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Real Irish Republican Army
Óglaigh na hÉireann
LeadershipArmy Council
Dates of operation1997–2012
Split fromProvisional Irish Republican Army
Merged intoNew Irish Republican Army
Active regionsNorthern Ireland(mainly)
Republic of Ireland
Great Britain
IdeologyPhysical force Irish republicanism
Dissident republicanism
Size150 (June 2005)
OpponentsBritish Army
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Garda Síochána
Irish Defence Forces
Battles and wars

TheReal Irish Republican Army,orReal IRA(RIRA), was adissidentIrish republicanparamilitary groupthat aimed to bring about aUnited Ireland.It was formed in 1997 following a split in theProvisional IRAby dissident members, who rejected the IRA'sceasefirethat year. Like the Provisional IRA before it, the Real IRA saw itself as the only rightful successor to the originalIrish Republican Armyand styled itself as simply "the Irish Republican Army" in English orÓglaigh na hÉireannin Irish. It was an illegal organisation in theRepublic of Irelandand designated a proscribed terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom and the United States.

The Real IRAwaged a campaigninNorthern Irelandagainst thePolice Service of Northern Ireland—formerly theRoyal Ulster Constabulary—and theBritish Army.It was the largest and most active of the "dissident republican"paramilitary groupsoperating againstthe Britishsecurity forces.It targeted the security forces in firearm attacks and bombings, and with grenades,mortarsandrockets.

The Real IRA was also responsible for bombings in Northern Ireland and England with the goal of causing economic harm and disruption, the most notable being the 1998Omagh bombing,which killed 29 people. After that bombing, the Real IRA went on ceasefire, but resumed operations in 2000. In March 2009 it claimed responsibility for anattack on Massereene Barrackswhich killed two British soldiers, the first to be killed in Northern Ireland since 1997. The Real IRA has also been involved in attacks on drug dealers.

In July 2012, it was reported thatRepublican Action Against Drugs(RAAD) and other small republican militant groups were merging with the Real IRA. This new entity was named theNew IRAby the media[1]but members continue to identify themselves as simply "the Irish Republican Army".[2]Small pockets of the Real IRA that did not merge with the New IRA continue to have a presence in the Republic of Ireland, particularly inCorkand to a lesser extent inDublin.[3]

Origins[edit]

In July 1997, theProvisional IRAcalled a ceasefire. On 10 October 1997, a Provisional IRA General Army Convention was held inFalcarragh,County Donegal. At the convention,Provisional IRA Quartermaster GeneralMichael McKevitt—also a member of the 12-person Provisional IRA Executive—denounced the leadership and called for an end to the group's ceasefire and to its participation in theNorthern Ireland peace process.He was backed by his partner and fellow Executive memberBernadette Sands McKevitt.The two dissidents were outmanoeuvred by the leadership and were left isolated.[4][5]: 296 The convention backed the pro-ceasefire line, and on 26 October McKevitt and Sands McKevitt resigned from the Executive along with other members.[6]: 33 

In November 1997, McKevitt and other dissidents held a meeting in a farmhouse inOldcastle, County Meath,and a new organisation, styling itselfÓglaigh na hÉireann,was formed.[6]: 38–39 The organisation attracted disaffected Provisional IRA members from the republican stronghold of SouthArmagh,as well asDublin,Belfast,Limerick, Tipperary,County Louth,County Tyrone andCounty Monaghan.[6]: 47 [7]

The name "Real IRA" entered common usage when in early 1998 members set up a roadblock inJonesborough, County Armagh,and told motorists "We're from the IRA. TherealIRA ".[4]

Objectives[edit]

The RIRA's objective is aunited Irelandby forcing the end of British sovereignty overNorthern Irelandthrough theuse of physical force.The organisation rejects theMitchell Principlesand theGood Friday Agreement,comparing the latter to the 1921Anglo-Irish Treatywhich resulted in thepartition of Ireland.[8]The organisation aims to uphold an uncompromising form ofIrish republicanismand opposes any political settlement that falls short of Irish unity and independence.[5]: 316–317 

