Martin Ferris
Encyclopedia
Martin Ferris is an Irish
Sinn Féin
politician and a former Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) volunteer
. He has been a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Kerry North–West Limerick (previously Kerry North) constituency since 2002 and is one of fourteen Sinn Féin
representatives in the current Dáil
.
and educated locally. He has been involved in Irish republicanism
since 1970. His daughter, Toiréasa Ferris
, is a former Cathaoirleach
(chairperson) and current member of Kerry County Council
. Ferris won an All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
medal with Kerry
in 1973.
. In September 1984, the fishing vessel Valhalla, sailed from Boston
, while the trawler Marita Ann, sailed from Fenit
, County Kerry. In the mid-Atlantic, seven tons of explosives, arms and ammunition
were transferred from the Valhalla to the Marita Ann. Sometime afterwards, the Irish Navy vessels LÉ Emer
and LÉ Aisling
along with members of the Garda Síochána
detained the Marita Ann and arrested its crew. Ferris was convicted for the possession of explosive substances for unlawful purpose and for possession of firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. He served his sentence in the maximum-security Portlaoise Prison
, a prison often used to hold Irish Republican prisoners.
In February 2005 Irish Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Michael McDowell
, using parliamentary privilege
, named Ferris, as well as Gerry Adams
and Martin McGuinness
, as members of the IRA Army Council
, an allegation that has been flatly denied by Ferris and the Sinn Féin leadership. In July of the same year, the Irish Independent
reported that Ferris, along with Adams and McGuinness had stepped down from the Army Council in the lead-up to an IRA statement on its future.
but did not win a seat. In 1999, Ferris was elected to Kerry County Council
and the local urban district council in Tralee, though he failed to be elected to the European Parliament
in an election held on the same day. Ferris was first elected to Dáil Éireann
at the 2002 general election
for the Kerry North constituency, unseating former Tánaiste
(Deputy Prime Minister) Dick Spring
. In the Dáil he is currently the Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as the Marine and Natural Resources.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
politician and a former Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) volunteer
Volunteer (Irish republican)
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
. He has been a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for the Kerry North–West Limerick (previously Kerry North) constituency since 2002 and is one of fourteen Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
representatives in the current Dáil
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
.
Early life
Ferris was born in County KerryCounty Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
and educated locally. He has been involved in Irish republicanism
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
since 1970. His daughter, Toiréasa Ferris
Toireasa Ferris
Toiréasa Ferris is an Irish Sinn Féin politician. Her father, Martin Ferris, is a Sinn Féin Teachta Dála for Kerry North.- Political career :...
, is a former Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach
Cathaoirleach is the title of the chairman of Seanad Éireann, the sixty-member upper house of the Oireachtas, the legislature of Ireland. The current Cathaoirleach is Senator Paddy Burke...
(chairperson) and current member of Kerry County Council
Kerry County Council
Kerry County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Kerry in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...
. Ferris won an All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
medal with Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
in 1973.
IRA activity
Ferris served ten years (1984-1994) in prison for his involvement in the attempted importation of arms from the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In September 1984, the fishing vessel Valhalla, sailed from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, while the trawler Marita Ann, sailed from Fenit
Fenit
Fenit is a small village in County Kerry, Ireland, located on north side of Tralee Bay about west of Tralee town, just south of the Shannon Estuary. The bay is enclosed from the Atlantic by the Maharee spit which extends northwards from the Dingle peninsula...
, County Kerry. In the mid-Atlantic, seven tons of explosives, arms and ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
were transferred from the Valhalla to the Marita Ann. Sometime afterwards, the Irish Navy vessels LÉ Emer
LÉ Emer (P21)
LÉ Emer is a ship in the Irish Naval Service. The ship is named after Emer the principal wife of Cúchulainn and the daughter of a chieftain from Rush, County Dublin....
and LÉ Aisling
LÉ Aisling (P23)
LÉ Aisling is an Offshore Patrol Vessel in the Irish Naval Service. The ship was named after the poem, Aisling to commemorate the centenary of the birth of the poet and nationalist Patrick Pearse....
along with members of the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
detained the Marita Ann and arrested its crew. Ferris was convicted for the possession of explosive substances for unlawful purpose and for possession of firearms and ammunition with intent to endanger life. He served his sentence in the maximum-security Portlaoise Prison
Portlaoise Prison
Portlaoise Prison is the Republic of Ireland's only high security prison. It is located in Portlaoise, County Laois. It should not be confused with the Midlands Prison, which is a newer, medium security prison situated directly beside it....
, a prison often used to hold Irish Republican prisoners.
In February 2005 Irish Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell
Michael McDowell is a Senior Counsel in the Bar Council of Ireland and a former politician. A grandson of Irish revolutionary Eoin MacNeill, McDowell was a founding member of the Progressive Democrats political party in the mid-1980s...
, using parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made related to one's duties as a legislator. It is common in countries whose constitutions are...
, named Ferris, as well as Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
and Martin McGuinness
Martin McGuinness
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
, as members of the IRA Army Council
IRA Army Council
The IRA Army Council was the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The council had seven members, said by the...
, an allegation that has been flatly denied by Ferris and the Sinn Féin leadership. In July of the same year, the Irish Independent
Irish Independent
The Irish Independent is Ireland's largest-selling daily newspaper that is published in both compact and broadsheet formats. It is the flagship publication of Independent News & Media.-History:...
reported that Ferris, along with Adams and McGuinness had stepped down from the Army Council in the lead-up to an IRA statement on its future.
Teachta Dála
Following his release from prison he began focusing on community activism, particularly against drug dealing in Kerry. He ran for election to the Dáil at the 1997 general electionIrish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
but did not win a seat. In 1999, Ferris was elected to Kerry County Council
Kerry County Council
Kerry County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Kerry in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...
and the local urban district council in Tralee, though he failed to be elected to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in an election held on the same day. Ferris was first elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
at the 2002 general election
Irish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
for the Kerry North constituency, unseating former Tánaiste
Tánaiste
The Tánaiste is the deputy prime minister of Ireland. The current Tánaiste is Eamon Gilmore, TD who was appointed on 9 March 2011.- Origins and etymology :...
(Deputy Prime Minister) Dick Spring
Dick Spring
Richard "Dick" Spring is an Irish businessman and former politician. He was first elected as a Labour Party Teachta Dála in 1981 and retained his seat until 2002. He became leader of the Labour Party in 1982, and held this position until 1997...
. In the Dáil he is currently the Sinn Féin spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, as well as the Marine and Natural Resources.
External links
- Martin Ferris' page on the Sinn Féin website
- An Phoblacht Interview: Martin Ferris - a life in struggle