48 Facts About Gerry Adams

Gerry Adams first became involved in Irish republicanism in the late 1960s, and was an established figure in Irish activism for more than a decade before his 1983 election to Parliament.

In 1984, Gerry Adams was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt by the Ulster Defence Association.

Gerry Adams has often been accused of being a member of the IRA leadership in the 1970s and 1980s, though he consistently denied any involvement in the organisation.

Gerry Adams was released without charge and a file was sent to the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland, which later stated there was insufficient evidence to charge him.

Gerry Adams announced in November 2017 that he would step down as leader of Sinn Fein in 2018, and that he would not stand for re-election to his seat in Dail Eireann in 2020.

Gerry Adams was succeeded by Mary Lou McDonald at a special ardfheis on 10 February 2018.

Gerry Adams was born in the Ballymurphy district of Belfast on 6 October 1948.

Gerry Adams's grandfather, named Gerry Adams, was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood during the Irish War of Independence.

Two of his uncles, Dominic and Patrick Gerry Adams, had been interned by the governments in Belfast and Dublin.

Gerry Adams's maternal great-grandfather, Michael Hannaway, was a member of the IRB during its bombing campaign in England in the 1860s and 1870s.

Gerry Adams attended St Finian's Primary School on Falls Road, where he was taught by La Salle brothers.

Gerry Adams left St Mary's with six O-levels and worked in bars.

Gerry Adams was an active supporter and joined the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association in 1967.

Gerry Adams was active in rioting at this time and later became involved in the republican movement.

Gerry Adams was captured by British soldiers in March 1972 and in a Belfast Telegraph report on Gerry Adams' capture he was said to be "one of the most wanted men in Belfast".

Gerry Adams was re-arrested in July 1973 and interned at the Maze prison.

Gerry Adams was highly critical of a decision taken by McKee to assassinate members of the rival Official IRA, who had been on ceasefire since 1972.

Gerry Adams helped set up meeting with Desmond Boal QC, a unionist barrister who had been first chairman of Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionist Party.

Inasmuch as they were "frank", Gerry Adams found the meetings "constructive", but could find no common political ground.

Wilson was of the view that Gerry Adams was "one of the very few people who could actually bring a military campaign into a political campaign".

Gerry Adams has stated repeatedly that he has never been a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army.

Furthermore, several former IRA members, including Brendan Hughes, Ivor Bell, and Sean Mac Stiofain, have said Gerry Adams was a member of the organisation.

Moloney and Taylor state that Gerry Adams became the IRA's Chief of Staff following the arrest of Seamus Twomey in early December 1977, remaining in the position until 18 February 1978 when he, along with twenty other republican suspects, was arrested following the La Mon restaurant bombing.

Gerry Adams was charged with IRA membership and remanded to Crumlin Road Gaol.

Gerry Adams was released seven months later when the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland Robert Lowry ruled there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the prosecution.

Moloney and English state Gerry Adams had been a member of the IRA Army Council since 1977, remaining a member until 2005 according to former Irish Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Michael McDowell.

In 1978, Gerry Adams became joint vice-president of Sinn Fein and a key figure in directing a challenge to the Sinn Fein leadership of President Ruairi O Bradaigh and joint vice-president Daithi O Conaill.

Gerry Adams, who had joined the republican movement in the early 1960s, sided with the Provisionals.

At an Ard Chomhairle meeting, Gerry Adams recommended that they contest only four constituencies which were in border counties.

The 1982 election was followed by the 1983 Westminster election, in which Sinn Fein's vote increased and Gerry Adams was elected, as an abstentionist, as MP for Belfast West.

In 1983, Gerry Adams was elected president of Sinn Fein and became the first Sinn Fein MP elected to the British House of Commons since Phil Clarke and Tom Mitchell in the mid-1950s.

On 14 March 1984 in central Belfast, Gerry Adams was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt when Ulster Defence Association gunmen fired about 20 shots into the car in which he was travelling.

Gerry Adams was rushed to the Royal Victoria Hospital, where he underwent surgery to remove three bullets.

Thatcher was moved to act after BBC interviews of Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams had been the focus of a row over an edition of After Dark, a proposed Channel 4 discussion programme which in the event was never made.

Actors who voiced Gerry Adams included Stephen Rea and Paul Loughran.

Sinn Fein continued its policy of refusing to sit in the Westminster Parliament after Gerry Adams won the Belfast West constituency.

Gerry Adams lost his seat to Joe Hendron of the SDLP in the 1992 general election, regaining it at the following 1997 election.

In March 2007, Gerry Adams was re-elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in March 2007, and subsequently met with DUP leader Ian Paisley face-to-face for the first time.

In January 2009, Gerry Adams attended the United States presidential inauguration of Barack Obama as a guest of US Congressman Richard Neal.

Gerry Adams topped the poll in the consistuency with 15,072 first preference votes, and was duly elected to Dail Eireann where he succeeded Caoimhghin O Caolain as Sinn Fein parliamentary leader.

In December 2013, Gerry Adams was a member of the Guard of Honour at Nelson Mandela's funeral.

On 30 April 2014, Gerry Adams was arrested by detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland Serious Crime Branch, under the Terrorism Act 2000, in connection with the murder of Jean McConville in 1972.

Gerry Adams had previously voluntarily arranged to be interviewed by police regarding the matter, and maintained he had no involvement.

Gerry Adams was released without charge after four days in custody when a file was sent to the Public Prosecution Service, which would decide if criminal charges should be brought.

In September 2017, Gerry Adams said he would allow his name to go forward for a one-year term as president of Sinn Fein at the November ardfheis, at which point Sinn Fein would begin a "planned process of generational change, including [Gerry Adams'] own future intentions".

At the ardfheis on 18 November, Gerry Adams was re-elected for another year as party president, but announced that he would step down at some point in 2018, and would not seek re-election as TD for Louth.

Gerry Adams escaped injury and claimed that his two grandchildren were standing in the driveway only ten minutes before the blast.

Gerry Adams has been portrayed in a number of films, TV series, and books:.