Protestant clergy in Feakle, County Clare in December 1974, where he voiced his desire to end the violence. However, in the same period, McKee authorised a number of sectarian attacks on Protestants as well as renewed attacks on rival republicans in the Official IRA. For this he was heavily criticised by a group of Provisional IRA activists grouped around Gerry Adams. Later life A faction led by Adams managed to get McKee voted off the IRA Army Council in 1977, effectively forcing him out of the leadership of the organisation. McKee's health suffered in this period and he did not resume his IRA activities. He joined Republican Sinn Féin after a split in Sinn Féin in 1986. In later years McKee, Brendan Hughes and Tommy McKearney were critical of the Belfast Agreement and of the reformist politics of Sinn Féin. In 2016 he sent a message of support to the launch of the hardline new Republican party Saoradh, reportedly the political wing of the New IRA. Billy McKee died on 11 June 2019, aged 97. His funeral took place on 15 June 2019 in west Belfast. His coffin was carried on a gun carriage. References 1921 births 2019 deaths Irish anti-communists Irish Republican Army (1922–1969) members Irish republicans interned without trial Paramilitaries from Belfast Prisoners accorded Special Category Status Provisional Irish Republican Army members Republican Sinn Féin members Republicans imprisoned during the Northern Ireland conflict