| Irish politician, republican. Date of Birth: 06.10.1948 Country: Ireland |
Gerry Adams, an Irish political figure and republican, is best known as the President of Sinn Féin, the second-largest political party in Northern Ireland.
Born in West Belfast, Gerry Adams had a political upbringing as his parents, Gerry Adams Sr. and Annie Hannaway, were also republicans. After finishing school, Adams worked as a bartender, but his strong interest in politics led him to join Sinn Féin in 1964, as well as Fianna Éireann. He was motivated to join after witnessing the turmoil and disorder on Divis Street. In 1967, Adams became a member of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association.
During the Troubles, there were clashes between the civil rights movement and loyalist groups, resulting in widespread disorder. In August 1969, British troops were deployed to restore order. In March 1972, Adams was interned without trial under the internment policy, but he was released in June of the same year. Adams participated in negotiations during a temporary ceasefire between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the British government, although these discussions ultimately failed. There are suspicions that Adams played a role in the planning and execution of Bloody Friday in 1972.
Adams married Collette McArdle in 1971. He was arrested again in July 1973 and was released in 1976. In 1978, he was arrested once more, this time on suspicion of IRA membership, but the charges were later dropped. Adams became a vice-president of Sinn Féin in 1978 and, by 1983, he became the party's chairman. In the same year, he was elected to the House of Commons, becoming the first Sinn Féin member since the 1950s, although he refused to participate in parliamentary activities.
Under Adams' leadership, Sinn Féin transformed from an IRA-linked faction into an independent and influential party, both in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. From the late 1980s, Adams played a crucial role in the peace process and conflict resolution in Northern Ireland. He established contact with John Hume, the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party, and successfully engaged in negotiations with the governments of Ireland and Great Britain. Adams has maintained his position as President of Sinn Féin to this day. In 2011, he became the party's leader in the Dáil Éireann, the Irish Parliament, while Daithí McKay now represents Sinn Féin in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
In January 2009, Adams attended the inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama, having been invited by Congressman Richard Neal. In May 2010, Adams was reelected to the British Parliament from West Belfast, but he continues to refuse to attend parliamentary sessions.