Gerry Kelly

{{Short description|Irish politician and former IRA volunteer (born 1953)}}

{{for-multi|the Northern Irish broadcaster|Gerry Kelly (broadcaster)|the English footballer|Gerry Kelly (footballer)|the golfer|Jerry Kelly}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Gerry Kelly

| birth_name = Gerard Francis Kelly {{Cite news |last=O'Dwyer |first=Ella |date=2007-12-20 |title=INTERVIEW : Gerry Kelly, H-Block escapee and Sinn Féin Assembly member for North Belfast |url=https://www.anphoblacht.com/contents/17911 |access-date=2024-07-16 |work=An Phoblacht}}

| honorific-suffix = MLA

| image = Cropped image of Gerry Kelly Jan 2015.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Kelly in January 2015

| office = Junior Minister Assisting the Deputy First Minister

| 1blankname = Deputy FM

| 1namedata = Martin McGuinness

| term_start = 8 May 2007

| term_end = 16 May 2011

| predecessor = Denis Haughey

| successor = Martina Anderson

| office2 = Member of the Legislative Assembly
for Belfast North

| assembly2 =

| majority2 =

| term_start2 = 25 June 1998

| term_end2 =

| predecessor2 = Office created

| successor2 =

| office3 = Northern Ireland Forum Member
for Belfast North

| term_start3 = 30 May 1996

| term_end3 = 25 April 1998

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|04|5|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Lower Falls, Belfast, Northern Ireland

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Sinn Féin (since 1989)

| spouse = Margaret Kelly

| children = 7

| residence = Belfast, Northern Ireland

| alma_mater = St Peter's Secondary School, Britton's Parade, Belfast

| portfolio = Policing

| website = [http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/14955 North Belfast - Gerry Kelly]

| branch = Fianna Éireann (1971–1972)

Provisional IRA (1972–1990s){{Cite news |last=McKittrick |first=David |date=2013-10-29 |title=Gerry Kelly speaks: ‘I looked at him and said: "Don’t move or I’ll shoot." That’s all I’ll say...’ |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/gerry-kelly-speaks-i-looked-at-him-and-said-don-t-move-or-i-ll-shoot-that-s-all-i-ll-say-8911649.html |access-date=2024-07-16 |work=The Independent}}

| branch_label = Paramilitary

| rank = Volunteer

| unit = Belfast Brigade

| battles = The Troubles

}}

Gerard Kelly ({{Langx|ga|Gearárd Ó Ceallaigh}}; born 5 April 1953) is an Irish republican politician and former Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) volunteer who played a leading role in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998.[http://opapp.gov.ph/index.php?Itemid=115&id=281&option=com_content&task=view British, Irish accord experts hold lecture on N. Ireland experience] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823182024/http://opapp.gov.ph/index.php?Itemid=115&id=281&option=com_content&task=view |date=23 August 2011 }} He is currently a member of Sinn Féin's Ard Chomhairle (National Executive) and a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for North Belfast.[http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/members/biogs_03/kelly_g.htm Gerry Kelly - Biography from NI Assembly] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060811090632/http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/members/biogs_03/kelly_g.htm|date=11 August 2006}}[http://www.stratagem-ni.com/belfastnorthmlas.php GERRY KELLY MLA (SF)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928094550/http://www.stratagem-ni.com/belfastnorthmlas.php|date=28 September 2007}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/g2/story/0,3604,291887,00.html|location=London, UK|work=The Guardian|title=The peace warriors|date=29 June 1999}}

Early life

Gerard Francis Kelly was born on 5 April 1953 on Raglan Street in the Lower Falls area of Belfast. He went to St Finian's Primary School on the Falls Road. His family was not particularly political; however his grandfather was a supporter of the Labour Party. Kelly later went to St Peter's Secondary School, obtaining his O-Levels, before receiving his first job, aged 17, in the Civil Service as a clerical officer with the Belfast Corporation Electricity Department.

