Why did you not join the IRA?

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553093#Comment_119553093

No party represents the views of the majority, that is why no party has an electoral majority.

Most European political parties do not represent the views of the majority, as most european democracies are built on coalitions nowadays

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553224#Comment_119553224

According to their detractors, SF was and is the political wing of the PIRA. One of the 2 groups must be right.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553242#Comment_119553242

The IRA - or whoever their successors are. People always say SF are still the political front of republican terrorists. Do you disagree with this idea?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119552740#Comment_119552740

They didn't enjoy any support at the time.

SF only got political support after they declared a ceasefire.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058261287/why-did-you-not-join-the-ira

The easy cowardly thing to do at the time was to join the PIRA. Get in the gang and get your rocks off showing people what a big man you were.

The brave ones were the likes of John Hume and Seamus Mallon who stood for peace. Other brave people were the likes of Jean McConville and others who refused to bow down to the local terrorist thugs and paid a price for it.

backwards_man

I am Irish, almost 50 and I have never asked myself that question. Nor have I ever read about anyone asking Gerry Adams that question - genuinely curious what was his answer? Also nobody ever asked me or suggested to me that I should join. I dont know anyone who was in the IRA.

Had I lived up north as an adult during the 60s (I wasnt alive) and 70s (i was a baby), I likely would have felt some pressure to at least make some sort of stand against what was going on, or to join. I am not sure I would have joined as I abhor violence and I dont like being a member of organisations in general, doing the bidding of people at the top. I likely would have left the north and moved somewhere else where I would not have felt that pressure.

I am indifferent to a united ireland and I think the north should break away from GB and become their own country and join the EU. They would get billions to sort themselves out and build an economy and hopefully find an identity of their own mutually acceptable to them all.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553293#Comment_119553293

This is a thread about the PIRA. You dragged PSF into the thread.

One minute people dont want to link PSF and the PIRA. Next minute they are using PSF current popularity as if that was the case during the troubles?

After the GFA then PSF started to get support.

markodaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553293#Comment_119553293

The IRA - or whoever their successors are. People always say SF are still the political front of republican terrorists. Do you disagree with this idea?

So in your opinion, the IRA is still there. Yet, SF is telling us the boys in West Belfast are gone away.

Which is it?

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553297#Comment_119553297

That must explain why they got MPs elected in 83, 87 pre ceasefire.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553329#Comment_119553329

Sure they are one in the same. Unless you dispute that SF are the political wing of the provos?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553336#Comment_119553336

I have no affliation with SF so I dont see what relevance their statements have. I asked you a question earlier and you seem to have missed it. Let me repeat so you dont miss it this time:

People always say SF are still the political front of republican terrorists. Do you disagree with this idea?

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553361#Comment_119553361

Thread is about PIRA

Not sure why you felt the need to drag in SF.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553323#Comment_119553323

I agree. Everyone telling the people of the North they should be in UK or Ireland

Let them decide.....

griffin100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119551816#Comment_119551816

What should have been the response to the invention by these brave Irish volunteers of the proxy bomb - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proxy_bomb

The attempts to rewrite history regarding NI and associated issues as we head towards a GE is certainly keeping the SF press office busy.

maccored

I would have been in the perfect demographic to join the IRA, but I was too chicken. Brokenangel's rubbish about the IRA not having support is just that - rubbish. rather then reading info about it, it would have better for brokenangel if they had been there at the time. might have gleaned at least some form of authentic angle on it

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553494#Comment_119553494

I lived in the North.

Also lived along the border in the South for years as well so seen the carry on first hand.

👍️

Dyr

Still imagine if you had signed up and then did a twenty year stretch for the glorious victory of having SF running NI for the Brits and the occasional march around a graveyard.

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553566#Comment_119553566

We can only dream of that lost future where NI is still a sectarian statelet with gerrymandered voting so that catholics get less representation, and loyalists can attack who they want with the backings of the police. If only those pesky IRA volunteers hadnt ruined things.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553642#Comment_119553642

The PIRA achieved nothing. Apart from killing people in all communities in the Northern, Republic, England etc

In the end the GFA was made by politicians. Since the GFA the people of Northern Ireland have managed to prosper but are still held back by bad politicians but that is a different discussion.

Running drugs, washing diesel, punishment beatings, indiscriminate bombings etc etc, is that what you think the people of Northern Ireland wanted?

