  Suppose L is a link in $S^3$. We show that $\pi_1(S^3-L)$ admits an
irreducible meridian-traceless representation in SU(2) if and only if L is not
the unknot, the Hopf link, or a connected sum of Hopf links. As a corollary,
$\pi_1(S^3-L)$ admits an irreducible representation in SU(2) if and only if L
is neither the unknot nor the Hopf link. This result generalizes a theorem of
Kronheimer and Mrowka to the case of links.
