Tag Archives: northern ireland

Ireland’s Wars: 1972 Campaigns And Ceasefires

Bloody Sunday was not the sole reason why recruitment and support for organisations like the Official Irish Republican Army or the Provisional Irish Republican Army in this period began to truly skyrocket, but it has been acknowledged by many senior … Continue reading

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Ireland’s Wars: 1971 And PIRA’s First Campaign

The deteriorating situation in Northern Ireland as 1970 ended and 1971 began was summed up nicely by two well-publicised quotes from Reginald Maulding, then Home Secretary. In a news conference Maulding used the unfortunate phrase “an acceptable level of violence” … Continue reading

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Ireland’s Wars: The St Matthews Shoot-Out And The Falls Curfew

The Troubles can be said to have begun in August 1969, when the simmering tension within Northern Ireland exploded. It was not the first time that this had happened, but it was the most persistent and the most deadly bout … Continue reading

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Ireland’s Wars: August 1969 Outside Of Derry

The Battle of the Bogside was just the beginning. Soon after the initial clashes of the Catholic residents with the RUC and the Orange Order, things would quickly spill over into the rest of Northern Ireland. This was most especially … Continue reading

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Ireland’s Wars: The Battle Of The Bogside

In August of 1969 it can be said that the long-running conflict known as the Troubles truly began. That month events in Northern Ireland finally moved well beyond what the Belfast government and its security forces were in a position … Continue reading

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Ireland’s Wars: The Ulster Volunteer Force

For the last while, when it comes to the military history of Northern Ireland, we have been very focused on the IRA, its spin-offs and the cause of militant republicanism. It’s perhaps only natural, given that in the time period … Continue reading

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Ireland’s Wars: The Border Campaign Continues

The Brookborough raid had been a decidedly mixed bag for the IRA: from an operational standpoint it had been a total disaster, but it had somehow managed to give the IRA a major propaganda coup in mass attendance funerals and … Continue reading

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Ireland’s Wars: Sean South And The Brookborough Barracks Attack

The Border Campaign had gotten off to a spectacular start. The IRA had hit numerous targets, made their opponents look ineffective, and even inflicted casualties while taking none of their own. Now, as 1957 began, the IRA was intent on … Continue reading

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Ireland’s Wars: The Border Campaign

In the latter weeks of 1956, buoyed by years of preparation beforehand and pushed by the activities of other groups, the IRA commenced with one of its most ambitious military operations since the Irish revolutionary period came to a close. … Continue reading

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Ireland’s Wars: Saor Uladh

If there is one repeating trait down the entire history of Irish militant republicanism, it is the tendency for the movement to factionalise. The bigger organisations, not least the Irish Republican Army, have always tended to have within their number … Continue reading

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