In 1971, Kelly joined the militant republican youth organisation, Fianna Éireann. He was later arrested in August 1971 and imprisoned in Mountjoy prison for several months. In January 1972 he escaped, and joined the Provisional IRA in the Whiterock/Ballymurphy area on his return to Belfast.{{Cite web |last=O'Toole |first=Jason |title=The Fugitive |url=https://www.hotpress.com/culture/the-fugitive-4497783 |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=Hotpress}}

Old Bailey attack

The IRA planted four car bombs in London on 8 March 1973. Two of the car bombs were defused: a fertilizer bomb in a car outside the Post Office in Broadway and the BBC's armed forces radio studio in Dean Stanley Street. However, the other two exploded, one near the Old Bailey and the other at Ministry of Agriculture off Whitehall. As a result of the explosions one person died and almost 200 people were injured.{{Citation|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2009/mar/09/archive-1973-london-ira-bombs|title=From the archives: Ten held after Provo bombs blast London|date=9 March 1973|department=1973 archives|work=The Guardian|access-date=30 May 2013}}

Kelly, then aged 19, and eight others, including Hugh Feeney and sisters Marian and Dolours Price, were found guilty of various charges relating to the bombings on 14 November 1973. Kelly was convicted of causing explosions and conspiracy to cause explosions, and received two life sentences plus twenty years.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061019225545/http://www.searcs-web.com/kelly5.html Searcs Web Guide: Gerry Kelly profile]}}, searcs-web.com; accessed 15 January 2016.

Imprisonment and hunger strike

Upon imprisonment in Britain, Kelly, and the other prisoners went on hunger strike demanding political prisoner status and to be transferred to prisons in Northern Ireland. After 60 days on hunger strike, during which he was force-fed by prison officers, Kelly was transferred to HMP Maze prison in Northern Ireland in April 1975.Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, the Life and Politics of an Irish Revolutionary by Robert White ({{ISBN|978-0253347084}}), page 235

While imprisoned in the Maze, Kelly again went on protest and made a number of escape attempts in 1977, 1982 and 1983. On 25 September 1983, Kelly was involved in the Maze Prison escape, the largest break-out of prisoners in Europe since World War II and in UK prison history.{{cite book|last=O'Day|first=Alan|title=Political Violence in Northern Ireland: Conflict and Conflict Resolution|publisher=Praeger Publishers|year=1997|page=88|isbn=978-0-275-95414-7}}{{cite magazine|title=The I.R.A.'s 'Great Escape'|author=Louisa Wright|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,955225,00.html|magazine=Time|date=10 October 1983|access-date=29 July 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114174218/https://time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,955225,00.html|archive-date=14 November 2007}} Kelly, along with 37 other republican prisoners, armed with six handguns, hijacked a prison meals lorry and smashed their way out of the Maze past 40 prison officers and 28 alarm systems. During the escape Kelly shot a prison officer, who attempted to foil the escape, in the head with a gun that had been smuggled into the jail. The officer survived.{{cite news|url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/nireland/story/0,,1046621,00.html|location=London, UK|work=The Observer|first=Nicola|last=Byrne|title=Maze party with jelly and ice cream|date=21 September 2003}}

After the mass break-out Kelly was on the run for three years and again became involved in IRA activity in Europe. Whilst on the run Kelly claimed he was aided in his escape by "all kinds of people", including prominent Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael supporters in the Republic of Ireland.[http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=9&si=1049902&issue_id=9818 Killers party at Maze escape night], unison.ie; accessed 15 January 2016.

On 16 January 1986, Kelly was arrested in the Netherlands along with Brendan "Bik" McFarlane at their flat in Amsterdam. At the time of their arrest, cash in several currencies, maps and fake passports and the keys to a storage container holding 14 rifles, 100,000 rounds of ammunition and nitrobenzene were recovered by the Dutch police.{{cite news |title=Passport in man's home bore the name of another man |url=http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1998/05/08/ihead.htm |newspaper=Irish Examiner |date=30 April 1998 |access-date=11 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060913192455/http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/1998/05/08/ihead.htm |archive-date=13 September 2006}}{{cite news|title=Westminster accepts them, but we don't|url=http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=36&si=683235&issue_id=6833&printer=1|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=3 February 2002|access-date=14 March 2007}}

On 4 December 1986, the pair were extradited from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom by RAF helicopter and were returned to the Maze prison.{{cite news|title=Dutch Extradite Two I.R.A. Fugitives|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DEFDE113EF937A35751C1A960948260|newspaper=The New York Times|date=4 December 1986|access-date=11 March 2007}} On 2 June 1989, Kelly was released in line with the extradition conditions agreed with the Dutch authorities.{{cite book|last=De Baróid|first=Ciarán|title=Ballymurphy and the Irish War|publisher=Pluto Press|year=2000|isbn=0-7453-1509-7|page=337}}

