Republican Movement (Ireland)
Encyclopedia
The Republican Movement is a collective term used to describe the Irish Republican Army
(IRA) and other political, social and paramilitary organisations associated with it.
The term is not restricted to any one movement and can include:
and other organisations such as the An Cumann Cabhrach, Republican News
, Cabhair, Irish Republican Prisoners' Dependants Fund, Republican Prisoners Action Group
or the National Commemoration Committee.
The term was in use at least as early as 1957 when the United Irishman
reported:
J. Bowyer Bell
, in The Secret Army, uses the term throughout to refer to the several organizations associated with the IRA in the 1960s and beyond. For instance, in chapter XVII he says: "But beneath the smooth patina applied by MacGiolla, The Republican movement seethed with bitter faction and the advanced rot of despair." Specifically mentioned in relation to this are Sinn Féin, the Clan (Clan na Gael
) in America, the United Irishman and the National Graves Association.
Peter Taylor
, although he himself uses the term to refer to the IRA and Sinn Féin, claims that Republicans use it to refer to the IRA only. However, a Sinn Féin 'members course' of around 1979 specifically states: "Sinn Féin is the political section of the Republican Movement". Martin McGuinness
, interviewed by John Humphrys
for the BBC
, denied that he was then a member of the IRA but did not contadict Humphrys when he described him as "a leader of the Republican Movement". Similarly, Francie Molloy
, chair of the National Commemorations Committee said that "the growth in the attendance at Bodenstown (the annual Wolfe Tone
commemoration) is a reflection of the growth of the Republican Movement."
The distinction between the Republican Movement and the IRA itself assumed greater importance with the start of the Northern Ireland peace process
, when Sinn Féin participation in the process was seen to be dependent on IRA actions or commitments. As Tom McGurk
wrote in The Sunday Business Post
in May 2001: "At the outset the most powerful ripple effect
from the hunger strike was the recognition by both political establishments that while in the immediate context of continuing IRA violence there seemed no way to bring it about, nevertheless the republican movement has somehow to be brought into any settlement."
Irish Republican Army
The Irish Republican Army was an Irish republican revolutionary military organisation. It was descended from the Irish Volunteers, an organisation established on 25 November 1913 that staged the Easter Rising in April 1916...
(IRA) and other political, social and paramilitary organisations associated with it.
The term is not restricted to any one movement and can include:
- Irish Republican Army (1922-1969)
- Provisional Irish Republican ArmyProvisional Irish Republican ArmyThe 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...
- Official Irish Republican Army
- Continuity Irish Republican ArmyContinuity Irish Republican ArmyThe Continuity Irish Republican Army, otherwise known as the Continuity IRA and styling itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann, is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that aims to bring about a united Ireland. It emerged from a split in the Provisional IRA in 1986 but did not become active until...
- Real Irish Republican ArmyReal Irish Republican ArmyThe Real Irish Republican Army, otherwise known as the Real IRA , and styling itself as Óglaigh na hÉireann , is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation which aims to bring about a united Ireland...
- Cumann na mBanCumann na mBanCumann na mBan is an Irish republican women's paramilitary organisation formed in Dublin on 2 April 1914 as an auxiliary of the Irish Volunteers...
- Fianna ÉireannFianna ÉireannThe name Fianna Éireann , also written Fianna na hÉireann and Na Fianna Éireann , has been used by various Irish republican youth movements throughout the 20th and 21st centuries...
- Sinn FéinSinn FéinSinn 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...
- Ógra Shinn FéinÓgra Shinn FéinÓgra Shinn Féin is the youth wing of the Irish political party Sinn Féin. ÓSF is active and organised throughout Ireland. It is often considered the most prominent incarnation of Fianna Éireann. Upon its establishment in 1997 it was originally known as Sinn Féin Youth, it changed to Ógra Shinn...
- Republican Sinn FéinRepublican Sinn FéinRepublican Sinn Féin or RSF is an unregisteredAlthough an active movement, RSF is not registered as a political party in either Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. minor political party operating in Ireland. It emerged in 1986 as a result of a split in Sinn Féin...
- 32 County Sovereignty Movement32 County Sovereignty MovementThe 32 County Sovereignty Movement, often abbreviated to 32CSM or 32csm, is an Irish republican political organisation.The 32CSM's objectives are:* "The restoration of Irish national sovereignty"....
and other organisations such as the An Cumann Cabhrach, Republican News
Republican News
Republican News was a longstanding newspaper/magazine published by Sinn Féin. Following the split in physical force Irish republicanism in the late 1960s between the Officials and the Provisionals Republican News was a longstanding newspaper/magazine published by Sinn Féin. Following the split in...
