A Broad Church: The Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland, 1969–1980

Description

This groundbreaking book is the first to detail, with startling new revelations, just how integral the Republic of Ireland was to the Provisional IRA’s campaign at every level. The sheer level of sympathy and support that existed for militant republicanism in Southern Irish society demonstrates that the longevity of the ‘Troubles’ was due in large part to this widespread tolerance and aid.

No Irish political party was without members who aided the Provisional IRA in their early years of their campaign, as former IRA volunteers attest to in interviews and previously unpublished accounts of training camps in the Republic.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, and juries often celebrated with or congratulated the defendants: in discussion with the British government Taoiseach Jack Lynch even named judges who were deemed overly sympathetic to the IRA.

The extent of activity, training, financing, armed robberies, demonstrations and goodwill for the IRA in the Irish Republic is rarely if ever acknowledged in Irish mainstream media or the education curriculum. A Broad Church: The Provisional IRA in the Republic of Ireland, 1969–1980 will dramatically change that view forever.

Table of Contents

Introduction
1. The Split and Emergence of the Provisional Republican Movement, 1962–9
2. The Formation and Nature of Southern Provisional Republicanism, 1970
3. Campaign Escalation and Internment
4. Explosion, 1972
5. Stalemate and Peace Overtures, 1973–4
6. The Truce and Restructure, 1975–7
7. Assassination. Escalation? 1978–80
Conclusion

About the Author

Gearóid Ó Faoleán was awarded a PhD in Modern Irish History from the University of Limerick in 2014 and currently works in scholarly publishing in London. He is a member of the Oral History Network of Ireland and The Irish Association of Professional Historians.