Dyr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553642#Comment_119553642

NI is still gerrymandered and the UVF still exist and are still at it,unlike the RA.

still though, equaliteee and HM gov funded jobs as community workers. Chuckee or MLA

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553642#Comment_119553642

Ahh yes, because that's how things have played out elsewhere with similar colonial possessions. It's just as likely that the social/union movements of the 70s/80s would have propelled N.Ireland towards a more equitable society without all the violence brought about by the IRA and associated groups. The simple truth is that we have no idea how N.Ireland would have turned out without all the paramilitary violence. It's just as possible that those in the North might have found a common middle ground, along with a decline in the hate/contempt shown by unionists or the British themselves.

IRA supporters never want to acknowledge the environment they participated in creating, embracing the convenience of passing all responsibility over to the British. God forbid, that you recognise that the violence, in spite of all the justifications, encouraged bitterness, the narrowing of perspectives and a wide range of reprisals.

Personally, I suspect N.Ireland would have turned out much better today, if the IRA had never existed there. Between political pressure from the South, and the range of social movements from the 60s onwards, without the bullwark of a violent history, progress would have happened anyway.

----

OP, by the time I was born (70s) no amount of propaganda could hide how the IRA behaved.. so, no.. I was never tempted to join or support the IRA.

freshpopcorn

The Balaclava would have make my face itchy.

I'm a nervous/giddy/jumpy person. So, I wouldn't be the best with a gun.

I don't like parking in tight or crowded spaces. So, I'd live the car with the bomb in it miles away.

I can sometimes can over share stuff.

brokenangel

The brave people in Northern Ireland was the like of John Hume who went out to fight for justice the right way.

So the question should be

"that I would have had the guts and balls to also have joined the likes of John Hume"

Or something similar.....

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553297#Comment_119553297

factually incorrect on both counts.

the IRA had quite substantial support, few were going to admit to it for obvious reasons.

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553862#Comment_119553862

So you admit that we cant possibly know how things would have gone were the IRA not around, but youre sure it would have turned out better than today? lol

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553665#Comment_119553665

the IRA achieved.

over throw of the sectarian, unionist dominated and ruled state.

more or less equal rights for all (work still to be done but it is almost there)

the decision over a UI to be decided by the people rather then the british government.

brought the british army to a stalemate and the british government to the table to discuss an actual solution.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553384#Comment_119553384

they will be deciding.

however being part of the UK or ireland are the only options available.

there will be no separate NI state as it has been tried and it failed spectacularly.

super_furry

I like the Archers too much.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119551816#Comment_119551816

Root them all out, from both sides. Pack them on an old knackered cruiser and launch it towards Iceland. Blow it up half way..

Good riddance from the POV of the ordinary citizen.

maccored

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119553532#Comment_119553532

then you should be well aware of how incorrect your statement was. Could be you're being ultracrepidarian all the same.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554697#Comment_119554697

New word of the day "ultracrepidaria"

Had to google that one, I guess you think it is a derogatory word to use so will let you off.

Anyway my point is 100% correct. Thanks anyway.

The real hero's are the John Hume of Northern Ireland!!!!!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554622#Comment_119554622

Then the lessons have been learned and will not be repeated

The choices been pushed at the moment is United ireland or not. That should not be the only option

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554601#Comment_119554601

IRA achieved none of that. PIRA never got the British Army to the table. Baffling you think PIRA got the British Army to the table, I think you should have a read of history.

John Hume achieved that.....

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554535#Comment_119554535

Admit? I pointed out that we don't know what would have happened... you didn't raise the point. If anyone was to admit anything, it would be you. Not that I think you will.

I think the people killed by the IRA would have positively contributed more to the North, than their dying.. Explain to me how all those people dying is the better outcome?

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119554753#Comment_119554753

Why so defensive? You pointed out/admitted/stated that we dont know what would have happened. "If anyone was to admit anything, it would be you" - what are you on about?

I think the people killed by the IRA would have positively contributed more to the North, than their dying.. Explain to me how all those people dying is the better outcome?

Some of them certainly may have contributed more alive than dead, others it was likely justified. However were they not to die in the IRAs campaign of terror, who knows if we ever would have gotten to the relatively stable and peaceful situation in NI today. You yourself admitted pointed out that cant possibly know what would have happened, so again why are you so sure that all the people who died would have improved NI more than their dying?

In one breath you recognise our lack of omniscience on the situation, and in the next assert that the victims of the IRA would have all contributed more had they not been killed? See the contradiction?

joseywhales

When I was 17 I briefly considered applying to the cadets, that would be the only military organisation that I would have ever considered. I'm pretty glad I didn't now, not that I would have been chosen. What I've learned as I've got older is not to put my faith in the control of others. At least in the professional military the leadership would be responsible, the ira not so much I think.