Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland

519:

were fired from a flatbed truck and hit the sleeping quarters. Afterward, three RUC officers were hurt by a booby-trap bomb planted in the truck. Two British soldiers were killed in IRA radio-controlled booby-trap bomb attacks while on foot patrol in Crossmaglen, County Armagh, and Dungannon, County Tyrone on 12 and 19 July 1978 respectively. Again in both cases, these explosives typically originated from the South. The following year on 19 March 1979, a British soldier was killed and eight others (including two civilian contractors) injured after a RUC barracks was hit by sustained mortar and rifle fire.

473:. From 31 October 1973 to March 1974, these mortar camps were held every four days, while the other three were devoted to manufacturing mortar rounds in the milking parlour and preparing for the next group of recruits. One newspaper at the end of 1973 noted that "nowadays, the Provos have home-produced mortars which are near professional"; they would soon earn the grudging respect of the British Army. These mortars were subsequently used in the 2 May 1974 755:"The sheer level of sympathy and support that existed for militant republicanism demonstrates that the longevity of the ‘Troubles’ was due in large part to this widespread tolerance and aid. Former IRA volunteers attest to in interviews and previously unpublished accounts of training camps in the Republic. Juried courts for IRA suspects were phased out as both juries and judges were regularly acquitting republicans in cases of blatant IRA activity." 357:, argued the charge was due to the ammunition being considered "buckshee" and it was common practice for officers to use less ammo for target practice that had originally been signed for. Furthermore, he claimed this was done so that extra ammo can be provided for trainees for more target practice. Eventually, Keohane was found guilty of nine of the 13 charges against him; he was severely reprimanded, discharged, and fined £25. 326: 258:, the Provisional IRA gained control of a majority of the stockpiled weaponry still held from previous IRA campaigns. It found that the stockpiles consisted mostly of pre-World War II small firearms from British and Irish armories ranging from Lee–Enfield, plus Bren light machine guns (LMG), a Thompson submachine gun (SMG), and Webley revolvers from British and Irish armories. In February 1970, the IRA raided a 181:, fuel laundering, rum-running, tobacco smuggling, armed robbery, and counterfeiting in Ireland and Britain as the primary sources of funding for both Republican and Loyalist militants throughout and after the Troubles, while "the sums involved are comparatively small". The committee estimated that the Provisional IRA made £5-8 million a year against annual spending of £1.5m to carry out its campaign. 427:). The British Army estimated by the summer of that year, 90% of the bombings involving HMEs originated from the South. These earliest crude devices were unreliable and many IRA volunteers were killed due to premature explosions. As a result, the IRA centralised manufacture of the chief components, and IRA engineers were required to have the training necessary to complete the devices properly. 690:, British intelligence continued to see that the IRA still enjoyed a relatively safe haven in the Republic of Ireland and that "The Irish security forces operating along the Irish border, namely the Irish Army and Garda Síochána, were reportedly 'ill-equipped and not particularly well-motivated to take an active role against the terrorists.'" British Prime Minister 768: 162:, taxi companies, and retail shops. Most or nearly all of the revenue for the IRA came from legitimate and criminal activities within Ireland, all which contributed to the longevity of the conflict as it enabled the group to buy enough guns and explosives. Overseas donations, including $ 12 million in cash from Libyan leader 611:

hampers the Army's freedom of movement, particularly in the border areas ... As this explosive is derived from agricultural fertiliser manufactured in the Republic, the key to the problem does seem to be to persuade the Irish authorities to stop manufacturing fertiliser based on the present 74% ammonium nitrate 26%

492:

In the mid-1970s, Irish-origin explosives were still being used in IRA devices and were occasionally turning up on the English mainland. Some could be traced by decoding the markings on the explosives wrappers – pinpointing exactly from which quarry in the Republic it had been acquired. And not only

468:

By August 1973, Light Machine Services were producing firearms and mortars; the latter was first used against British troops in County Tyrone that year. The result was considered unsatisfactory, so the IRA decided to establish training camps southwest of the Republic specifically to operate mortars.

