IRA REPUBLICAN SPLITS
IRA Republican splits
1921
The IRA first split over the 1921 Treaty, which gave the 26 southern counties dominion status but imposed partition. Michael Collins' pro-Treaty volunteers were incorporated into the Free State army and fought a civil war against anti-Treaty volunteers - the Irregulars - led by Eamon de Valera.
1927
De Valera's rump IRA split again when he embraced constitutional politics as head of the newly-formed Fianna Fail party and entered the Irish Dail, a body republican purists did not recognise. What remained of the IRA stood by the gun.
1970
OFFICIAL IRA
Irish Republican Socialist Party Irish National Liberation Army
The IRA split into the Officials and Provisionals, the latter accusing the former of embracing parliamentary politics, and running down military operations so Catholics were 'undefended' as the Troubles exploded.
1986
The Provisional IRA lit when Gerry Adams persuaded the movement to (abandon the principle of abstention from the Dail. Ruairi O Bradaigh, a former IRA chief of staff and Sinn Fein president, broke away to form Republican Sinn Fein, whose military wing is the Continuity IRA.
1997
32-County Sovereignty Committee.
Fra Brown Bernadette Sands-McKevitt Francie Mackey
1997/98
Sinn Fein activists on both sides of the border become the public face of opposition to the peace strategy of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. The Real IRA is formed by a breakaway led by senior IRA figures in the border areas. Politically, they are represented by the
32-County Sovereignty Committee.
1921
The IRA first split over the 1921 Treaty, which gave the 26 southern counties dominion status but imposed partition. Michael Collins' pro-Treaty volunteers were incorporated into the Free State army and fought a civil war against anti-Treaty volunteers - the Irregulars - led by Eamon de Valera.
1927
De Valera's rump IRA split again when he embraced constitutional politics as head of the newly-formed Fianna Fail party and entered the Irish Dail, a body republican purists did not recognise. What remained of the IRA stood by the gun.
1970
OFFICIAL IRA
Irish Republican Socialist Party Irish National Liberation Army
The IRA split into the Officials and Provisionals, the latter accusing the former of embracing parliamentary politics, and running down military operations so Catholics were 'undefended' as the Troubles exploded.
1986
The Provisional IRA lit when Gerry Adams persuaded the movement to (abandon the principle of abstention from the Dail. Ruairi O Bradaigh, a former IRA chief of staff and Sinn Fein president, broke away to form Republican Sinn Fein, whose military wing is the Continuity IRA.
1997
32-County Sovereignty Committee.
Fra Brown Bernadette Sands-McKevitt Francie Mackey
1997/98
Sinn Fein activists on both sides of the border become the public face of opposition to the peace strategy of Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. The Real IRA is formed by a breakaway led by senior IRA figures in the border areas. Politically, they are represented by the
32-County Sovereignty Committee.
Further Information
Publisher: SUNDAY LIFE
Ref: SL/051
Published Date: 23-Aug-98
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