Political career

Upon leaving prison, Kelly became actively involved in politics, becoming a leading member of Sinn Féin. Kelly and fellow Sinn Féin member Martin McGuinness both engaged in protracted secret negotiations with representatives of the British Government from 1990 until 1993.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sinnfein.ie/files/Settingrecordstraight.pdf |title=Setting The Record Straight - Sinn Féin booklet as PDF download |access-date=13 July 2010 |archive-date=4 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504105721/http://www.sinnfein.ie/files/Settingrecordstraight.pdf |url-status=dead }} Kelly also published a collection of poetry, Words from a Cell, in 1989.{{cite web | author = Jason O'Toole | author-link = Jason O'Toole (journalist) | url= https://www.hotpress.com/music/leonard-cohen-tribute-ira-prisoners-adopted-bird-on-a-wire-as-their-freedom-anthem-19336477 | title = Leonard Cohen Tribute: IRA prisoners adopted 'Bird on a Wire' as their freedom anthem | publisher = Hot Press | date = 21 December 2016}}

Kelly played a role in the Northern Ireland peace process negotiations that led to the Good Friday Agreement on 10 April 1998. In promoting the peace process he had talks with Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern.[http://sinnfein.ie/elections/candidate/48 Gerry Kelly profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930015709/http://sinnfein.ie/elections/candidate/48|date=30 September 2007}}, sinnfein.ie; accessed 15 January 2016.

On 27 June 1998, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly. He was Deputy Chair of the Social Development Committee in the 1998-2003 Assembly, and is currently Sinn Féin Spokesperson for Policing and Justice, and a political member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.[http://www.ivanfoster.org/article.asp?date=12/3/2006&seq=4 "These are the future leaders of Ulster if the St Andrews Agreement is endorsed"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928014427/http://www.ivanfoster.org/article.asp?date=12%2F3%2F2006&seq=4|date=28 September 2007}}, ivanfoster.org; accessed 15 January 2016.[http://www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=14893 Critics mock Kelly's actions in Ardoyne] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20040811220045/http://www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=14893|date=11 August 2004}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/index/theboard.htm|title=The NI Policing Board|publisher=nipolicingboard.org.uk|access-date=22 August 2015|archive-date=8 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160508192623/http://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/index/theboard.htm|url-status=dead}}

In 2013, aged 60, Kelly was criticised by other MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) in Northern Ireland, for holding on to the front of a Police Service of Northern Ireland vehicle, as it drove away with him during a protest in his constituency.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-23020435|work=BBC News|title=Tour of the North parade: Sinn Fein members criticised|date=23 June 2013}}

Kelly was a Sinn Féin representative during the talks chaired by Richard Haass in 2013 on contentious issues in Northern Ireland.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25543957|work=BBC News|title=Richard Haass talks continuing into night|date=31 December 2013}}

Kelly brought libel proceedings against a journalist who had talked in two 2019 radio interviews about the 1983 prison officer shooting. His case was dismissed by the Belfast High Court in January 2024 as "scandalous, frivolous and vexatious".{{cite news |title=Gerry Kelly libel case against journalist thrown out |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-67913143 |access-date=8 January 2024 |work=BBC News |date=8 January 2024 |ref=BBC-67913143}}

Cultural references

In the 2017 film Maze dramatising the 1983 prison break, directed by Stephen Burke, Kelly was portrayed by Irish actor Patrick Buchanan.{{Citation|last=Burke|first=Stephen|title=Maze|date=22 September 2017|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5752606/|others=Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Barry Ward, Martin McCann|access-date=4 August 2018}}

References

External links

{{commons category-inline|Gerry Kelly}}
[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/14/newsid_4724000/4724181.stm On This Day - 1973: IRA gang convicted of London bombings] from BBC News
[https://web.archive.org/web/20060811090632/http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/members/biogs_03/kelly_g.htm Biography - Gerry Kelly] Northern Ireland Assembly
[https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mla/gerry%20kelly?keyword=gerry%20kelly&creativeid=541636959&gclid=CNmNvOXc740CFQ7alAodtygsMA Gerry Kelly's "They work for you" page]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120831112344/http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/Your-MLAs/List-of-MLAs/Kelly-Gerry/ NIA profile]

{{s-ttl

| title = Member for North Belfast

| years = 1996–1998

}}

{{s-new

| Assembly

| reason = Good Friday Agreement

}}

{{s-ttl

| title = MLA for Belfast North

| years = 1998–present

}}