I was leaving the Belfast court, where I had been called to answer a very flimsy charge, later dismissed. You're relatively safe in such areas in the Irish community, but to go to downtown Belfast for me is dangerous. My appearance in court had been well advertised by the police. I think it was too much of a coincidence that the people who shot me were just passing by.

It's been a long time coming but the reality is that this process is at a crossroads.

It might or might not be right to kill, but sometimes it is necessary.

One man's transparency is another's humiliation.

For over 30 years, the IRA showed that the British government could not rule Ireland on its own terms.

I nominate the Reverend Ian Paisley for the position of First Minister of northern Ireland

Republican patience with how unionism deals with the political institutions, and with key issues like equality and human rights, will be tested because, obviously, there will be a battle a day on these matters. So lets face up to all of this with our eyes wide open.