Bernadette Sands McKevitt, sister of hunger strikerBobby Sandsand a founder of the RIRA's political wing, the32 County Sovereignty Movement,said in an interview that her brother "did not die for cross-border bodies with executive powers. He did not die for nationalists to be equal British citizens within the Northern Ireland state".[5]: 316–317 The RIRA adopted a tactic of bombing town centres to damage the economic infrastructure of Northern Ireland. The organisation also attacks members of the security forces usingland mines,home-mademortarsandcar bombs,and has also targeted England usingincendiary devicesand car bombs to "spread terror and disruption".[7]

Campaign[edit]

See also:Timeline of Real Irish Republican Army actions

Early campaign[edit]

The organisation's first action was an attempted bombing inBanbridge,County Down on 7 January 1998. The intention was to explode a 300-pound (140 kg)car bomb,but this was thwarted when the bomb was defused by security forces.[6]: 68–71 [9]The RIRA continued its campaign in late February with bombings inMoira, County DownandPortadown,County Armagh.[6]: 87 [10][11]On 9 May the organisation announced its existence, in a coded telephone call to Belfast media claiming responsibility for amortarattack on a police station inBelleek, County Fermanagh.[12]

The RIRA also carried out attacks inNewtownhamiltonandNewry,[13]and a second attack in Banbridge on 1 August injured 35 people and caused £3.5 million of damage when a 500-pound (230 kg) car bomb exploded.[14][15]Despite these attacks the organisation lacked a significant base and was heavily infiltrated by informers. This led to a series of high-profile arrests and seizures by theGarda Síochánain the first half of 1998; these involved the death of RIRA member Rónán Mac Lochlainn who was shot dead trying to escape from police, following an attempted robbery of asecurity vanin County Wicklow.[6]: 70–71, 101–102, 124–129 [16]

Omagh bombing[edit]

Main article:Omagh bombing

On 15 August 1998, the RIRA left a car containing 500 lb of home-made explosives in the centre ofOmagh,County Tyrone. The bombers could not find a parking space near the intended target of thecourthouse,and the car was left 400 metres away.[6]: 211–212 [17]As a result, three inaccurate telephone warnings were issued, and theRoyal Ulster Constabulary(RUC) believed the bomb was located outside the courthouse. They attempted to establish a security cordon to keep civilians clear of the area, which inadvertently pushed people closer to the location of the bomb.[6]: 211–212 Shortly after, the bomb exploded killing 29 people and injuring 220 others, in what became the single deadliest strike ofthe Troublesin Northern Ireland.[17]

The bombing caused a major outcry throughout the world, and the Irish and British governments introduced new legislation in an attempt to destroy the organisation.[6]: 232 [18]The RIRA also came under pressure from the Provisional IRA, when Provisional IRA members visited the homes of 60 people connected with the RIRA and ordered them to disband and stop interfering with Provisional IRA arms dumps.[19]With the organisation under intense pressure, which included McKevitt and Sands-McKevitt being forced from their home after the media named McKevitt in connection with the bombing, the RIRA called a ceasefire on 8 September.[20][21]

Ceasefire[edit]

Following the declaration of the ceasefire the RIRA began to regroup, and by the end of October had elected a new leadership and were planning their future direction.[6]: 257–260 In late December, Irish government representativeMartin Manserghheld a meeting with McKevitt in Dundalk, in an attempt to convince McKevitt to disband the RIRA. McKevitt refused, stating that members would be left defenceless against attacks by the Provisional IRA.[6]: 257–260 In 1999, the RIRA began preparations for a renewed campaign, and in May three members travelled toSplitin Croatia to purchase arms, which were smuggled back to Ireland.[22]: 381–382 On 20 October, ten people were arrested whenGardaíraided a RIRA training camp nearStamullen,County Meath.[23]

Officers found a firing range inside a disused wine cellar being used as an underground bunker, and seized weapons including an assault rifle, a submachine gun, a semi-automatic pistol and anRPG-18rocket launcher.[6]: 314–315 An earlier version of the rocket launcher, theRPG-7,had been in the possession of the Provisional IRA from as early as 1972, but this was the first time the RPG-18 had been found in the possession of a paramilitary organisation in Ireland.[24]

Return to activity[edit]

