not the number one leadership of the IRA, he was the person who was listened to by the IRA. ”
Mr. Ahern says in the documentary, which airs Wednesday night, “My assessment was that Martin was involved in the IRA probably until near the end and dissolution.
“What exactly constituted a member? I know one thing for sure when I was in negotiations with them, time ran out, both Gerry and Martin went to meet with the IRA and I know that in 1997, when we were recovering the ceasefire, they were dealing directly with the IRA. in Dublin when I was negotiating with them. “
Peace process
He said his opinion was that McGuinness was a full member.
In the documentary, Ahern praises McGuinness’ prowess as a negotiator and politician, his forthright style and the role he played in the peace process.
“Martin was very straight. Gerry [Adams] would turn the mulberry tree several hundred times. Martin was a lot easier to play and therefore to do business with. “
The documentary offers a detailed examination of how, over four decades, McGuinness went from being a teenage IRA leader in his hometown of Derry to Deputy Prime Minister, sharing power with Reverend Ian Paisley and the DUP, meeting the Queen Elizabeth and stand as a candidate in the Irish presidential elections.
It features contributions from important figures who knew him during his political life, including former US President Bill Clinton, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and former US Senator George Mitchell.
‘Major State Boss’
Mr. Blair said he noted that throughout the process leading up to the Belfast Accord, Mr. McGuinness “changed his attitude in a pretty fundamental way towards those with whom he had been at war.”
While McGuinness consistently denied that he was a member of the IRA after 1974, a number of contributors say that he held very important leadership positions in the late 1970s and 1980s.
According to former IRA member Kieran Conway: “The northern command was created, Martin was its first commander and in 1977/1978 he became chief of staff, a very, very popular appointment.”
Derry writer and commentator Eamon McCann says on the show: “Martin McGuinness did not leave the IRA in 1974.. . After all, if you are a member of a secret army, it has to be a secret that you are a member of the army. ”
McGuinness died in 2017 from a rare genetic disease.
The documentary cites his own take on his legacy. “I don’t really care how the story evaluates me. Historians, many of them come from different historical perspectives and I leave it up to them and the people. Considering the journey that has been made, I suppose anyone would be concerned about being judged fairly. “
McGuinness airs on RTÉ1 at 9.35pm on Wednesday.
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