Republicans like RuairÃ Ã `` BrÃ daigh said that the only legitimate country in Ireland was the Irish Republic declared in 1916 . It was in 1983 that RuairÃ Ã `` BrÃ daigh resigned as President of Sinn FÃ in and was succeeded by Gerry Adams . Republicans had long claimed that the only legitimate Irish state was the Irish Republic declared in the Proclamation of the Republic of 1916 , which they considered to be still in existence .