XIII Международная студенческая научная конференция Студенческий научный форум - 2021

The term “IRA” (the Irish Republican Army) means a military terroristic alignment fighting for independence of the Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom. This organization uses different ways to achieve its goals: terroristic and armed attacks as well as propaganda.

The IRA’s appearing is connected with the public unrest which began in 1914 – the year when Home Rule, prescribing the rights of the Irishmen, was adopted. The unrest spread throughout Ireland and eventually led to the Civil War of 1917-1923. 1919 is the year of the Irish Republican Army creation which was led by Ernie O'Malley, who moved the IRA's activities to the south of Ireland [1].

In the early 20s of the last century the IRA was engaged in fierce fighting. But after the normalization of relationships between Ireland and the UK, many members of the group defected to the side of the new government. The remaining participants had to go underground.

Later the IRA terrorists moved their operations to the Northern Ireland, which was a part of the UK. They believed that it should be a part of the independent Irish Republic.

For many years the members of the IRA had been in the shadows. It was only in the early 70s when they reminded of themselves. The fact is that in the beginning of these years, the Northern Ireland was trying to resolve the issue of its independence from the UK. Many Irishmen participated in the civil rights movement. On January 30, 1972 several thousand of Irishmen went to the Bishop's field rally. On one of the streets of Bogside, they came across British paratroopers who refused to give them a way and opened fire against them. As a result, 13 people were killed, and the incident itself went down in history as “Bloody Sunday”. After that the IRA declared that it would take revenge on the British and for several years it had been leading a “hidden struggle” against the British government [2].

But the most notable actions against the British government aimed at gaining Ulster independence was carried out in the form of attempted assassinations on well-known political figures of the UK. The first attempted assassination occurred in August 27, 1979 when Luin Mounbetten was killed. The IRA called this action “execution”. On the same day, the IRA ambushed in the castle in Warrenpoint, where there was a garrison of British soldiers. There were two explosions that killed eighteen British soldiers. Irish terrorists openly called this act “revenge for Bloody Sunday” [3]. This was the largest attack by the IRA during the Northern Ireland conflict.

The IRA's struggle for independence of the Northern Ireland continued in the 1980s. Attempted murder of the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1984 assumed an international scale. The IRA believed that by killing her, they would weaken Britain's influence in their region but their plan had failed.

After that event the IRA had been fighting for the independence of the Northern Ireland for a long time. They attacked British garrisons, set off explosions at the British Embassy and held other actions, thinking that this was the only way to get the British out of their region. In the 90s after reaching a number of agreements, the IRA withdrew from the political arena. A free crossing zone was created between the Republic of Ireland and the Northern Ireland.

But taking into account the fact that Ireland is a member of the EU and with the UK leaving from the Union problems are sure to arise, the IRA may take up arms again [4].

List of references:

Hart P.The IRA at War, 1916–1923.Oxford, 2003. P.31

McGuffin Jh. The Guineapigs. San Francisco,1974.

Shoot to Kill – Transcript. BBC (2000).

URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4-lRTYxiHQ