On 20 January 2000, the RIRA issued a call-to-arms in a statement to theIrish News.The statement condemned theNorthern Ireland Executive,and stated: "Once again, Óglaigh na hÉireann declares the right of the Irish people to the ownership of Ireland. We call on all volunteers loyal to the Irish Republic to unite to uphold the Republic and establish a permanent national parliament representative of all the people."[6]: 326 [25]The RIRA launched its new campaign on 25 February with an attempted bombing ofShackleton Army BarracksinBallykelly.The bombers were disturbed as they were assembling the device, which would have caused mass murder if detonated, according to soldiers.[26][27]

On 29 February, a rocket launcher similar to one seized in the 1999 raid was found near an army base inDungannon,County Tyrone,[28]and on 15 March three men were arrested following the discovery of 500 lb of home-made explosives when the RUC searched two cars inHillsborough, County Down.[29]On 6 April a bomb attack took place atEbrington Barracksin Derry. RIRA members lowered a device consisting of 5 lb of homemade explosives over theperimeter fenceusing ropes, and the bomb subsequently exploded damaging the fence and an unmanned guardhouse.[6]: 335 [30]

Bombings in England[edit]

The damage caused by the3 August 2001 Ealing bombing

After the Omagh bombing, the RIRA leadership were unwilling to launch a full-scale campaign in Northern Ireland due to the possibility of civilians being killed.[6]: 338 Instead they decided to launch a series of attacks in England, in particular London, which they hoped would attract disenchanted Provisional IRA members to join the RIRA.[6]: 338 On 1 June 2000, a bomb damagedHammersmith Bridge,a symbolic target for Irish republican paramilitary groups.[31][32]The bridge had been targeted by theIrish Republican Armyon 29 March 1939 as part of itsSabotage Campaign,and by the Provisional IRAon 24 April 1996.[33]

On 19 July, security forces carried out a controlled explosion on a bomb left atEaling Broadway stationand public transport was disrupted when theMetropolitan PoliceclosedVictoriaandPaddingtontrain stations and halted services on theLondon Underground.[34]On21 Septemberarocket-propelled grenadewas fired at theMI6 headquartersusing anRPG-22rocket launcher, which generated headlines around the world.[6]: 349–350 [22]: 84 [35]In November 2000, security forces foiled a plot to drive 500 lb of homemade explosives to central London that month, a bomb twice as powerful as the one in Omagh. At the time, police were warning for weeks that a terrorist attack in London could be imminent.[36]

On 21 February 2001, a bomb disguised as atorchleft outside aTerritorial Armybase inShepherd's Bushseriously injured a 14-year-old cadet, who was blinded and had his hand blown off.[37][38]A second attack in Shepherd's Bush, the4 March BBC bombing,injured a civilian outside theBBC Television Centre.[39]The explosion was captured by a BBC cameraman, and the footage was broadcast on TV stations worldwide, and gained mass publicity for the group.[40]On 14 April, a bomb exploded at a postalsorting officeinHendon,causing minor damage but no injuries.[41]Three weeks later on 6 May, a second bomb exploded at the same building, causing slight injuries to a passer-by.[42]The3 August 2001 Ealing bombinginjured seven people, and on 3 November a car bomb containing 60 lb of home-made explosives was planted in the centre ofBirmingham.The bomb did not fully detonate and no one was injured.[43]

Renewed campaign in Northern Ireland[edit]

The successful attack on Hammersmith Bridge encouraged the RIRA leadership to launch further attacks in Northern Ireland.[6]: 340 On 19 June 2000 a bomb was found in the grounds ofHillsborough Castle,home ofSecretary of State for Northern IrelandPeter Mandelson.[6]: 340 [44]On 30 June, a bomb exploded on the Dublin-to-Belfast railway line near the village ofMeighinCounty Armagh.The explosion damaged the tracks, and caused disruption to train services.[45]On 9 July a car bomb damaged buildings inStewartstown, County Tyroneincluding an RUC station,[6]: 361 [46]and on 10 August, an attack in Derry was thwarted by the RUC after a van containing a 500 lb bomb failed to stop at a police checkpoint. Following a car chase the bombers escaped across the Irish border, and theIrish Armycarried out a controlled explosion on the bomb after the van was found abandoned inCounty Donegal.[6]: 347–348 [47]

