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Gerry Kelly

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For the Northern Irish broadcaster, seeGerry Kelly (broadcaster).For the English footballer, seeGerry Kelly (footballer).For the golfer, seeJerry Kelly.

Gerry Kelly
MLA
Junior Minister Assisting the Deputy First Minister
In office
8 May 2007 – 16 May 2011
Deputy FMMartin McGuinness
Preceded byDenis Haughey
Succeeded byMartina Anderson
Member of the Legislative Assembly
forBelfast North
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 June 1998
Preceded byOffice created
Northern Ireland Forum Member
forBelfast North
In office
30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998
Personal details
Born
Gerard Francis Kelly[1]

(1953-04-05)5 April 1953(age 71)
Lower Falls,Belfast,Northern Ireland
Political partySinn Féin(since 1989)
SpouseMargaret Kelly
Children7
Residence(s)Belfast, Northern Ireland
Alma materSt Peter's Secondary School, Britton's Parade, Belfast
PortfolioPolicing
WebsiteNorth Belfast - Gerry Kelly
Military service
ParamilitaryFianna Éireann(1971–1972)[1] Provisional IRA(1972–1990s)[1][2]
RankVolunteer
UnitBelfast Brigade
Battles/warsThe Troubles

Gerard Kelly(Irish:Gearárd Ó Ceallaigh;born 5 April 1953) is anIrish republicanpoliticianand formerProvisional Irish Republican Army(IRA)volunteerwho played a leading role in the negotiations that led to theGood Friday Agreementon 10 April 1998.[3]He is currently a member ofSinn Féin's Ard Chomhairle (National Executive) and aMember of the Northern Ireland Assembly(MLA) forNorth Belfast.[4][5][6]

Early life

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Gerard Francis Kelly was born on 5 April 1953 on Raglan Street in theLower Fallsarea ofBelfast.He went to St Finian's Primary School on theFalls Road.His family weren't particularly political, however his grandfather was a supporter of theLabour Party.Kelly later went to St Peter's Secondary School, obtaining hisO-Levels,before receiving his first job at 17 in the Civil Service as a clerical officer with theBelfast CorporationElectricity Department.[1]

In 1971, Kelly joined the militant republican youth organisation,Fianna Éireann.He was later arrested in August 1971 and imprisoned inMountjoy prisonfor several months. In January 1972 he escaped, and joined the Provisional IRA in theWhiterock/Ballymurphyarea on his return to Belfast.[1][7]

Old Bailey attack

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Main article:1973 Old Bailey bombing

The IRA planted fourcar bombsin London on 8 March 1973. Two of the car bombs were defused: a fertilizer bomb in a car outside the Post Office inBroadwayand the BBC's armed forces radio studio in Dean Stanley Street. However, the other two exploded, one near theOld Baileyand the other atMinistry of AgricultureoffWhitehall.As a result of the explosions one person died and almost 200 people were injured.[8]

Kelly, then aged 19, and eight others, includingHugh Feeneyand sistersMarianandDolours Price,were found guilty of various charges relating to the bombings on 14 November 1973. Kelly was convicted of causing explosions and conspiracy to cause explosions, and received two life sentences plus twenty years.[9]

Imprisonment and hunger strike

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Upon imprisonment in Britain, Kelly, and the other prisoners went onhunger strikedemanding political prisoner status and to be transferred to prisons in Northern Ireland. After 60 days on hunger strike, during which he subsequently alleged he was force-fed by prison officers, Kelly was transferred toHMP Mazeprison in Northern Ireland in April 1975.[10]

While imprisoned in the Maze, Kelly again went on protest and made a number of escape attempts in 1977, 1982 and 1983. On 25 September 1983, Kelly was involved in theMaze Prison escape,the largest break-out of prisoners in Europe sinceWorld War IIand in UK prison history.[11][12]Kelly, along with 37 other republican prisoners, armed with six handguns, hijacked a prison meals lorry and smashed their way out of the Maze past 40 prison officers and 28 alarm systems. During the escape Kelly shot a prison officer, who attempted to foil the escape, in the head with a gun that had been smuggled into the jail. The officer survived.[13]

After the mass break-out Kelly was on the run for three years and again became involved in IRA activity in Europe. Whilst on the run Kelly claimed he was aided in his escape by "all kinds of people", including prominentFianna FáilandFine Gaelsupporters in theRepublic of Ireland.[14]

On 16 January 1986, Kelly was arrested in the Netherlands along withBrendan "Bik" McFarlaneat their flat inAmsterdam.At the time of their arrest, cash in several currencies, maps and fake passports and the keys to a storage container holding 14 rifles, 100,000 rounds of ammunition andnitrobenzenewere recovered by the Dutch police.[15][16]

On 4 December 1986, the pair were extradited from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom by RAF helicopter and were returned to the Maze prison.[17]On 2 June 1989, Kelly was released in line with theextraditionconditions agreed with the Dutch authorities.[18]

Political career

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Upon leaving prison, Kelly became actively involved in politics, becoming a leading member of Sinn Féin. Kelly and fellow Sinn Féin memberMartin McGuinnessboth engaged in protracted secret negotiations with representatives of theBritish Governmentfrom 1990 until 1993.[19]Kelly also published a collection of poetry,Words from a Cell,in 1989.[20] Kelly played a role in theNorthern Ireland peace processnegotiations that led to theGood Friday Agreementon 10 April 1998. In promoting thepeace processhe had talks withNelson Mandela,Thabo Mbeki,Bill Clinton,Tony BlairandBertie Ahern.[21]

