IRA Army Council
Encyclopedia
The IRA Army Council was the decision-making body of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary
group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland
and the rest of the United Kingdom
. The council had seven members, said by the British and Irish governments to have included Gerry Adams
, the president of Sinn Féin
. The Independent Monitoring Commission
declared in 2008 that the council was "no longer operational or functional".
and under equivalent anti-terrorist legislation in the United Kingdom
, making membership of it a criminal offence. In the Republic, conviction for membership is possible in the Special Criminal Court, where three judges hear cases without a jury, on the evidence of a Garda
superintendent or higher rank, and carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment.
, some of whom, according to both the British and Irish governments, have sat on the Army Council, together with IRA members not known to be involved in illegal activities, have been effectively immune from prosecution in recent years in order to enable progress in the peace process
.
On 14 January 2005, Martin Ferris
(Sinn Féin party, TD
for North Kerry) was accused of being a member of the IRA Army Council in an article in The Irish Times
written by journalist Kevin Myers
. In the same article, Myers also accused members of Sinn Féin who had visited Downing Street
in December 2004, which included Gerry Adams, of sitting on the Army Council.
On February 20, 2005, Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell publicly named Ferris, Gerry Adams, and Martin McGuinness
MP, Sinn Féin's chief negotiator, as members of the Army Council during a radio interview. The three men issued a statement the next day denying the charge.
On 27 July 2005, Michael McDowell expressed his belief that Adams, McGuinness, and Ferris had recently (i.e., within the previous few days) left the IRA army council. However he also claimed that it was his opinion that this by itself did not necessarily amount to a permanent split between the two organisations.
named Thomas "Slab" Murphy as a prominent IRA member. Although Murphy denied the allegation, in 1998 he lost his resulting libel case against the newspaper.
At the General Army Convention in May 2005, The Sunday Times reported that the following changes were made to the IRA Army Council:
The Sunday Times reported in July 2005 that security sources believed that the current Army Council consisted of:
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
, more commonly known as the IRA, a paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
group dedicated to bringing about the end of the Union between Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and the rest of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The council had seven members, said by the British and Irish governments to have included Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
, the president of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
. The Independent Monitoring Commission
Independent Monitoring Commission
The Independent Monitoring Commission was an organization founded on 7 January 2004, by an agreement between the British and Irish governments, signed in Dublin on 25 November 2003...
declared in 2008 that the council was "no longer operational or functional".
Background
The IRA was a proscribed organization under the terms of the Offences Against the State Acts in the Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and under equivalent anti-terrorist legislation in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, making membership of it a criminal offence. In the Republic, conviction for membership is possible in the Special Criminal Court, where three judges hear cases without a jury, on the evidence of a Garda
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
superintendent or higher rank, and carries a maximum penalty of five years' imprisonment.
Relationship with Sinn Féin
Senior members of Sinn FéinSinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, some of whom, according to both the British and Irish governments, have sat on the Army Council, together with IRA members not known to be involved in illegal activities, have been effectively immune from prosecution in recent years in order to enable progress in the peace process
Northern Ireland peace process
The peace process, when discussing the history of Northern Ireland, is often considered to cover the events leading up to the 1994 Provisional Irish Republican Army ceasefire, the end of most of the violence of the Troubles, the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent political developments.-Towards a...
.
On 14 January 2005, Martin Ferris
Martin Ferris
Martin Ferris is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and a former Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Kerry North–West Limerick constituency since 2002 and is one of fourteen Sinn Féin representatives in the current Dáil.-Early life:Ferris was born in...
(Sinn Féin party, TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
for North Kerry) was accused of being a member of the IRA Army Council in an article in The Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
written by journalist Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers
Kevin Myers is an Irish journalist and writer. He writes for the Irish Independent and is a former contributor to The Irish Times, where he wrote the "An Irishman's Diary" opinion column several times weekly...
. In the same article, Myers also accused members of Sinn Féin who had visited Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
in December 2004, which included Gerry Adams, of sitting on the Army Council.
On February 20, 2005, Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell publicly named Ferris, Gerry Adams, and Martin McGuinness
Martin McGuinness
James Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
MP, Sinn Féin's chief negotiator, as members of the Army Council during a radio interview. The three men issued a statement the next day denying the charge.
On 27 July 2005, Michael McDowell expressed his belief that Adams, McGuinness, and Ferris had recently (i.e., within the previous few days) left the IRA army council. However he also claimed that it was his opinion that this by itself did not necessarily amount to a permanent split between the two organisations.
Membership
In 1985, The Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
named Thomas "Slab" Murphy as a prominent IRA member. Although Murphy denied the allegation, in 1998 he lost his resulting libel case against the newspaper.
At the General Army Convention in May 2005, The Sunday Times reported that the following changes were made to the IRA Army Council:
- Bernard Fox replaced Brian KeenanBrian Keenan (Irish republican)Brian Keenan was a former member of the Army Council of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who received an 18-year prison sentence in 1980 for conspiring to cause explosions, and played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace process.-Early life:The son of a member of the Royal Air Force,...
- Brian Arthurs and Sean Murray were named as possible replacements for Gerry AdamsGerry AdamsGerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
- Martin "Duckster" Lynch replaced Martin McGuinnessMartin McGuinnessJames Martin Pacelli McGuinness is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and the current deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. McGuinness was also the Sinn Féin candidate for the Irish presidential election, 2011. He was born in Derry, Northern Ireland....
- Martin FerrisMartin FerrisMartin Ferris is an Irish Sinn Féin politician and a former Provisional Irish Republican Army volunteer. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Kerry North–West Limerick constituency since 2002 and is one of fourteen Sinn Féin representatives in the current Dáil.-Early life:Ferris was born in...
was also reported to have stepped down
The Sunday Times reported in July 2005 that security sources believed that the current Army Council consisted of:
- Thomas "Slab" Murphy, chief of staff
- Brian Arthurs, Commander, Provisional IRA East Tyrone BrigadeProvisional IRA East Tyrone BrigadeThe East Tyrone Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army , also known as the Tyrone/Monaghan Brigade was one of the most active republican paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland during "the Troubles"...
- Bernard FoxBernard Fox (Irish republican)Bernard Fox is a former member of the Army Council of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike....
, a former hunger striker (on 24 September 2006, The Sunday Times reported that Fox had resigned from the Army Council) - Sean "Spike" Murray, from Belfast, OC of Northern Command
- Martin LynchMartin LynchMartin Lynch is a native of Belfast, Northern Ireland and was reportedly a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army Army Council. Not to be confused with the Belfast playwright of the same name, Lynch is alleged to have been the adjutant-general, who had day-to-day control of the IRA...
, Adjutant-general, an Adams supporter from Belfast - Brian GillenBrian GillenBrian "Ginger" Gillen is a volunteer in the Belfast Brigade of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and also a member of the IRA Army Council....
, from Belfast - A Dublin man who cannot be named for legal reasons
See also
- List of Irish Republican Army chiefs of staff
- Continuity Army Council
- Irish republican legitimatismIrish republican legitimatismA concept within Irish republicanism, Irish republican legitimatism denies the legitimacy of the political entities of Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and posits that the pre-partition Irish Republic continues to exist...
Sources
- A Secret History of the IRA, Ed Moloney, 2002. ISBN 0-393-32502-4
- "Irish minister says Adams is an IRA leader" by Angelique Chrisafis, The Guardian, February 21, 2005
- "We are not IRA members, Sinn Féin leaders insist" by Angelique Chrisafis, The Guardian, February 22, 2005
- http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0903/northpolitics.html "IRA Army Council no longer operational" RTÉ September 3, 2008"