518:

on 17 February 1978. IRA mortar training in the South also continued to show perfect results as well. On 23 January 1978, a number of British soldiers were wounded and had to be airlifted to hospital following an IRA mortar attack on the British Army/RUC base in Forkill, County Armagh. The mortars

406:

After the Irish government began cracking down on commercial explosives, IRA engineers began moving "to develop alternative supplies of explosives" in the Republic of what the media termed "bomb factories", the source for the vast majority of the explosions in the north and against England for the

401:

ome 60 percent of the gelignite used in Northern Ireland has come from Southern Ireland, and the security authorities believe that the figure might well be higher than that because of the difficulty of definite identification in all cases. In Northern Ireland steps are taken to control the use and

62:

came from criminal or legitimate activities in the Republic and Northern Ireland. Hundreds of training camps, safe houses, supply routes, and bomb factories were established in the South, with most being assisted for the IRA by Republic citizens. Many of the PIRA founders were from the South, and

459:

established dozens of "bomb factories" in the Republic. For example, in 1973, a Southern Irish man secretly representing IRA GHQ leased a factory in an industrial estate near Stannaway Road, County Dublin under the name "Light Machine Services"; it was in fact a secret IRA arms factory, with all

610:

n the last year some two in three of the deaths and injuries caused by terrorist bombs have been caused by homemade rather than commercial explosive. In addition the terrorists' continuing capability to manufacture the kind of very large bomb which is put in a culvert or at a roadside seriously

674:

A 1985 British Home Office report that more than six tons (12,793lbs) of explosives had either been intercepted or detonated across Northern Ireland. Again, 98% of this was HME that came from agricultural fertilisers in the Republic of Ireland. This resulted in a series of meetings between the

601:

report said that 88.7% of explosives used in Northern Ireland originated from the Republic of Ireland: 88% from fertilizers and 0.7% from commercial explosives. As with the previous decade, the IRA relied mostly on fertilizer bombs for the vast majority of its bombing campaign throughout the

450:

In past years, the I.R.A. got a lot of its explosives from the Irish Republic, often in donations from sympathetic builders or quarry operators. But as increased security dried up that source, the Provos have apparently begun manufacturing their own explosives, from commercially available

1049:

From its founding in 1969 until 1991, NORAID raised approximately $ 3.6 million for Irish republican causes, through a combination of testimonial fundraising dinners and an extensive campaign to solicit donations through direct mail, dinner-dance benefits, and "passing the hat" in Irish

70:

The Republic also had to deal with mostly small but hundreds of attacks by loyalist and republican paramilitaries in its territory, including bombings, prison escapes, kidnappings, and gun battles. The largest loss of life both in its territory and the entire conflict

464:

as "a centre for the manufacture of grenades, rockets and mortars. The Provisionals were careful to work 'nine to five' hours in order not to attract suspicion." It also expressed that "it must be presumed that other factories exist or are planned for this purpose."

1050:

American-owned businesses (such as bars) in major US cities.' This money was ostensibly to provide support for any number of causes related to Ireland and Irish republicanism, ranging from political activities to support to the families of imprisoned PIRA members

1016:

Estimated to have sent at total of $ 3.6 million to Ireland from 1970 to 1991, NORAID's contributions represented a small, but not insignificant, part of the IRA's income, which is estimated to have amounted to approximately $ 10 million a

50:

militants in their country as a major security risk and took steps to mitigate it. They censored representatives of such militants from appearing on television or radio by Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act, introduced the non-jury

505:

respectively. Some components would be intended for recreational or other use – such as video-gaming machines. Other items in production were a more advanced timing and power unit that could delay an explosion for over five days.

380:

was raided with 1,400 lbs of gelignite stolen, considerably more than 200 lbs stolen the previous year. Irish queries found out that ten substantial gelignite raids took place between 1 January 1971 and 12 January 1972.

698:

I can't seal the border. There is no way we can patrol the 500 miles ... Everyone there is an open border. I must send more young boys over to their deaths ... There is a borderline there but it is not an effective border.

364:, as well as detonators and safe fuses located. Southern IRA supporters and members who were familiar with these localities began to obtain these types of equipment. In April 1970, for example, three men were arrested in 203:

Volunteers are strictly forbidden to take any military action against 26 County forces under any circumstances whatsoever. The importance of this order in present circumstances especially in the border areas cannot be

444: 194: 514:, colloquially referred to as "box bombs" in the conflict, was one of the HMEs produced in large numbers in the Republic. They were eventually used in many IRA attacks on commercial targets, including the 1522: 332:

was a common explosive obtained by the IRA in the South for use in Northern Ireland. For example, it was behind the 48,000lbs of explosives detonated in Northern Ireland in the first six months of 1973

58:

Despite this, sympathetic Irish citizens and their territory itself provided the most external support to the IRA more than any nation, group or organisation. Nearly all of the PIRA finances that were

368:

with six sticks of gelignite, six detonators and four feet of fuse wire. In September 1971, 70 lbs of gelignite, 100 detonators and 200 safety fuses were stolen by the IRA from a line works near

615:

mix. In order to do this we must be able to offer some alternative fertiliser which is satisfactory from the industrial and agricultural point of view but which cannot be rendered into explosive.

