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ESTABLISHED BY, among others, former members of the Irish Republican Congress in London during the late 1930s, the Irish Democrat(formerly known as Irish Free- dom) continues in its role as an essential organ of exiled Irish republicans and British progressives in their bid to advance the cause of Irish freedom.

Since the death of its esteemed editor C Desmond Greaves in 1988, the newspaper has been maintained by a dedicated number of people who have edited it and con- tributed to its pages.

Although this task has proven difficult given the scant resources at our disposal, it has been made possible by the respect won by the paper's honest delivery of news and commentary to Irish exiles throughout the world, during its 67 years in existence. People of goodwill continue to subscribe to the Democrat, with many also donating generously to cover costs. At the beginning of this year (2006) the newspaper was redesigned by journalists Gerry Morrison and Clem Bradley, while more writers who recognise the importance of its role have agreed to contribute regular articles, without receiving any monetary re- wards. These gestures speak volumes about the nature of this enduring political en- terprise.

Since the 1994 IRA ceasefire, republicanism has been going through tu- multuous changes, undoubtedly the most significant since the partition of Ireland. With Sinn Féin set to accept a formula for policing in the north as a means to enter power-sharing arrangements at Stormont, many people feel mainstream republican- ism has lost its direction, has been diluted, neutered and defeated.

Others hold that, since the signing of the 1998 Good Friday agreement, republicanism has never been in a stronger position and is now politically capable of seeing through the implemen- tation of equality reforms within the six counties, which could have the effect of fatally undermining the constitutional existence of Northern Ireland. The St Andrews deal may also be used to forward this agenda, many comrades are claiming.

The paper cannot and will not ignore this debate, or refuse to record it. There is no reason why both sides to it cannot be accommodated by putting their points across within the paper. If the Democrat can inform its readers of these arguments, while continuing to expose the nefarious nature of British involvement in Ireland, then the paper can, in a small way, claim to be advancing the cause of freedom in Ireland. This in fact must be considered an integral part of building a British-based campaign for Irish unity.

But to sustain and develop the Democrati n this endeavour will require increased circulation and resources. It is vital therefore that all those who have supported the paper in the past, now strive to widen its readership by encouraging others to sub-scribe.

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