Fighting Talk: The Statements of “The IRA/New IRA”

Abstract

With the advent of the new violent dissident merger, “The IRA/New IRA,” the group and its affiliates have had to legitimise their new existence. They have utilised the maintenance of paramilitary activity to achieve this. However, they have also produced a number of organisational statements, justifying their position, tactics, and strategies. This article analyses the evolution of these statements, both pre and post-merger from 2007 to 2015. 126 individual statements and four magazines are analysed using grounded theory. This analysis found that the statements have a dual strategy, aiming to foster trust in the movement and distrust in their perceived enemies. One of the dominant ways in which the group aims to foster trust is by proposing their possession of an historical mandate from the republican forefathers of 1916, as well as the internally lauded paramilitaries from The Troubles-era Provisional Irish Republican Army. The focus of the distrust narrative has been on the “constitutional nationalism” of Sinn Féin. However, it also pours scorn on the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and capitalism, across the island of Ireland. The analysis of these statements can provide us with an understanding of the future direction of the group, as well as giving us insight, which can inform the development of any counter-narrative.

Keywords:

• dissident republicanism
• IRA
• legitimisation
• Northern Ireland
• statements

Notes

“New IRA: Full Statement by the Dissident ‘Army Council,’” The Guardian, July 26, 2012, http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/jul/26/ira-northern-ireland-dissident-republican-groups1 (accessed August 1, 2015).

John F. Morrison, The Origins and Rise of Dissident Irish Republicanism: The Role and Impact of Organizational Splits (New York: Bloomsbury Press, 2014), 195–201.

This article does not have the opportunity to discuss the VDR threat. For in-depth analysis see John F. Morrison (see note 2 above); John Horgan, Divided We Stand: The Strategy and Psychology of Ireland's Dissident Terrorists (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014); Martyn Frampton, Legion of the Rearguard (Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 2010); Sophie A. Whiting, Spoiling the Peace? The Threat of Dissident Republicans to Peace in Northern Ireland (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2015); John Horgan and John F. Morrison, “Here to Stay? The Rising Threat of Violent Dissident Republicanism in Northern Ireland,” Terrorism and Political Violence 23, no. 4 (2011): 642–69.

Henry McDonald, “Dissident Republican Terror Attack Highly Likely, Say Northern Ireland Police,” The Guardian, October 1, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/oct/01/dissident-republican-terror-attack-likely-police (accessed October 5, 2015).

For the remainder of the article the group will be referred to as “The IRA/New IRA.”

“‘The IRA’ Claim Responsibility for the Murder of David Black,” The Journal.ie, November 12, 2012, http://www.thejournal.ie/the-ira-claim-responsibility-murder-david-black-671949-Nov2012/ (accessed October 4, 2015).

Ibid.

“New IRA,” The Guardian (see note 1 above).

Malachi O'Doherty, “Punishment Attacks: The Fear of Irrelevancy Drives Paramilitary Vigilantism,” Belfast Telegraph, November 4, 2014, http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/debateni/punishment-attacks-the-fear-of-irrelevancy-drives-paramilitary-vigilantism-30714459.html (accessed August 1, 2015).

“Statement Issued by the New IRA (13/10/13),” YouTube, October 13, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpXXQRkIRNE (accessed May 1, 2015).

Andrew Silke, “Rebel's Dilemma: The Changing Relationship between the IRA, Sinn Féin and Paramilitary Vigilantism in Northern Ireland,” Terrorism and Political Violence 11, no. 1 (1999): 55-93.

The two other most active VDR groups are the Continuity IRA (CIRA) and Óglaigh na hÉireann (ONH).

This project is self-funded and has at no stage received any external funding.

May Beth Altier, John Horgan, and Christian Thoroughgood, “In Their Own Words? Methodological Considerations in the Analysis of Terrorist Autobiographies,” Journal of Strategic Security 5, no. 4 (2012): 85–98.

Andrew Silke, “The Devil You Know: Continuing Problems with Research on Terrorism,” Terrorism and Political Violence 13, no. 4 (2001): 1–14.

Marc Sageman, “The Stagnation in Terrorism Research,” Terrorism and Political Violence 26, no. 4 (2014): 565–80.

Ibid.

Ibid.

