A former IRA member and Sinn Féin councillor has told the High Court his reputation as a notorious terrorist gunman has to be viewed in an historical context.
Nicky Kehoe, who is now a political manager for Sinn Féin, was being cross-examined in his High Court action for defamation against RTÉ over comments made during a radio programme on 24 October 2015.
Counsel for RTÉ put it to him that his reputation as a well-known IRA terrorist was permanently tarnished by his activities and the activities of the IRA.
Mr Kehoe said they had to be viewed in an historical context. He said he had spent 26 years trying to restore his name.
Counsel for RTÉ Cian Ferriter put it to him that "all of the victims of the IRA troubles never got that chance".
Mr Ferriter said Mr Kehoe had sought to portray to the jury yesterday that he did not really fully support the actions of the IRA, while in fact he had been an enthusiastic participant.
When pressed further on the issue today, Mr Kehoe agreed that he had supported the actions of the IRA at the time, including murders, but that he had changed since he came out of prison in 1992.
Mr Ferriter said Mr Kehoe had said yesterday that he did not support the actions of the IRA in this State, yet he had been part of an attempted kidnap in the 1980s and was armed to the teeth when arrested.
Mr Kehoe replied: "I fully admit I was involved in the IRA and its actions that today I would not stand over but it is 36 years ago and things have changed in my context."
The case concerns comments made on the Saturday with Claire Byrne programme by the then Labour TD Joe Costello.
During the programme, Mr Costello alleged there was a "parallel structure in place on Dublin City Council which is the army council that is influencing what Sinn Féin does".
He said: "A former chief of staff of the IRA gives directions to Sinn Féin councillors on how to vote." He also said "all the little heads swivel around when a decision has to be made".
The programme also included Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin, who named Mr Kehoe as the person to whom Mr Costello was referring.
The jury heard a transcript of the debate during which Mr Ó Broin repeatedly challenges Mr Costello about his remarks, describing them as outrageous and bizarre.
It also emerged that Mr Kehoe has never complained to his party colleague Mr Ó Broin, who named him during the programme.
Mr Kehoe said he was unhappy that Mr Ó Broin had named him, but said it was up to the presenter to shut the debate down when a person was named in such circumstances.
While Mr Costello had made the allegation and Mr Ó Broin had named him, it was RTÉ who "put it out to 250,000 listeners", he said.
It was also put to him that he had immediately sought compensation from RTÉ and not simply an apology as he had said yesterday in his direct evidence. He has not made a complaint to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.
A community worker from Cabra told the court he knew of Mr Kehoe's history of IRA membership and his convictions but said he was now a totally committed member of the community.
Niall Counihan, a community policing forum coordinator, said he knew Mr Kehoe had spent a lot of time in jail in the past but he had not associated with him back then, nor would he support the activities of the IRA.
When asked what Mr Kehoe's reputation was like he said: "It's very simple. It is one of total dedication to the community and to St Finbarr's (GAA club)."
Mr Counihan said he heard the radio programme in October 2015 in which Mr Kehoe was named as a member of the IRA army council.
He said he was flabbergasted to hear it and could not believe someone would say something so outlandish on the radio. He said he did not believe it.
He later heard people in the community talking about it.
Shane McGuill who was involved with Mr Kehoe's local GAA club, St Finbarr's, said he was held in the highest esteem in the community.
Mr McGuill said he knew about his IRA past and "welcomed him back to the club" after he got out of prison.
He said he felt his involvement with the club had dropped off in recent times and that could have been due to what was said on the radio about him.
Mr McGuill said he heard the radio programme that day and thought what was said was "bulls**t" and "over the top".
On cross-examination by counsel for RTÉ, he said he did not think any less of Mr Kehoe having heard it.
Eilis Uí Longan who also knew the Kehoe family all her life said she believed everyone in Cabra knew about Mr Kehoe's IRA membership and convictions because it was "big news" in the community at the time.
She said she did not hear the radio programme that day but heard about it from a friend and heard about it at the St Finbarr's GAA Club.
When she mentioned it to Mr Kehoe that she heard he was in the news he just laughed and said "yeah".
She said he was very important to the community and made them feel proud to be from Cabra.
He had got involved in the community when he came out of prison and "brought us all back to where we should have been."
On cross-examination she said she did not think any less of him today since the broadcast in October 2015.
The evidence for Mr Kehoe is now complete.
In an opening statement for the defence, counsel for RTÉ told the jury this case is "not about the GAA, it is about the IRA".
He said "whether he likes it or not and irrespective of his bona fides, he is a notorious former IRA terrorist, a former very active IRA terrorist associated with an organisation responsible for a huge array of terrible things."
"He seeks to say that is all in the past but ultimately that is not what is relevant.
"He was well known and remains today on the national stage as a notorious former IRA terrorist. He does not have the reputation that would entitle him to the damages he claims," he said.
Byrne defends handling of radio debate
RTÉ broadcaster Claire Byrne has defended her handling of the live radio debate.
Ms Byrne told the court she thought Joe Costello had "gone doolally" when he made allegations about IRA army council control over Sinn Féin councillors on Dublin City Council.
During the programme, Mr Costello was repeatedly challenged about his remarks by Mr Ó Broin.
In the witness box, Ms Byrne said she had expected Mr Costello to represent government policy that day in the context of a debate on a security report about the IRA's influence over Sinn Féin.
Instead, she said, he brought it down to local politics.
Ms Byrne said she had no idea who Mr Costello was talking about in his remarks.
She was about to intervene when Mr Ó Broin stepped in and named Nicky Kehoe, the court heard.
She said Mr Ó Broin named Mr Kehoe, defended him and then dismantled Mr Costello's allegation. Had she stepped in to stop Mr Ó Broin from proceeding with that defence it would have done more harm, she said.
She said she felt Mr Ó Broin had destroyed Mr Costello's argument because Mr Costello immediately started to waiver the minute Mr Ó Broin stepped in.
She denied that a clarification issued at the end of the programme was "watery" as claimed by Mr Kehoe.
Ms Byrne said she was being very careful not to name Mr Kehoe in the clarification so those hearing the allegation for the first time would not hear his name mentioned, whereas people who had heard his name earlier in the programme would know it referred to him.
Her evidence resumes on Monday.