542:. The two civilians were fishing in the area when they were fired upon. However, the attack was overshadowed the same day by the more infamous assassination of Louis Mountbatten. IRA volunteer 694:

regularly blasted Dublin and complained that the IRA was using the border "to move bombs over from the Republic of Ireland or to flee from security forces in Northern Ireland." She continued:

526:

when an IRA unit stationed at the South of the border blew up two huge loads of HMEs at a British Army convoy, killing 18 soldiers. In the immediate aftermath, British troops fired across the

30:(1969–1998). The country was seen as a safe haven for IRA members who used it to flee from British security forces, organize training and homemade weapons, and conduct attacks on British or 1237: 581:

assailed the “weak‐kneed Government in Dublin” for poor security, cooperation and extradition common throughout Europe. He said instead of striking enemies within Northern Ireland itself,

177:

in its 26 June 2002 report stated that "the importance of overseas donations has been exaggerated and donations from the USA have formed only a small portion of IRA income." It identified

67:

during the 1969-98 period. In spite of the harsh measures taken by the Irish government, there is little to no evidence these had any detrimental effect on IRA activities in the South.

510:

Towards the end of the 1970s, IRA production of HMEs in the South continued at a steady pace. IRA fatalities from premature explosions dropped from 31 in 1973 to two or fewer by 1978.

460:

employees being IRA members both from the Republic and Northern Ireland. A British report from its Dublin embassy in 1975 identified an IRA arms factory in the north Dublin village of

493:

explosives; other bomb components such as casings and micro-electronic switches, timer components and initiation circuitry equipment were found to be in production in factories in

190: 731:. Shortly afterwards, another South Fermanagh Brigade unit abandoned the attempt to detonate a 140lbs HME contained in a beer keg and a plastic container in the village of 349:" as well as 12 other charges including acting "to the prejudice of good order and conduct" between the dates of 1 and 20 of July 1971. Keohane's senior counsel and former 244: 555: 1596:

n attack on civilians that same day overshadowed the success. At Mullaghmore in County Sligo, on the far side of the country to Warrenpoint, Louis Mountbatten, for

360:

The primary and prominent source of arms in the Republic for the IRA was explosives. Mines, quarries, farms, and construction sites were where the explosive,

891: 350: 1251: 647:

t was agreed that the theft of the chemicals was a further demonstration of the increasing sophistication and scientific ability of the Provisional IRA.

386: 59: 1338: 174: 433:

reported that over 48,000 lbs of explosives had been detonated in Northern Ireland in the first six months of 1973, most of them IRA bombs. The

199:

To avoid alienating support within the Republic of Ireland, the IRA Southern Command issued General Order No.8, in which its first provision stated:

1795: 1612: 1294: 1747: 1157: 843: 170:

in America for the Republican cause (but not necessarily directly to the IRA coffers), were often over-exaggerated and actually really small.

1566: 1589: 1549: 1492: 1446: 1392: 1367: 1321: 1278: 896: 571: 125: 1774: 1730: 1699: 1668: 1643: 1421: 1120: 1042: 1009: 980: 603: 341:

was tried before the court-martial on the charge of "raudulently misapplying 391 rounds of .303 ammunition having drawn 1,500 rounds from

303: 443:

Besides rifles and machine guns, which they appear to have in abundance, the Provos’ principal weapons are bombs, like the one that they

294:

and stealing six firearms including rifles and 12-bore shotguns as well as 12,000 rounds of ammunition. In May 1970, Irish politicians

1063: 949: 402:

distribution of gelignite. Certain steps have been taken recently in the South, but there is a great need for much tighter measures.