Alex P. Schmid, “50 Un- and Under-Researched Topics in the Field of (Counter-) Terrorism Studies,” Perspectives on Terrorism 5, no. 1 (2011), 76–78.

Jonathan Matusitz, Terrorism and Communication: A Critical Introduction (Los Angeles: Sage, 2013), 1.

Donald Holbrook, The Al-Qaeda Doctrine: The Framing and Evolution of the Leadership's Public Discourse (New York: Bloomsbury, 2014).

See Kurt Braddock and John Horgan, “Towards a Guide for Constructing and Disseminating Counternarratives to Reduce Support for Terrorism,” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 39, no. 5 (2016): 381–404.

Morrison (see note 2 above).

See for example Laura Filardo-Llamas, “‘Committed to the Ideals of 1916.’ The Language of Paramilitary Groups: The Case of the Irish Republican Army,” Critical Discourse Studies 10, no. 1 (2013): 1–17.

Sophie A. Whiting, “‘The Discourse of Defence': ‘Dissident’ Irish Republican Newspapers and the ‘Propaganda War,’” Terrorism and Political Violence 24, no. 3 (2012): 483–503.

The 32CM newspaper is Sovereign Nation and the RSF newspaper is Saoirse.

RSF is the political wing of the CIRA.

The importance of this historical mandate was particularly significant in relation to the publications in Saoirse.

For a detailed introduction to grounded theory see Kathy Charmaz, “Grounded Theory,” in Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Research Methods, edited by Jonathan A. Smith, 2nd ed. (London: Sage, 2008), 81–110.

Horgan and Morrison (2011) (see note 3 above).

Ibid.

This is the Irish for “Shout Out.”

Roe 4 in Maghaberry and E3/4 in Portlaoise are where the prisoners of “The IRA/New IRA” are housed.

This stage of analysis was carried out as these were seen to be the two overarching tactics used by the groups in their legitimisation process.

Holbrook, The Al-Qaeda Doctrine (see note 21 above).

“New IRA,” The Guardian (see note 1 above).

Ibid.

“Statement Issued in the Name of the Irish Republican Army (‘New IRA’) 2014,” Irish Republican News, http://republican-news.org/current/news/2014/04/easter_statements_2014.html#.VbDhxEJR2M4 (accessed July 23, 2015).

Whiting (see note 25 above).

“New IRA,” The Guardian (see note 1 above).

“Statement Issued in the Name of the Irish Republican Army” (see note 38 above).

Marian Price, Derry 32CSM Easter Commemoration: 32CSM Easter Oration, April 13, 2009, http://www.derry32csm.com/2009/04/derry-32csm-easter-commemoration.html (accessed July 14, 2015).

IRA Easter Statement 2011, April 25, 2011, http://www.derry32csm.com/2011/04/ira-easter-statement-2011.html (accessed August 23, 2015).

For a range of accounts on the 1981 hunger strikes see Richard O'Rawe, Blanketmen (Dublin: New Island, 2005); David Beresford, Ten Men Dead (London: Harper Collins, 1987); Thomas Hennessy, Hunger Strike: Margaret Thatcher's Battle with the IRA: 1980–1981 (Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 2014).

Irish Prisoners Welfare Association, Statement from Roe 4 Republican Prisoners Maghaberry 17/07/15, http://irpwa.com/statement-from-roe-4-republican-prisoners-maghaberry-170715/ (accessed August 2, 2015).

Ibid.

John F. Morrison, “A Time to Talk, a Time to Think: Irish Republican Prisoners in the Northern Irish Peace Process,” in Prisons, Terrorism and Extremism: Critical Issues in Management, Radicalisation and Reform, edited by Andrew Silke (London: Routledge, 2014), 75–86.

“Editorial,” Scairt Amach, Summer 2015, 1.

“A Necessary Evil?” Scairt Amach, Summer 2015, 13–14.

Text of “Real” Irish Republican Army (RIRA) Easter Statement, April 13, 2009. http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/othelem/organ/ira/rira130409.htm (accessed July 23, 2015).

Ibid.

Oglaigh na hEireann Easter Statement (2010), April 7, 2010, http://32csmfermanagh.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/oglaigh-na-heireann-ira-vows-to-step-up.html (accessed July 26, 2015).

