Who was Denis Donaldson, the British agent who infiltrated republican movement?

If they had stayed a few minutes longer and carried out a brief search of the Short Strand born republican’s hideaway at Glenties his killers might have found a vital intelligence ‘file’ belonging to the long-time informer.

The one-time inmate of the H-Blocks and friend of IRA hunger stiker had been writing a private journal detailing his life as a British agent inside the republican movement for two decades.

It was the Garda Siochana who later discovered the Donaldson diary after arriving at the murder scene and since it fell into Irish police hands has been the subject of controversy.

His family have demanded to see its contents believing it may contain details about those in the security forces that recruited and ran him.

It is understood that the journal has been read at the highest echelons of the Irish Government and state forces.

Whatever explosive details are contained within these posthumous writings it is indisputable that Britain had at the very centre of power within Sinn Fein an important agent who could report back on the political thinking of its leading figures.

Denis Donaldson was a close associate and loyal ally of Gerry Adams for many years. He acted as Adams’ political enforcer ensuring that branches, constituencies and even its fund-raising arm in North America, Noraid toed the party line.

He met Palestinian factions, Hezbollah and the Syrians while head of Sinn Fein’s international department in the 80s.

And the while he was passing information to the British.

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