543: 101: 18: 311: 134:(1969–1998), the IRA engaged in numerous illegal and semi-legitimate funding activities within the Republic of Ireland, such as 676: 789: 574:(Mountbatten's elder daughter's mother-in-law); his grandson Nicholas Knatchbull; and a 15-year-old crewmember Paul Maxwell. 474: 255: 727:

and transported across the border by multiple volunteers operating in relays, and consisted of both HME and Libyan-supplied

597:

HMEs of Southern Irish origin continued to flow into Northern Ireland and England throughout the 1980s. In 1981, a British

708: 578: 586: 113: 72: 64: 1215: 869: 408: 100:

Since the beginning of the war in 1969, a number of training camps in the Republic of Ireland were established by the

1177: 778: 538:, killing 29-year-old Londoner William Hudson and wounding his cousin Barry Hudson, a 25-year-old Irish native from 585:

should attack the Republic of Ireland in retaliation for IRA attacks originating from that country (e.g., the 1974

79:–an informal alliance of loyalist militants and British security forces–exploded no warning bombs in the cities of 55:

to easily prosecute the militants, and made it illegal to be members of certain Republican militant organisations.

1523:"Changes in counter-terrorism tactics resulting from the Warrenpoint Ambush during the Northern Ireland Conflict" 1234:

Reducing the Threat of Improvised Explosive Device Attacks by Restricting Access to Explosive Precursor Chemicals

515: 1567:"How IRA bomb which killed Lord Mountbatten ripped a hole in the lives of Lord and Lady Brabourne from Mersham" 1084: 275: 1085:

Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs - Part One: The continuing threat from paramilitary organisations

704: 680: 478: 279: 916: 259: 52: 1722: 1691: 687: 559: 429: 217: 1413: 1144: 407:

remainder of the conflict. By spring 1972, they successfully manufactured quantities of two types of

342: 213: 105: 931: 389:, said that "there is virtually a gelignite trail across the border", comparing it with the famous 1140: 972: 632: 271: 47: 22: 1617: 1343: 1034: 656: 523: 43: 1252:"In 1971, the UK government closed 100 Irish border crossings and cratered them with explosives" 1770: 1726: 1716: 1695: 1685: 1664: 1639: 1585: 1545: 1488: 1442: 1417: 1388: 1363: 1317: 1274: 1116: 1038: 1005: 976: 691: 612: 511: 469:

A local retired bachelor farmer in the area allowed the IRA to use his land and farmhouse for

390: 151: 1633: 1106: 1233: 1200: 720: 628: 485: 456: 420: 354: 208:

In spite of this order, IRA volunteers and members of the Irish security forces (namely the

147: 35: 723:

in Northern Ireland, killing 12 people and injuring many others. The bomb was assembled in

274:, two Bren guns, and six converted .303 rifles. Small arms were also reported missing from 1751: 1608: 1067: 953: 668: 582: 372:, with the help of local supporters who had knowledge of the area. Four months later, the 295: 224: 163: 31: 325: 1219: 1136: 873: 736: 664: 435: 382: 1718:

Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative Party and the Northern Ireland Conflict, 1975-1990

1687:

Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative Party and the Northern Ireland Conflict, 1975-1990

1789: 1339:"I.R.A. Terrorists, More Deadly Than Ever After Reorganization, Prove an Elusive Foe" 1102: 640: 620: 498: 377: 76: 1112: 950:"Libya: Extent of Gaddafi's financial support for IRA stunned British intelligence" 563: 535: 494: 346: 315: 155: 139: 131: 818: 1196: 278:

barracks, with one man receiving a six-month prison sentence for the theft of an

1508: 1462: 1163: 849: 732: 724: 716: 652: 624: 598: 567: 527: 394: 338: 319: 299: 267: 228: 159: 135: 1001: 904:(2). Stanford University Center for International Security and Cooperation: 8. 412: 307: 232: 216:) often clashed in the country which led to deaths and injuries. For example, 209: 112:, was responsible for maintaining these camps in the Republic and recruiting 823: 660: 373: 361: 329: 291: 282:. A substantial amount of rifle ammunition was also taken by IRA members at 178: 143: 1767:

A Broad Church 2: The Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland, 1980-1989

1661:

A Broad Church 2: The Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland, 1980-1989

1635:

A Broad Church 2: The Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland, 1980-1989

917:"Libyan leader Gaddafi's IRA support revealed in secret Irish State Papers" 819:"A Broad Church: The Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland, 1969–1980" 767: 619:

That same year, Irish police seized a large number of chemicals (including

1159:

Republic of Ireland played integral role in supporting IRA, says historian

845:

Republic of Ireland played integral role in supporting IRA, says historian

570:. Mountbatten was killed by the bomb blast along with three other people: 231:

delivery in 1996. In total, the Provisional IRA killed six Gardaí and one

1582: