Did the IRA wear military uniforms?

[saoirse]

Clearly you seem to enjoy threads of this nature, and usually contribute in the same ill-informed manner.

Just remember this - the PIRA is an illegal organisation, it has been responsible for thousands of murders and other acts of terrorism(over used word) . It is also responsible for extortion, drugs importation/distribution, bank raids etc., etc. This is not a paramilitary army as you so wrongly described it, the PIRA and it's later offshoots are illegal pure and simple.

Any proof?

[CruddyLeper]

The PIRA are terrorists and criminal thugs, pure and simple.

Sadly not the only groups in Northern Ireland to use those methods - any number of Loyalist thugs who murder, deal drugs, deal weapons, demand protection money etc etc etc.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or the Republican terrorists or the Loyalist terrorists?

[saoirse]

Sadly not the only groups in Northern Ireland to use those methods - any number of Loyalist thugs who murder, deal drugs, deal weapons, demand protection money etc etc etc.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or the Republican terrorists or the Loyalist terrorists?

Hear of ‘the rape of the Falls’.
It refers to the Falls Road in Belfast which at the time ‘belonged’ to the Sticks (OIRA) who weren’t interested in fighting the crown forces. That action turned the civilians against the British and so their support was given to the provies. “They used a Scottish regiment that was largely Protestant and they took holy pictures off the walls and stuck them down toilets. They broke crucifixes and threw furniture out into the street.”
These actions were what the provies and Adams wanted. On numerous occasions, at other areas, the IRA was held back from engaging the British in order for the youth in a certain street to get a taste of British brutality which would radicalise them.

[Thunder]

ok i am srry but what is the ira

nevermind i used wikipidia

Someone say "sigh, kids nowadays..." please, I'm not old enough to do so.

[DeltaWhisky58]

Using that logic, the SAS and COP teams were the ultimate cowards. Did you expect volunteers to gather in a field and engage the British using Napoleonic field
Manoeuvres?
I suppose you think the murderers in the MRF were decent, law abiding military personnel.

Any proof?

Hear of ‘the rape of the Falls’.
It refers to the Falls Road in Belfast which at the time ‘belonged’ to the Sticks (OIRA) who weren’t interested in fighting the crown forces. That action turned the civilians against the British and so their support was given to the provies. “They used a Scottish regiment that was largely Protestant and they took holy pictures off the walls and stuck them down toilets. They broke crucifixes and threw furniture out into the street.”
These actions were what the provies and Adams wanted. On numerous occasions, at other areas, the IRA was held back from engaging the British in order for the youth in a certain street to get a taste of British brutality which would radicalise them.

Aren't you splitting hairs here - the fact is that the PIRA, of whom you seem to be very keen, are an illegal organisation full stop. As for proof, I don't need to provide any and have no intention of doing so - however I doubt you can prove they didn't.

This forum is no place for supporters of terror.

Sadly not the only groups in Northern Ireland to use those methods - any number of Loyalist thugs who murder, deal drugs, deal weapons, demand protection money etc etc etc.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or the Republican terrorists or the Loyalist terrorists?

I agree with you 100% - some of the so-called loyalist organisations are equally illegal and cowardly in my view.

[Name Taken]

The troubles are all about who control the guns now. If you control the weapons, you control the drug trade. That also opens up avenues for extortion, prostitution, and surprisingly, petrol smuggling.

[Royal]

Using that logic, the SAS and COP teams were the ultimate cowards. Did you expect volunteers to gather in a field and engage the British using Napoleonic field
Manoeuvres?
I suppose you think the murderers in the MRF were decent, law abiding military personnel.

Thank you and good bye. Fienian scum.

[DeltaWhisky58]

Thank you and good bye. Fienian scum.

No loss there.

[Jurpula]

What's up with IRA today? I mean have they given up arms completely or are factions such as PIRA still active?

[HOLLiS]

Sadly not the only groups in Northern Ireland to use those methods - any number of Loyalist thugs who murder, deal drugs, deal weapons, demand protection money etc etc etc.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or the Republican terrorists or the Loyalist terrorists?

Cruddy, does it matter, terrorist de-legitimize any struggle for freedom or opposing forces.

[Bobcharge]

It depends on how you define "uniforms."

I would say that the PIRA did not wear uniforms as they had no official dress code. Of course, at funerals, for effect, members of the honour guard wore matching military fatigues but as these differed from occasion to occasion I cannot see them as "official uniforms" per se. The only consistent bit of uniform was the general black beret worn with a pin badge depicting a lily: the sign of the Easter Uprising.

The videos that are mentioned are propaganda films of training excercises where volunteers are shown wearing a mish mash of combat fatigues. If you count these as uniforms, then surely you could argue that the common dress of the urban IRA units such as the Derry Brigade in the late 70s, early 80s of drain piped and flared trousers and big parka coats could be counted as uniforms. On operations out in rural areas there are examples of volunteers wearing combat fatigues. Francis Hughes is an example of this.

During the war the original Irish Republican Army (Irish Citizen Army and Irish Volunteers) did have uniforms, at least for the top brass.......





The design was carried over into the Free State Army.

Those photographs are not of the IRA, but of the Free State Army. For certain, the picture of Michael Collins was taken during the Civil War.

For those interested, there is a book published in the Osprey style called "The Volunteer: Uniforms, Weapons and History of the Irish Republican Army 1913 - 1917" which deals with this subject. It is not very good though and the paintings are appalling!

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Or the Republican terrorists or the Loyalist terrorists?

Loyalists, with the evolution of the UVF in 1914. If you're interested solely in the current round of the conflict, "The Troubles", then Loyalists again, with the bombings and riots dating back to 1966, and the gathering of paramilitary community groups that led to the formation of the Ulster Defence Association.

In fact, part of the reason the the Provisional IRA came about to defend the catholic community from attacks by Loyalists, the Police and State-sponsored Paramilitaries.

[Bobcharge]

What's up with IRA today? I mean have they given up arms completely or are factions such as PIRA still active?

Official IRA - Long since disbanded.
Provisional IRA - "Put their weapons beyond use", decomissioning.
Real IRA - Setting a few shops on fire here and there.
Continuity IRA - Reject the GFA and still believe in the legitamacy of armed struggle, but don't do anything about it.
Irish National Liberation Army - Don't believe in the GFA but accept it and are on ceasefire.

[Royal]

If you're interested solely in the current round of the conflict, "The Troubles", then Loyalists again, with the bombings and riots dating back to 1966, and the gathering of paramilitary community groups that led to the formation of the Ulster Defence Association.

So what were the OIRA doing murdering soldiers, policemen and civilians in the 40's & 50's - as well as supporting nazi spying and sabotage efforts during WWII?

In fact, part of the reason the the Provisional IRA came about to defend the catholic community from attacks by Loyalists, the Police and State-sponsored Paramilitaries.

The Provo's came about because they believed that the Officials (the Stickies) had gone soft and were not prosectuting the 'war' because the British military had deployed to defend the catholic ghettos against the UDA and other loyalists...

There have been no state sponsored paramilitaries - or police attacks on catholics since before the civil war.

Take one for flaming.

[Bobcharge]

So what were the OIRA doing murdering soldiers, policemen and civilians in the 40's & 50's - as well as supporting nazi spying and sabotage efforts during WWII?

**** knows, I'm not expert. The distinction of the Official IRA came into existence in 1969 with the formation of the Provisionals. Before that there was only the IRA.

I don't understand the relevance of this question to my point.

The Provo's came about because they believed that the Officials (the Stickies) had gone soft and were not prosectuting the 'war' because the British military had deployed to defend the catholic ghettos against the UDA and other loyalists...

The British Army was not deployed until at August 1969, 6 months after the formation of the Provisional Army Council, so there's an error in your continuity for a start.

There have been no state sponsored paramilitaries - or police attacks on catholics since before the civil war.

Rightttttt okayyyyy. End of debate.

[Royal]

End of debate.

Indeed it is.