Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, born 1932 in County Longford, Ireland is the current President of Republican Sinn Féin. He previously was President of Provisional Sinn Féin, from 1970-1983, having been a leading figure in the provisionals at the time of the split inside Sinn Féin into the provisional and official wings.

He also was prominent inside the Irish Republican Army. O Bradaigh was convicted for activity related to the Derrylin Raid, in County Fermanagh in December 1956, and was sent to Mountjoy Jail. In Mountjoy, he was elected to the Dublin parliament, Leinster House/Dail Eireann. Upon completing his prison sentence he was interned in the Curragh Camp, along with other Republicans. With the late Daithi O'Connell, O Bradaigh escaped from the camp and went "on the run" -- the first Irish T.D. (Teachta Dala, member of the Dail) on the run since the 1920s. He served as the IRA's Chief of Staff and was instrumental ending the IRA's "Border Campaign" in 1962.

With Daithi O'Connell he developed a policy called Eire Nua during the 1970s. The policy called for a federal Ireland, and the goal of a federal Ireland became Provisional Sinn Fein policy in 1972. Federalism was rejected at the 1982 Provisional Sinn Fein Ard-Fheis [Convention] and O Bradaigh and O'Connell, Provisional Sinn Fein Vice-President, resigned their positions at the 1983 Ard-Fheis. In 1986 Provisional Sinn Fein, led by Gerry Adams, dropped its policy of abstaining from taking seats (if its candidates were elected) in the Dublin parliament, Leinster House [Dail Eireann]. At this, O Bradaigh, O'Connell, and several others who agreed with their opposition to the change, walked out of the Ard-Fheis and went on to form Republican Sinn Fein. Republican Sinn Fein adopted, and enhanced, its Eire Nua policy.