Table of Contents
What were the aims of the Official IRA?
The Official Irish Republican Army or Official IRA (OIRA; Irish: Óglaigh na hÉireann) was an Irish republican paramilitary group whose goal was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a “workers’ republic” encompassing all of Ireland.
Who gave guns to the IRA?
George Harrison
The two main sources of weaponry for the IRA have been the USA and Libya. The main gun-running network in the USA was controlled by a veteran Irish Republican called George Harrison.
What weapons did the IRA have?
Therefore, the IRA used what were available: shotguns, pistols and, when they obtained, them rifles. They did not have machine guns or artillery and were greatly outnumbered by the crown forces when it came to firepower.
Did the IRA fight in ww2?
During the Second World War, the IRA hoped for support from Germany to strike against Britain. Seán Russell travelled to Germany in 1940 to canvass for arms. He became ill and died on board a German U-boat which was bringing him back to Ireland in August that year along with Frank Ryan (see Operation Dove).
What happened to the IRA after the war?
IRA officially disarms. Two months after announcing its intention to disarm, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) gives up its weapons in front of independent weapons inspectors. The decommissioning of the group s substantial arsenal took place in secret locations in the Republic of Ireland.
Why did the IRA refuse to give up their weapons?
A ceasefire had been in place since 1997, and although they continued to abide by it, the IRA initially refused to give up their weapons. This stalled the peace process for almost six years.
Who were the IRA and what did they do?
Originally founded in 1919 to militarily oppose British rule in Ireland, the IRA had operated since about the 1960s as the military arm of Sinn Fein, the Irish nationalist political party.
What was the Provisional IRA’s strategy for winning the war?
The Provisional IRA’s strategy was to use force to cause the collapse of the government of Northern Ireland and to inflict such casualties on the British forces that the British government would be forced by public opinion to withdraw from Ireland.