On 13 September 2000, two 80 lb bombs were planted at the Magilligan army camp in County Londonderry, one of which was planted in a wooden hut and partially exploded when a soldier opened the door to the hut.[6]: 347–348 The second bomb was found during a follow-up search and made safe by bomb disposal experts.[48]On 11 November the RUC and British Army prevented a mortar attack after stopping a van nearDerrylin,County Fermanagh,[49]and the RUC prevented a further attack on 13 January 2001 when an 1100 lb bomb was found inArmagh– the largest bomb found in several years according to the RUC.[6]: 374 [50]

On 23 January, the RIRA attacked Ebrington Army Barracks in Derry for a second time, firing a mortar over a perimeter fence.[6]: 375–376 [51]A mortar similar to the one used in the attack was found by Gardaí nearNewtowncunninghamon 13 February, and British army bomb disposal experts made safe another mortar found betweenDungannonandCarrickmoreon 12 April.[6]: 375–376 [52]On 1 August a 40 lb bomb was discovered in a car at the long-stay car park ofBelfast International Airportfollowing a telephone warning, and was made safe with two controlled explosions by bomb disposal experts.[53]In December a six-day security operation ended when a 70 lb bomb found under railway tracks at Killeen Bridge near Newry was defused. The operation began following telephone warnings, and the road and railway line connecting Newry to Dundalk were closed due to security alerts.[54]

Apipe bombwas discovered at a police officer's home inAnnalong,County Down on 3 January 2002,[55]and two teenage boys were injured in County Armagh on 2 March when a bomb hidden in atraffic coneexploded.[56]On 29 March 2002 the RIRA targeted a former member of theRoyal Irish RegimentfromSion Mills,County Tyrone, with a bomb attached to his car that failed to explode.[57]On 1 August 2002 a civilian worker was killed by an explosion at a Territorial Army base in Derry. The man, a 51-year-old former member of theUlster Defence Regiment,was the thirtieth person killed by the RIRA.[58]

Arrests[edit]

Despite the RIRA's renewed activity, the organisation was weakened by the arrest of key members and continued infiltration by informers. McKevitt was arrested on 29 March 2001 and charged with membership of an illegal organisation and directing terrorism, and remanded into custody.[6]: 378–381 In July 2001, following the arrests of McKevitt and other RIRA members, British and Irish government sources hinted that the organisation was now in disarray.[59]Other key figures were jailed, including the RIRA's Director of Operations,Liam Campbell,who was convicted of membership of an illegal organisation,[60]andColm Murphywho was convicted of conspiring to cause the Omagh bombing, although this conviction was overturned on appeal.[61][62]

On 10 April 2002, Ruairi Convey, fromDonaghmede,Dublin, was jailed for three years for membership of the RIRA. During a search of his home a list of names and home addresses of members of the Gardaí'sEmergency Response Unitwas found.[63]Five RIRA members were also convicted in connection with the 2001 bombing campaign in England, and received sentences varying from 16 years to 22 years' imprisonment.[64]In October 2002, McKevitt and other RIRA members imprisoned inPortlaoise Prisonissued a statement calling for the organisation to stand down.[6]: 410–411 [65]After a two-month trial, McKevitt was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment in August 2003 after being convicted of directing terrorism.[66]

2002–2007[edit]

After McKevitt's imprisonment, the RIRA regrouped and claimed responsibility for a series of firebomb attacks against premises in Belfast in November 2004,[67]and an attack on aPolice Service of Northern Ireland(PSNI) patrol inBallymenaduring March 2006 was attributed to the RIRA by theIndependent Monitoring Commission(IMC).[68]On 9 August 2006, fire bomb attacks by the RIRA hit businesses inNewry,County Down. Buildings belonging toJJB SportsandCarpetrightwere destroyed, and ones belonging toMFIandTK Maxxwere badly damaged.[69]On 27 October 2006, a large amount of explosives was found in Kilbranish,Mount Leinster,County Carlow by police, who believe the RIRA were trying to derail thepeace processwith a bomb attack.[70]The IMC believe the RIRA were also responsible for a failed mortar attack onCraigavonPSNI Station on 4 December 2006.[71][72]The IMC's October 2006 report stated that the RIRA remains "active and dangerous" and that it seeks to "sustain its position as a terrorist organisation".[68]The RIRA has stated it has no intention of calling a ceasefire unless a declaration of intent to withdraw from Northern Ireland is made by the British Government.[8]