On 27 June 1998, he was elected to theNorthern Ireland Assembly.He was Deputy Chair of the Social Development Committee in the 1998-2003 Assembly, and is currently Sinn Féin Spokesperson for Policing and Justice, and a political member of theNorthern Ireland Policing Board.[21][22][23][24]

In 2013, aged 60, Kelly was criticised by other MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) in Northern Ireland, for holding on to the front of aPolice Service of Northern Irelandvehicle, as it drove away with him during a protest in his constituency.[25]

Kelly was a Sinn Féin representative during the talks chaired byRichard Haassin 2013 on contentious issues in Northern Ireland.[26]

Kelly brought libel proceedings against a journalist who had talked in two 2019 radio interviews about the 1983 prison officer shooting. His case was dismissed by the Belfast High Court in January 2024 as "scandalous, frivolous and vexatious".[27]

Cultural references

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In the 2017 filmMazedramatising the1983 prison break,directed by Stephen Burke, Kelly was portrayed by Irish actor Patrick Buchanan.[28]

References

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  1. ^abcdeO'Dwyer, Ella (20 December 2007)."INTERVIEW: Gerry Kelly, H-Block escapee and Sinn Féin Assembly member for North Belfast".An Phoblacht.Retrieved16 July2024.
  2. ^McKittrick, David (29 October 2013)."Gerry Kelly speaks: 'I looked at him and said:" Don't move or I'll shoot. "That's all I'll say...'".The Independent.Retrieved16 July2024.
  3. ^British, Irish accord experts hold lecture on N. Ireland experienceArchived23 August 2011 at theWayback Machine
  4. ^Gerry Kelly - Biography from NI AssemblyArchived11 August 2006 at theWayback Machine
  5. ^GERRY KELLY MLA (SF)Archived28 September 2007 at theWayback Machine
  6. ^"The peace warriors".The Guardian.London, UK. 29 June 1999.
  7. ^O'Toole, Jason."The Fugitive".Hotpress.Retrieved16 July2024.
  8. ^"From the archives: Ten held after Provo bombs blast London",1973 archives,The Guardian,9 March 1973,retrieved30 May2013
  9. ^Searcs Web Guide: Gerry Kelly profileArchived19 October 2006 at theWayback Machine,searcs-web; accessed 15 January 2016.
  10. ^Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, the Life and Politics of an Irish Revolutionaryby Robert White (ISBN978-0253347084), page 235
  11. ^O'Day, Alan (1997).Political Violence in Northern Ireland: Conflict and Conflict Resolution.Praeger Publishers. p. 88.ISBN978-0-275-95414-7.
  12. ^Louisa Wright (10 October 1983)."The I.R.A.'s 'Great Escape'".Time.Archived fromthe originalon 14 November 2007.Retrieved29 July2007.
  13. ^Byrne, Nicola (21 September 2003)."Maze party with jelly and ice cream".The Observer.London, UK.
  14. ^Killers party at Maze escape night,unison.ie; accessed 15 January 2016.
  15. ^"Passport in man's home bore the name of another man".Irish Examiner.30 April 1998. Archived fromthe originalon 13 September 2006.Retrieved11 March2007.
  16. ^"Westminster accepts them, but we don't".Irish Independent.3 February 2002.Retrieved14 March2007.
  17. ^"Dutch Extradite Two I.R.A. Fugitives".The New York Times.4 December 1986.Retrieved11 March2007.
  18. ^De Baróid, Ciarán (2000).Ballymurphy and the Irish War.Pluto Press.p. 337.ISBN0-7453-1509-7.
  19. ^"Setting The Record Straight - Sinn Féin booklet as PDF download"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 4 May 2010.Retrieved13 July2010.
  20. ^Jason O'Toole(21 December 2016)."Leonard Cohen Tribute: IRA prisoners adopted 'Bird on a Wire' as their freedom anthem".Hot Press.
  21. ^abGerry Kelly profileArchived30 September 2007 at theWayback Machine,sinnfein.ie; accessed 15 January 2016.
  22. ^"These are the future leaders of Ulster if the St Andrews Agreement is endorsed"Archived28 September 2007 at theWayback Machine,ivanfoster.org; accessed 15 January 2016.
  23. ^Critics mock Kelly's actions in ArdoyneArchived11 August 2004 atarchive.today
  24. ^"The NI Policing Board".nipolicingboard.org.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 8 May 2016.Retrieved22 August2015.
  25. ^"Tour of the North parade: Sinn Fein members criticised".BBC News.23 June 2013.
  26. ^"Richard Haass talks continuing into night".BBC News.31 December 2013.
  27. ^"Gerry Kelly libel case against journalist thrown out".BBC News.8 January 2024.Retrieved8 January2024.
  28. ^Burke, Stephen (22 September 2017),Maze,Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Barry Ward, Martin McCann,retrieved4 August2018
[edit]
Northern Ireland Forum
New forum Member forNorth Belfast
1996–1998 		Forum dissolved
Northern Ireland Assembly
New assembly
 MLAforBelfast North
1998–present 		Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by Junior Minister,
Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister
2007–2011 		Succeeded by
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