Continuity Irish Republican Army

The Continuity Irish Republican Army (CIRA) is an Irish Republican military organisation (which supporters recognise as the National Army of the 32-County Irish Republic) that split from the Provisional IRA in 1986. The Provisional IRA supported a motion at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis (party conference) to drop the policy of abstentionism and take seats in the Oireachtas, the parliament of the Republic of Ireland.

Related Topics:
Irish Republican - Provisional IRA - 1986 - Sinn Féin - Abstentionism - Oireachtas - Republic of Ireland

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Opponents of the motion contended that it was unconstitutional and established themselves as a separate body, claiming to a rump continuation of the legitimate IRA and regarding the Provisionals as having left the movement. Some members of the Army Executive reconstituted themselves as the Continuity Executive and then appointed the Continuity Army Council. Amongst those who split the Provisionals was Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, the former President of Provisional Sinn Féin who had headed the Provos during the similar split from the Official IRA in 1970 over the abandonment of abstentionism. The CIRA believe that, according to the IRA constitution, they are legitimate, while the PIRA betrayed the cause.

Related Topics:
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh - Official IRA - 1970

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(Source: "The Long War" by Brendan O'Brien.) (ISBN 0862786061)

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The CIRA claims to be the legitimite continuation of the 'Irish Republican Army' or Óglaigh na hÉireann, or the IRA. However the term is far more commonly used in a contemporary context to refer to the Provisionals' now defunct military body (known as the PIRA). Other self-styled "IRAs" include the Real IRA (RIRA).

Related Topics:
Irish Republican Army - PIRA - Real IRA

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Following the Provisional ceasefire in 1994 the Continuity IRA became active. The CIRA announced its intention to continue the struggle against British rule, well before the formation of the so-called "Real IRA". The CIRA continues to oppose the Stormont Agreement and, unlike the Provisional IRA (and the Real IRA in 1998), as of 2005 the CIRA has not announced a ceasefire or agreed to participate in weapons decommissioning - nor is there any evidence that they will. On 13 July 2004, the US government designated the CIRA as an "FTO" ("Foreign Terrorist Organisation") although there was no evidence that they planned to attack the USA http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/45454.htm, thereby making it illegal for Americans to provide material support to it, requiring US financial institutions to block the group's assets, and denying alleged CIRA members visas into the US.

Related Topics:
1994 - "Real IRA" - 1998 - 2005 - 13 July - 2004

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The CIRA claim to be the true inheritors of an Irish Republican tradition that includes the 'Old' Irish Republican Army that fought the 1919-1921 War of Independence, and claims to have attained legitimacy as such from the Executive of the Second Dáil (recognised in this claim by Tom Maguire, the last surviving member of the Second Dáil), as the continuation of the IRA before this. However, these claims are disputed by most Republicans.

Related Topics:
Irish Republican Army - 1919 - 1921 - War of Independence - Tom Maguire - Second Dáil

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Recently, many incarcerated members of the Continuity IRA have left the organization over allegations of alcohol and drug use by prisoners and issues with the leadership. Supporters of the leadership claim that there was an internal disagreement, however when it was settled some people left the movement anyway.

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• Activities: Suspected CIRA activities have included numerous bombings, assassinations and kidnappings, as well as extortion and robbery. Targets of the CIRA have included British military and locally-recruited Crown Forces (RUC, etc.), as well as Loyalist death squads. It has also set off bombs in towns in the north of Ireland. The group claims to be the only military group in Ireland never to have yet killed or targeted a civilian. As of 2004, the CIRA is not believed to have an established presence or capability of launching attacks on the island of Britain.
• Strength: In 2004 the United States (US) government believed the CIRA to consist of fewer than fifty fully active members. In 2005, Irish Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform Michael McDowell told Leinster House that the organisation had a maximum of 150 members http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=DAL20050623.xml&Node=H10-1#H10-1.
• External aid: The US government suspected the CIRA of receiving funds and arms from supporters in the United States. It is also believed that, in cooperation with the so-called "Real IRA", the CIRA may have acquired arms and material from the Balkans.