Former IRA prisoner gets seat on language board
Wednesday December 19 2007
THE former Republican prisoner who became the "face of the IRA" in 2005 has been appointed to a State board.
Seanna Walsh was broadcast around the world when he appeared in a video paying tribute to volunteers, while announcing that paramilitary arms had been put beyond use.
Now he has been appointed to the board of Foras na Gaeilge, the Irish language body, following a meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern.
Mr Walsh was nominated to the post by Sinn Fein, with no objections raised by the two governments or other parties to the operation of the North-South bodies, including the Democratic Unionist Party.
A spokesman for Foras na Gaeilge said yesterday: "There are people with similar pasts in the Northern Ireland government now, and from both traditions. We have all moved on."
In a news release of names appointed to various cross-border boards, Mr Walsh was rendered as "Seanna Breathnach," using the Irish language version of his surname.
Mr Walsh's name is forever synonymous with the IRA's cessation of its 35-year armed struggle in July 2005.
He spent 21 years in prison, beginning at the age of 16 when arrested following a bank robbery. He also served time for explosives offences and became an IRA OC (officer commanding) in the Maze prison, known to republicans as Long Kesh.
At one time he shared a cell with Bobby Sands, the first of 10 men to die during the 1981 hunger strikes involving IRA and INLA prisoners.
Because of his credentials, Mr Walsh (50) was chosen as the spokesman to announce to IRA members that the organisation's war was over.
He became the first man to represent the IRA without wearing a mask since 1972.
Breandan MacCraith, spokesman for Foras na Gaeilge, said: "The appointment of members of the board are made by political parties and accepted by the governments.
"I do know that Seanna is an Irish speaker who has been particular active in the language in Belfast.
"He would be fluent in Irish and somebody who is quite heavily involved locally, with a new Gaeltacht quarter that has recently been recognised in Belfast," he added.
- Senan Molony Deputy Political Editor
