From Bomb to Ballot: The History of Sinn Féin

About From Bomb to Ballot: The History of Sinn Féin

In 1981, ten young men starved themselves to death in a prison on the outskirts of Belfast. They were all members of the Irish Republican Army, and had been protesting their right to be treated as political prisoners. Their deaths shocked the world. The Hunger Strikes made martyrs of the young republican men who died and were the apex of a thirty year conflict in Ireland that – by its conclusion – had claimed the lives of 3,500 people, and gained a euphemism: The Troubles. The strikes also marked the moment that a little-known nationalist fringe group named Sinn Féin was catapulted from obscurity into the mainstream. Four decades later, Sinn Féin made history when it won the popular vote in the Ireland’s 2020 General Election and came within touching distance of taking power on both sides of the Irish border. Now, with the country on the eve of another election, Sinn Féin should be riding high in the polls. Instead, they are bogged down in chaos and disorder. Criticised for failing to come up with a coherent policy on immigration, and dogged by allegations of sexual abuse and internal cover-ups. Their election prospects look dubious, at best. Whatever you think of them, Sinn Féin remain one of the most consequential political movements in recent history, and, more so than any other political party, their political fortunes remain irrevocably shaped by their past. To understand Sinn Féin, you have to go back to their roots. In this limited series launching on November 22, political editor John Lee, who has been covering Sinn Féin for three decades, explores the history of the conflict that came to be known as the Troubles to understand where Sinn Féin came from, and where it might be going. He has spoken to key players from both sides of the Irish border, including current and former politicians, peace activists, former Provisional IRA members and ordinary civilians. And he has asked them all... who are Sinn Féin, really? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Daily Mail

Category

history · news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

4 Nov 2024

Latest episode

22 Nov 2024

Latest episodes

14 of 15 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Changed Utterly?

   Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald navigates the party through Dublin's far-right riots, scandals, and shifting voter allegiances, testing its fitness for government.

2. 

   22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   7: Changed Utterly?

   Host John Lee examines Sinn Fein's transition as Gerry Adams steps down and Mary Lou McDonald takes over, exploring the party's historic election results and struggles with scandals in this episode.

3. 

   22 Nov 2024

   6: A Fragile Peace

   This episode explores the fragility of peace in Northern Ireland following the Omagh bombing and the rise of a new generation of Sinn Fein activists, revealing the deep-seated distrust that persists within Republican communities as John Lee hosts.

4. 

   22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   A Fragile Peace

   John Lee explores how a fragile peace in Northern Ireland was tested by the Omagh Bomb, revealing deep-seated distrust between Republican communities and the state.

5. 

   22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Call the Boys Off

   Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness forge connections behind closed doors as Monica McWilliams meets with Sinn Féin's women, setting the stage for a historic peace agreement.

6. 

   22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   5: Call the Boys Off

   Host John Lee explores the Provisional IRA's ceasefire end and the subsequent efforts to achieve peace in Northern Ireland, highlighting the roles of key political figures like Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness in this historical period.

7. 

   22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   The Spectaculars

   Sinn Féin politician Martin Ferris recounts his transformation from IRA prisoner to peace activist, highlighting the pivotal moments that led to the end of armed struggle and the dawn of a new era in Irish politics.

8. 

   22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   4: The Spectaculars

   This episode recounts the IRA's intensified bombing campaigns in Britain and the initial secret peace talks between Sinn Féin politicians and British officials, leading to Martin Ferris's release and transition to political activism.

9. 

   22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

   Coffins

   John Lee explores the pivotal moment when Bobby Sands' death sparks a surge in electoral success for Sinn Féin, marking a turning point in the party's shift from militant to mainstream politics.

10. 

    22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

    3: Coffins

    Host John Lee examines how the deaths of hunger strikers like Bobby Sands propelled Sinn Féin, the political wing of the IRA, into electoral success, marking a shift from militant nationalism to political action.

11. 

    22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

    2: Guerrilla War

    This episode explores the Provisional IRA's disciplined operation and escalating conflict with the British Army in Belfast and Derry during the 1970s, highlighting the brutal cycle of violence.

12. 

    22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

    Guerrilla War

    Historian John Lee delves into the brutal guerrilla war waged by the Provisional IRA against the British Army in 1970s Belfast, where a young officer's disappearance sparks a cycle of violence that will define the decade.

13. 

    22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

    1: Power and Protest

    Host John Lee explores the eruption of violence in Northern Ireland in 1969, highlighting Catholic protests against discrimination and the subsequent escalation into guerrilla warfare led by the IRA.

14. 

    22 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

    Power and Protest

    Historian John Lee delves into the 1969 violence in Northern Ireland, exploring how it sparked the Troubles and paved the way for Sinn Féin's rise to power.

15. 

    4 Nov 2024TRANSCRIPT

    Introducing... From Bomb to Ballot

    Sinn Féin, the party that emerged as the political wing of the Provisional IRA, made history when it won the popular vote in the Ireland’s 2020 General Election and came within touching distance of taking power on both sides of the Irish border. Whatever you think of them, Sinn Féin remain one of the most consequential political movements in recent history, and, more so than any other political party, their political fortunes remain irrevocably shaped by their past. To understand Sinn Féin, you have to go back to their roots. With Ireland on the eve of another General Election, there has never been a more timely moment to do so. In this limited series launching on November 22, political editor John Lee, who has been covering Sinn Féin for three decades, explores the history of the conflict that came to be known as the Troubles to understand where Sinn Féin came from, and where it might be going. He has spoken to key players from both sides of the Irish border, including current and former politicians, peace activists, former Provisional IRA members and ordinary civilians. And he has asked them all... who are Sinn Féin, really? All seven episodes will be available on Friday November 22, just follow From Bomb to Ballot wherever you get your podcasts. Presenter: John Lee Producers: Artemis Irvine and Bella Soames Assistant Producer: Sally McLennan Sound Design: John Scott Production Manager: Vittoria Cecchini Podcast Artwork: Lindsay Fagan Script Consultant: Liam Thompson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Inside a recent episode

Changed Utterly?

Published 22 Nov 2024 · Transcript excerpt

[…] But I believe which marks a defining epoch, a defining chapter in our achievement of a united Ireland and the ending of partition. The party's focus had increasingly expanded beyond this single issue. And in 2020, many of their leftists, socially liberal policies, did seem to chime with the voters. With Ireland in the midst of a chronic housing crisis, it was one of the defining issues of the election campaign, and Chid Fein's promises struck a chord. I mean, I think the first thing that Chid Fein did was recognise that there was an acute housing shortage, and that it affected actually quite a large group in society. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Spotify

4.6 / 5

30 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 6 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

1

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

27

Contact From Bomb to Ballot: The History of Sinn Féin

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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