Body of Republican found in wood (6)
I believe the answer is:
corpse
'body' is the definition.
(a corpse is a dead body)
'republican found in wood' is the wordplay.
'republican' becomes 'R' (abbreviation).
'found in' indicates putting letters inside.
'wood' becomes 'copse' (a copse is a small wood).
'r' placed within 'copse' is 'CORPSE'.
'of' is the link.
(Other definitions for corpse that I've seen before include "Roof beam" , "Cadaver, dead person" , "Dead body" , "Dead bodies" .)