1986 Sinn Féin Ard Fheis
When the majority of delegates to the 1986 Provisional Sinn Féin Ard Fheis voted on 2 November to drop the policy of abstentionism, thus ending the self-imposed ban on Sinn Féin elected representatives from taking seats at Leinster House, Ó Brádaigh and a crowd of supporters walked out and immediately set up Republican Sinn Féin (RSF).
As an ordinary member, he had earlier spoken out against the motion (resolution 162) in an impassioned speech beforehand.
