Matt Cooper: The past-life struggles of Adams and Ahern

Both Adams and Ahern made their mark with the Good Friday Agreement, but forgiveness has come more easily for one than the other

Gerry Adams was forced to make a statement to the Dáil last week about the murder of Brian Stack, but it hasn’t gone away for him Picture: PA

Sinn Féin supporters regularly tell you, with some justification, that there would have been no peace process without Gerry Adams. This, it appears, as far as they are concerned, absolves him from all sins, not just past but present, and also somehow removes him from all criticism.

The hope for some of them is that he may become a minister in a future government of the Republic, possibly even Taoiseach, even if age ...