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

The way forward is by building political support for republican and democratic objectives across Ireland and by winning support for these goals internationally.

A real possibility now exists for a Government that is not led by either Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil

Hugging trees has a calming effect on me. I'm talking about enormous trees that will be there when we are all dead and gone. I've hugged trees in every part of this little island.

The Good Friday Agreement and the basic rights and entitlements of citizens that are enshrined within it must be defended and actively promoted by London and Dublin.

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.

There needs to be nationalist and republican confidence in unionism.