In a lengthy interview with the newspaperAn Phoblachtin 2003, the leadership of theProvisional IRAsaid that the RIRA had "no coherent strategy".[73]

2007–2011[edit]

Real IRA graffiti inBogside,Derry

On 8 November 2007, two RIRA members shot an off-duty PSNI officer as he sat in his car on Bishop Street inDerry,causing injuries to his face and arm.[74]On 12 November another PSNI member was shot by RIRA members inDungannon,County Tyrone.[74][75]On 7 February 2008, the RIRA stated that, after experiencing a three-year period of reorganisation, it intended to "go back to war" by launching a new offensive against "legitimate targets".[76]It also, despite having apologised for theOmagh bombing,[77]denied any large scale involvement with the attack and said that their part had only gone as far as their codeword being used.[76]On 12 May 2008 the RIRA seriously injured a member of the PSNI when a booby trap bomb exploded underneath his car nearSpamount,County Tyrone.[78][79]On 25 September 2008 the RIRA shot a man in the neck inSt Johnston,near theCounty Londonderryborder.[80]The same man was targeted in apipe bombattack on his home on 25 October, the RIRA did not claim responsibility for the attack, but security forces believe they were responsible for it.[80]

On 7 March 2009, the RIRA claimed responsibility for the2009 Massereene Barracks shooting.[81]This shooting occurred outside theMassereene Barracksas four soldiers were receiving a pizza delivery. Two soldiers were killed, and the other two soldiers and two deliverymen were injured.[82]On 3 April 2009, the RIRA in Derry claimed responsibility for carrying out apunishment shootingof a man who was awaiting sentencing for raping a 15-year-old girl.[83]The RIRA were also blamed for orchestrating rioting in theArdoynearea of Belfast on 13 July 2009 as anApprentice Boysparade was passing. Several PSNI officers were injured in the rioting and at least one shot was fired at police.[84]In early November, the Independent Monitoring Commission released a report stating that the threat from the RIRA and other dissident republicans was at its most serious level since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.[85]

When drug dealer Sean Winters was shot dead inPortmarnock,north Dublin, in September 2010, the Real IRA "emerged as the chief suspects". They were also suspected of shooting dead drugs gang leader Michael Kelly inCoolockin September 2011.[86]

On 5 October 2010, a car bomb exploded outside a branch of theUlster Bankon Culmore Road inDerry.Two police officers were slightly injured in the blast, which also damaged a hotel and other businesses. Several telephone warnings were received an hour prior to the blast allowing police to cordon off the area.[87]The RIRA later claimed responsibility in a telephone call to theDerry Journal.[88]

A large Real IRA explosives dump and arms cache were discovered inDunleer,County Louth by Gardaí in October 2010, following a weekend of searches and arrests in the east of the country.[89]In addition, two Real IRA men were charged in Dublin's non-jury Special Criminal Court of membership of an illegal organisation.[citation needed]The Real IRA claimed responsibility for kidnapping and shooting dead of one of their members, Kieran Doherty, for alleged drug dealing.[90]Further seizures of the group's arms and explosives by the Gardaí in 2012 and 2013 led to over a dozen more arrests.[91]In 2011 Michael Campbell, brother of Liam, was found guilty inVilnius,Lithuania,of trying to purchase arms and explosives[92]and was sentenced to twelve years in prison. In October 2013 Campbell was freed on appeal, only to have theSupreme Court of Lithuaniaorder a retrial in June 2014.[needs update]Campbell has maintained his innocence, accusing British intelligence of attempting to frame him.[93]

Since 2012: merger and beyond ( "New IRA" )[edit]

Main article:New Irish Republican Army
Real IRA graffiti on a road sign in Derry, 2012

On 26 July 2012, it was reported thatRepublican Action Against Drugs(RAAD) and other small republican militant groups were merging with the Real IRA. As before, the group would continue to refer to itself as "the Irish Republican Army",[94][95]though some media began to refer to the group as a "new IRA".[96][97][98]

