Publisher Steve McDonogh yesterday (Sunday) released a full transcript of his conversations and emails with Sinn Féin and Columbia three member James Monaghan to prove his allegations that the party had gagged Monaghan in the run-up to the launch of his book last week.
Mr McDonogh, whose company Brandon has published Monaghan's book, last week accused "the republican movement" of preventing the former IRA prisoner from doing any TV or radio interviews to promote the title.
The correspondence includes an email from Monaghan to Mr McDonogh showing his willingness to go ahead with a press conference and a later email saying, "It seems SF [Sinn Féin] do not want even the print media to have invitations, except for selected small circulation ones".
Other emails from Mr Monaghan tell of his trying to get in contact with Sinn Féin's publicity director Dawn Doyle to discuss him talking to the media but not being able to get in contact with her.
In an email dated Monday November 19, Monaghan said he was waiting to hear from Ms Doyle.
This was the last email that Mr McDonogh received before Sinn Féin held a launch of the book on Tuesday November 20.
Mr McDonogh said he suspected the gagging had something to do with the IRA.
However, Mr McDonogh said since the party had put out a statement saying he had acted with "the utmost integrity and professionalism" he did not foresee any difficulty in continuing to work with Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, whose books he has been publishing since 1982, or Danny Morrison.
Ms Doyle was unavailable for comment but a Sinn Féin spokesman said: "Jim Monaghan's decision is his own. There is certainly no agenda by the Sinn Féin press office to censor him."