“‘Only Way to Eradicate Drugs Scourge is to Remove the Dealers,’” Derry Journal, August 18, 2009, http://www.derryjournal.com/news/only-way-to-eradicate-drugs-scourge-is-to-remove-the-dealers-1-2139827 (accessed July 12, 2015).

Irish Republican Army Statement, October 13, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpXXQRkIRNE (accessed August 1, 2015).

This is also part of the overall introspection of dissidence.

Scairt Amach (see note 48 above).

“Criminals and Crime,” Scairt Amach, Autumn 2015, 5.

For a discussion of the Brownie letters see Ed Moloney, A Secret History of the IRA (London: Penguin Books, 2002), 150–2 and 169–70.

Oglaigh na hEireann New Year Message 2007 (RIRA), January 6, 2007, Author's personal collection.

Morrison (see note 2 above).

This was not an issue addressed by RAAD pre-merger as they were presenting themselves as a non-political entity.

Oglaigh na hEireann New Year Message 2007 (see note 59 above).

IRA Easter Statement 2011 (see note 43 above).

Oration by Gary Donnelly for Easter Commemoration in Derry, Easter 2015, April 7, 2015, https://julianichim.wordpress.com/2015/04/07/oration-by-gary-donnelly-for-easter-commemoration-in-derry/ (accessed May 5, 2015) (last accessed August 6, 2015).

Scairt Amach (see note 48 above).

Suzanne Breen, “Former Provos Claim Kerr Murder and Vow More Attacks,” Belfast Telegraph, April 22, 2011, http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/former-provos-claim-kerr-murder-and-vow-more-attacks-28610456.html (accessed July 1, 2015).

32CSM Easter Statement, April 26, 2011, http://thefivedemands.org/specials/pasqua-2011-easter-statements/#Bookmark6 (accessed July 22, 2015).

“The Prisoners View: Selectivity-British Tactics and Targeting,” Scairt Amach, Winter 2015, 16.

IRA Easter Statement 2011 (see note 43 above).

32CSM Easter Statement, April 26, 2011, http://thefivedemands.org/specials/pasqua-2011-easter-statements/#Bookmark6 (accessed May 9, 2015).

IRA Easter Statement 2011 (see note 43 above).

http://www.derryjournal.com/news/law-or-masked-thugs-1-2961136.

Oglaigh na hEireann New Years Statement 2008, January 7, 2008, Author's personal collection.

“Statement Issued in the Name of the Irish Republican Army” (see note 38 above).

“New IRA,” The Guardian (see note 1 above).

“‘We Will Defend Our Community': RAAD,” Derry Journal, July 13, 2011. http://www.derryjournal.com/news/we-will-defend-our-community-raad-1-2856060 (accessed May 11, 2015).

32CSM New Year Statement 2011, January 3, 2011, http://jimlarkinrfb.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/32csm-2011-new-year-statement.html (accessed July 7, 2016).

Oglaigh na hEireann New Year Message 2007 (see note 59 above).

RIRA Easter Statement 2007 (see note 50 above).

Morrison (see note 2 above), 39–84.

32CSM New Year Statement 2010, January 1, 2010, http://southarmagh32.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/32csm-new-year-statement-2010.html (accessed May 17, 2015).

“The Free State” refers to the twenty-six county state which was established under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. It was in existence between 1922 and 1937 before the adoption of the new constitution of Ireland in 1937. It is still used as a term by the dissidents today to portray that the Irish government has abandoned the six counties of Northern Ireland.

Oglaigh na hEireann New Years Statement 2009, December 31, 2008, http://saoirse32.dreamwidth.org/3891871.html (accessed July 23, 2015).

Ibid.

Henry McDonald, “Real IRA Admits Bomb Attacks on Northern Ireland Banks,” The Guardian, October 25, 2011, http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/oct/25/real-ira-admits-attacks-banks (accessed August 7, 2015).

Ibid.

32CSM New Year Statement 2012, December 30, 2011, http://www.32csm.net/2011/12/32csm-new-year-statement-2012.html (accessed July 14, 2015).

Morrison (see note 2 above).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

John F. Morrison

John F. Morrison is a Senior Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice in the School of Business and Law at the University of East London. His book, The Origins and Rise of Dissident Irish Republicanism (2014), is published with Bloomsbury Press.