general election Steele stood for Sinn Féin in the West Belfast constituency. Steele was founder of the Belfast Republican Press Centre in 1970. He was the first editor of Republican News, which started as a monthly and later became a weekly. He died on 9 August 1970 the year after the IRA split between the Official IRA and the Provisional IRA, in which he sided with the Provisionals. He was one of the leaders of the 1969 split, being critical of the leadership of the time. Steele was critical of the republican movements turn to the left: "One is now expected to be more conversant with the thoughts of Chairman Mao than those of our dead patriots." References 1907 births 1970 deaths Irish Republican Army (1922–1969) members Irish republicans Provisional Irish Republican Army members Republicans imprisoned during the Northern Ireland conflict Sinn Féin parliamentary candidates