Structure and status[edit]

The RIRA has a command structure similar to the Provisional IRA, with a seven-member Army Council consisting of a chief of staff, quartermaster general, director of training, director of operations, director of finance, director of publicity, and adjutant general.[6]: 40–45 The rank-and-file members operate inactive service unitsofcovert cellsto prevent the organisation from being compromised by informers. In June 2005, the organisation was believed to have a maximum of about 150 members, according to a statement by theIrish Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform,Michael McDowell.[99]

The RIRA also has political wings: the32 County Sovereignty Movement(formerly the 32 County Sovereignty Committee), led by Francis Mackey,[100]and unregistered political partySaoradh,led by Brian Kenna.[101]

The RIRA is distinct from theContinuity IRA,another Provisional IRA splinter group founded in 1986, although the two groups have been known to co-operate at a local level.[102]The Provisional IRA has been hostile to the RIRA and issued threats to RIRA members, and in October 2000 was alleged to be responsible for the fatal shooting of Belfast RIRA member Joe O'Connor according to O'Connor's family and 32 County Sovereignty Movement memberMarian Price.[5]: 320–321 [103]

Organisations called "Irish Republican Army" are illegal in both UK law[104]and Irish law;[105][106]both proscriptions have been held to apply to the RIRA as to other groups of the name.[105][107]Membership in the organisation is punishable by a sentence of up to ten years' imprisonment under UK law.[108]On May 16, 2001, the United States government designated the RIRA (and its aliases) as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization"(FTO).[109]This makes it illegal for Americans toprovide material supportto the RIRA, requires American financial institutions to freeze the group's assets, and denies suspected RIRA members visas into the United States.[110]

Funding[edit]

See also:Paramilitary finances in the Troubles

In 2014,Forbesmagazine estimated the group's annual turnover at US$50 million.[111]According to the police in Northern Ireland, the main sources of the Real IRA's funding are illegal fuel operations and various smuggling activities.[112]Illicit cigarettes were also said to be a significant source of income for the group.[113]There are also other significant sources of funding from the group, including funding from sympathisers based in the US and other countries.[114]

Weaponry[edit]

The RIRA initially took small amounts ofmaterielfrom Provisional IRA arms dumps under the control of McKevitt and other former Provisional IRA members, including theplastic explosiveSemtex,Uzisubmachine guns,AK-47assault rifles,handguns, detonators and timing devices.[6]: 321 [7][22]: 382–383 The defection of senior Provisional IRA members also gave the RIRA the ability to manufacture home-made explosives and improvised mortars, including theMark 15 mortarcapable of firing a 200-pound (91 kg) shell.[6]: 183 [7]

In 1999, the organisation supplemented its equipment by importing arms from Croatia, including military explosiveTM500,CZ Model 25submachine guns, modified AK-47 assault rifles with a folding stock, and RPG-18 andRPG-22rocket launchers[22]: 382, 440 but a July 2000 attempt to smuggle a second consignment of arms was foiled by Croatian police, who seized seven RPG-18s, AK-47 assault rifles, detonators, ammunition, and twenty packs of TM500.[22]: 384 [24]

In 2001,RIRA memberstravelled toSlovakiato procure arms, and were caught in asting operationby the British security agencyMI5.The men attempted to purchase five tonnes of plastic explosives, 2,000 detonators, 500 handguns, 200 rocket-propelled-grenades, and alsowire-guided missilesand sniper rifles. Three men from County Louth were arrested and extradited to the UK and subsequently imprisoned for 30 years each after pleading guilty to conspiring to cause explosions and other charges.[115]

In June 2006, the PSNI made arrests following anMI5sting operation targeting a dissident republican gun smuggling plot. The RIRA had attempted to procure arms from France including Semtex andC-4plastic explosives,SA-7surface-to-air missiles,AK-47s, rocket launchers, heavy machine guns, sniper rifles, pistols with silencers, anti-tank weapons and detonators.[22]: 390 [116]On 30 June 2010, two of those arrested were found guilty following a trial by judge in Belfast. On 1 October 2010, one man was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment for attempting to import weapons and explosives, while the other was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for making a Portuguese property available for the purpose of terrorism.[117][118]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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External links[edit]

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