Breandán Mac Cionnaith
Brendan McKenna (Irish: Breandán Mac Cionnaith,[1] b.~1958[citation needed]) is an Irish politician and a prominent residents' group leader. He is the General Secretary of éirígí, a socialist republican party, and was previously an adviser to Sinn Féin members of the Northern Ireland Assembly. He came to prominence in the 1990s as the spokesman for the Garvaghy Road Residents' Coalition (also known as the Garvaghy Road Residents' Association). In the early 1980s, McKenna was jailed for six years for his involvement in blowing up the British Legion hall in Portadown.[2]
Garvaghy stand-off
From 1996, McKenna had been the spokesman for the Garvaghy Road residents in the Drumcree conflict, which centres on the desire of the Orange Order to walk a traditional route through an area which had become predominantly Roman Catholic. In 1997 he was elected to Craigavon Borough Council for the Portadown area and sat on the council until 2001[3]
Prior to 2002, McKenna had received death threats and a live bullet had been sent to him.[4]
Resignation
On the 10th of April 2007, McKenna resigned from Sinn Féin — the suspicion being that the resignation was due to the party's support of the Police Service of Northern Ireland[5][6] along with his unsuccessful attempt to secure the nomination for the Northern Ireland Assembly elections[citation needed]. Nevertheless, McCionnaigh continues to serve as spokesman for the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition and, in February 2010, he helped formulate a joint submission to the Northern Ireland Assembly's Working Party on Parading Issues.
McKenna has been critical of the Orange Institution and of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (since replaced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland).[1] McKenna is also a prominent campaigner for an inquiry into the murder of solicitor Rosemary Nelson.[1]
McKenna joined the socialist republican political party éirígí, and was elected General Secretary of the organisation in May 2009.
References
- ^ a b c Irish news Internet Service (2001). "Irish News: Drumree Special". The Irish News. Retrieved April 2007.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Northern Protestants An Unsettled People, Chapter:Portadown, Susan McKay, 2000, ISBN 0 85640 666
- ^ Craigavon election results
- ^ Wallace, Ashleigh (2002-01-23). "Threats to 'no march' leaders". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 12-4-2007.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "Garvaghy spokesman leaves party". BBC. 2007-04-10. Retrieved 2007-04-12.
- ^ McAdam, Noel (2007-04-10). "Differences over policing believed to be cause of split". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 2007-04-12.