He’s been imprisoned, shot at, denounced, shunned, and banned, yet Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams remains resolute in his belief that peace is the only viable option for the Irish people. Adams led the oldest revolutionary movement in Ireland on an extraordinary journey from armed insurrection to active participation in government. Now he tells the story of the tumultuous series of events that led to the historic Good Friday Agreement as only he can: with a tireless crusader’s conviction and an insider’s penetrating insight.
In vivid detail, Adams describes the harrowing attack on his life, and he offers new details about the peace process. We learn of previously undisclosed talks between republicans and the British government, and of conflicts and surprising alliances between key players. Adams reveals details of his discussions with the IRA leadership and tells how republicans differed, “dissidents” emerged, and the first IRA cessation of violence broke down. He recounts meetings in the Clinton White House, tells what roles Irish-Americans and South Africans played in the process, and describes the secret involvement of those within the Catholic Church. Then—triumphantly—this inspiring story climaxes with the Good Friday Agreement: what was agreed and what was promised.
Gerry Adams brings a sense of immediacy to this story of hope in what was long considered an intractable conflict. He conveys the acute tensions of the peace process and the ever-present sense of teetering on the brink of both joyous accomplishment and continued despair. With a sharp eye and sensitive ear for the more humorous foibles of political allies and enemies alike, Adams offers illuminating portraits of the leading characters through cease-fires and standoffs, discussions and confrontations. Among the featured players are John Major, Tony Blair, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jean Kennedy Smith, and Nelson Mandela.
As the preeminent republican strategist of his generation, Gerry Adams provides the first comprehensive account of the principles and tactics underpinning modern Irish republicanism. And in a world where peace processes are needed more urgently than ever, A Farther Shore provides a template for conflict resolution.
From the Hardcover edition.
Advance praise for A Farther Shore
“A rollicking good read, replete with murder, noble deeds, hilarious mistakes, treachery, and chicanery, from the pen of a nonjudgmental, gifted writer who is a decent, honorable leader, Gerry Adams.”
—Malachy McCourt, author of A Monk Swimming
“The Irish peace process had to overcome decades—if not centuries—of hate, mistrust, and oppression. Its success was a true triumph of the human spirit. No one did more to make it happen than Gerry Adams. A Farther Shore tells you why. It is gripping, moving, and on the money.”
—Congressman Peter King, co-chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for Irish Affairs
“The refusal to acknowledge the roots of conflict guarantees its perpetuation, whether in Ireland, in Iraq, or on our own shores. Thankfully there are voices—and Gerry Adams will always be among them—who are prepared to penetrate the silence. A Farther Shore is a memoir of a place and a time rather than of a man; Adams, no fool, knows that his story is not the only one. That he has the bravery to pull aside the silence is just one of his gifts. That he has offered us a history with hope is yet another.”
—Colum McCann, author of Dancer: A Novel
From the Hardcover edition.
