Flannery / Cumann na Saoirse 1988 · p.83

FD-350 (Rev. 5.8.81)
3
(Indicate page, name of
newspaper, city and state.)
(Mount Clipping in Space Below)
rn Aid, the most con-
h of all, which holds
in New York. This
hey, a former IRA
take seats in, it, 'has put
port for the 32-county Republicsmioothing over personal and
Michael Flannery, head" of
and rejection of.the Free State:. ideological battles within the
Noraid,, in an inyidious
In keeping with this, they con: . organization..
'position.
firmed theircontinuedsupport
The new wave of emigrants
Republican..Sinn Fein is
for Republican'Sinn Fein."
represents.a major boost for
chieflymadeup'of southern
But a public statement.by
Noraid, and membership
Irish republicans, ill+at.ease
Noraid when the'splitbetween
levels are up, but it could pro-
with.the drift of themovement
Provisional·and Republican
1 've a.double-edged sword:
into the'control'of:the'Belfast
Sinn Fein occurred,:strongly
Even as the image of Noraid
republicans, younger, more
supported the Provos. Thus
as a' bunch of misguided Irish
radical,and less worried about
Flannery would appear tobe
Americans living in' cloud
U.S. support:
in a.difficult position. For.in-
cuckoo land may.erode as the
Many of the old-time Noraid
stance, he told a Dublin
young Irish, hardened by their
leaders in·theU:S: relatefar
newspaper that he was suppor-
years, of involvement back
better'to the Republican Sinn
tingRepublicanSinnFein,but
home, begin to percolate
Fein leaders, Such as Ruari
later withdrew the remarks,
through'the organization, the
O'Bradaigh and Dathi O'Cor
claiming he was misquoted..
old school represented by
alll: Late Tast year,one of the
Flannery's position, as the
Flannery. and: much of the
Dest-khownmembers-of
eminence.grise-of-Noraid.is-
older-top: leadership of the
Republican SinnFein,Joo
vital.'Much of 'the funding'is.
organization will resent any
ONeill, a Bundorar County
',channeled through.him. He-
preemptive attempt to run the
Donegar publican; trayersed
has achieved a revered status,
group and tensions have
the U:S. on a “goodwill tour".
particularly among Irish.
already.been' reported.
and.allegedly told interested
Americans,who see in him the
Long-term, however, not
parties that Michael Flannery,.
embodiment.ofthecenturies
just the Northern immigrants,
theNoraid: leader, wAs. a.
old.struggle.against the
. but many. of the, young' Irish
strong supporter.
British.Werehetoforcefully
currently streaming to.these
Indeed, the:SeptemBer/Oc:
and'publiclydeclarefor
shores'will prove ‘likely
tober issue 6f Saofrse' the
RepublicanSinn Fein,Noraid
recruiting targets for Noraid
Republicar. Sinn-mFein
couldhardly avoid.a
in the future. In'that sense, un-
newspaper,has.a photograph
Catastrophic split..
wittingly,the'presentemigra
of Flannery Wwith Tom
On. the other -side. of. the
tion crisis from.Ireland pro-
Maguire, the. ouly: surviving
equation is'the-new.wave of
vides.Noraidwith 'their best
member of theSecond Dailff
Noraid members, many, re-
recruiting' ground ever.,
1920 - the one parliamént
centemigrantsfrom Northern
Many unanswered questions
Republican Sinn·Fein-clBims
Ireland, who bring the Provi-
will remain afterthe 17th an-
'as legitimiate...
:sional Sinn Fein ethos with. nual gathering of'the Noraid
rhe .caption.:underneath
them and make no bones about
faithful - again a sell-out --
reads in part, "Michael Flan
it and towhom Republican
has come and gone. How.those
nery, Irish :Northern Aid
SinnFein would represent out-
questions are answered in 1988
founder, held talks·with Com-
moded thinking.In the middle
couid'determine the shape of
mandant General. Tom is Martin Galvin, Noraid's 'ef-
the most militant .of' Irish
Maguire the two.republican
fective publicity director, who
organizations in America, well
leaders:reiterated-their'sup-
has
become
adept
at
into the next decade:
FBI/0OJ"