Provisional Sinn Féin

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The term Provisional Sinn Féin is occasionally used, in the Irish media and elsewhere, to refer to the modern political organisation registered as Sinn Féin in Leinster House and led by Gerry Adams. This party does not use or recognise the term "Provisional", despite its widespread use. The term is also used when it is necessary to distinguish between the various entities that use or have used the name "Sinn Féin", or to emphasise the party's connections with the Provisional Irish Republican Army.

The term first came into use in 1970, when the organisation at the time calling itself Sinn Féin, split into wings which became known as Official Sinn Féin and "Provisional Sinn Féin". The first president of "Provisional" Sinn Féin was Ruairí Ó Brádaigh. More recently, following a split in 1986, members of Republican Sinn Féin use the prefix "Provisional" to distinguish between themselves and the larger party. Republican Sinn Féin rejected the breaking/amending of the Sinn Féin constitution at the party's Ard Fheis (annual convention) in 1986, instead adhering to the traditional, republican version of the constitution which forbids recognition of Leinster House. Irish Republicans are sworn to uphold the Republic of Ireland as proclaimed on Easter Monday, 1916. This republic consists of the entirety of the island, all 32 counties, and nothing less. Republican Sinn Féin argues that because these changes to the constitution amount to the recognition of the 26 county Free State, which republicans regard as an illegitimate, British-imposed partitionist state, the bigger party no longer has any right to the historic name Sinn Féin. Naturally, those in the larger party dispute this assertion.

Ruairí Ó Brádaigh is the current President of Republican Sinn Féin.

These splits and their aftermath are described in detail in the Sinn Féin main article.

[edit] "Sinn Féin 'Kevin St'" and "Sinn Féin 'Gardiner Place'"

During the 1970 split, the media used the terms "Provisional" and "Official" to differentiate between the two groups. These terms were never used by either group in any official capacity. The parties - and the media also - used the location of the organisations' Dublin headquarters to distinguish between them. Sinn Féin 'Kevin St' referred to the "provisional" or "traditional" wing, while Sinn Féin 'Gardiner Place' referred to the "official" or "socialist" wing. In the following years and for ideological reasons, the latter changed its name to "Sinn Féin - The Workers Party", then to "The Workers Party", leaving the way clear for the former to claim exclusive use of the title.

[edit] Modern Sinn Féin

The modern political party always terms itself simply Sinn Féin, seeing itself as the legitimate heir to the republican movement from 1916 onwards. The term "Provisional Sinn Féin" is more usually used by opponents to challenge the parallels they draw between themselves and the Sinn Féin party that achieved independence for the south and west of Ireland in 1922. For a fuller history see the articles Dáil Éireann (1919-1922), Anglo-Irish War, Anglo-Irish Treaty, Irish Civil War and Irish Republican Army (1922-1969).

For information about the political party that has registered the name "Sinn Féin", see the main article.

[edit] Trivia

Shinner is a derogatory term for a Sinn Féin supporter. It was first used by the British during World War I. Another is Chuckies, a phonetic spelling of the first word of the popular republican slogan Tiocfaidh ár lá (Our day will come).