, Cabhair, Irish Republican Prisoners' Dependants Fund, Republican Prisoners Action Group
Republican Prisoners Action Group
The Republican Prisoners Action Group is a campaign group that is working for prisoner-of-war status for Continuity Irish Republican Army prisoners imprisoned in HMP Maghaberry....
or the National Commemoration Committee.
The term was in use at least as early as 1957 when the United Irishman
United Irishman
The United Irishman title has been a very popular newspaper title in Ireland and a number of newspapers have been published under the title.*...
reported:
- "Jim Dolan, election agentElection agentIn elections in the United Kingdom, as well as in certain other similar political systems such as India's, an election agent is the person legally responsible for the conduct of a candidate's political campaign and to whom election material is sent to by those running the election. In elections in...
for the successful Sinn Féin candidate John Joe Mac Fhearghaill, went on to say that in the course of the election campaignPolitical campaignA political campaign is an organized effort which seeks to influence the decision making process within a specific group. In democracies, political campaigns often refer to electoral campaigns, wherein representatives are chosen or referendums are decided...
the Republican Movement had been at a great disadvantage because, as a result of arrests and internments, some of their very best speakers north and south had not been not been available to them."
J. Bowyer Bell
J. Bowyer Bell
J. Bowyer Bell was an American historian, artist and art critic.-Background and early life:Bell was born into an Episcopalian family on 15 November 1931 in New York City. The family later moved to Alabama, from where Bell attended Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, majoring in...
, in The Secret Army, uses the term throughout to refer to the several organizations associated with the IRA in the 1960s and beyond. For instance, in chapter XVII he says: "But beneath the smooth patina applied by MacGiolla, The Republican movement seethed with bitter faction and the advanced rot of despair." Specifically mentioned in relation to this are Sinn Féin, the Clan (Clan na Gael
Clan na Gael
The Clan na Gael was an Irish republican organization in the United States in the late 19th and 20th centuries, successor to the Fenian Brotherhood and a sister organization to the Irish Republican Brotherhood...
) in America, the United Irishman and the National Graves Association.
Peter Taylor
Peter Taylor (Journalist)
Peter Taylor born in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire is a British journalist and documentary-maker who had covered for many years the political and armed conflict in Northern Ireland, widely known as the Troubles...
, although he himself uses the term to refer to the IRA and Sinn Féin, claims that Republicans use it to refer to the IRA only. However, a Sinn Féin 'members course' of around 1979 specifically states: "Sinn Féin is the political section of the Republican Movement". 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....
, interviewed by John Humphrys
John Humphrys
Desmond John Humphrys , is a Welsh-born British author, journalist and presenter of radio and television, who has won many national broadcasting awards...
for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, denied that he was then a member of the IRA but did not contadict Humphrys when he described him as "a leader of the Republican Movement". Similarly, Francie Molloy
Francie Molloy
Francie Molloy MLA is a Sinn Féin politician and a deputy speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly.He first stood for Sinn Féin in Fermanagh and South Tyrone in the 1982 Assembly Elections finishing as runner-up 542 votes behind the DUP candidate with over 1400 SDLP votes non-transferable...
, chair of the National Commemorations Committee said that "the growth in the attendance at Bodenstown (the annual Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone
Theobald Wolfe Tone or Wolfe Tone , was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen and is regarded as the father of Irish Republicanism. He was captured by British forces at Lough Swilly in Donegal and taken prisoner...
commemoration) is a reflection of the growth of the Republican Movement."
The distinction between the Republican Movement and the IRA itself assumed greater importance with the start of the Northern Ireland 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...
, when Sinn Féin participation in the process was seen to be dependent on IRA actions or commitments. As Tom McGurk
Tom McGurk
Tom McGurk is an Irish poet, journalist, radio presenter and sportscaster from Brockagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.From 1983 to 1996 he was married to the broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan...
wrote in The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Business Post is an Irish national Sunday newspaper published by Post Publications Limited. Post Publications is owned by Thomas Crosbie Holdings. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Ireland, the average weekly circulation was 57,783 for the period January to June 2009. The...
in May 2001: "At the outset the most powerful ripple effect
Ripple effect
The ripple effect is a term used to describe a situation where, like the ever expanding ripples across water when an object is dropped into it, an effect from an initial state can be followed outwards incrementally....
from the hunger strike was the recognition by both political establishments that while in the immediate context of continuing IRA violence there seemed no way to bring it about, nevertheless the republican movement has somehow to be brought into any settlement."