Arming the IRA - 1988 - UNSEEN - Troubles Documentary

[@declanoleary1]

Another quality archiving of interesting RTE "today tonight" documentary. Well done "A Troubled Land" keep up the good work.

[@Bannedatl]

Many thanks!

[@johnroarty4077]

@@Bannedatl Guessing it takes a lot of hard work to produce this stuff TL ..Slainte

[@Bannedatl]

@@johnroarty4077 Well I don't produce these chara I just share. I do though fix them as much as I can which can take time, appreciate the comment.

[@declanoleary1]

Keep up the good and worthy work of collecting and archiving these historically important documentaries and news items.

[@ianmasters4225]

Thank you for posting these videos. Although I can’t say my life has been completely untouched by the troubles, I don’t believe any of us on the mainland can ever truly understand what it was to experience the troubles as part of their daily life’s. Watching these videos at least gives one the history of the troubles and lets one see what people had to live through. I am lucky enough not to have gone through this and will never truly understand what it was like I do recognise the unimaginable suffering for people on both sides.

[@liamf5311]

This is so important. Today's generation are clueless. Keep it up.

[@barryahern6645]

needs to happen in the republic over the take over of our country

[@johncully4699]

Grew up during this, watching this reminds me it was real, so glad we have moved on .

[@grahamwatts8836]

In Australia as a teenager in the 1970’s I could not understand why the British Govt did not recede out of Ireland, ie work with the Irish Govt, Republicans and Loyalists to progressively hand back sovereignty, all of my English and Australian relatives agreed, it was the best for everyone.

[@paulmills3030]

Problem solved 50 yrs ago,,who knew

[@garethconnor2590]

What about those in NI that wanted to remain British ? That’s the whole reason they were fighting.

[@patriciagowland8254]

Wow thanks again for your time and sharing great videos I’ve been watching them 🙏

[@OG-dp1kx]

All for nothing because a new plantation of Ireland is happening, this time enforced by the Irish state. The irony is staggering

[@davidoconnell4100]

Saw it originally broadcast. Brendan O'Brien was a remarkable journalist of incredible courage. Terrorists, drug dealers, armed robbers - fronted them all up.

[@dowdallerno1]

Establishment propagandist.

[@pedclarkemobile]

21:30 Colette is a proper old school woman, told us everything we need to know without being indiscrete, didn't incriminate herself or anyone else. She knew it was technically illegal to shelter an escapee but shur good principles are more important than laws. "I didn't believe that they had done anything wrong... the people in the north have had it hard... he is another victim of circumstances..." I'd never heard of her before watching this documentary just now but I admire her, smart strong women like Colette are few & far between these days!

[@johnhamilton8354]

She knew what would happen if she grassed him in,the Garda or the provos,i know which one.

[@tonivazquez1081]

Ehem, do you move much? Smart strong women are all around, believe me.

[@Ian-mj4pt]

The word sinister used so much in the story even for plug sockets 😅

[@Scotia6261]

RTE westbrits.

[@dobman2011]

brits never do anything sinister if you believe rte.🤔🤔

[@beavis4play]

great video - very interesting.

[@stephensmith4480]

Thank you for another great piece of History. A couple of Guns shown there are today very collectible. The SPAS 12 Shotgun at 3.26 for example and the Lee enfield Sniper Rifle @ 5.04 is a real Gem. The Lee had all it`s refinements done at Holland & Holland of London, one of the most respected Gunsmiths in the World.

[@tylermarkham3411]

While iconic, the spas 12 kind of sucks. Heavy, and the folding stock is uncomfortable. Wouldn’t mind having a Lee enfield though.

[@stephensmith4480]

@@tylermarkham3411 Yeh I watched a vid of a guy in Canada, he found The sniper version of the Lee in a small Gunshop in the middle of nowhere. It was in it`s original wooden transit case complete with Scope and Tool/ Cleaning kit etc. What a find, he didn`t say how much he paid for it though. The Spas is heavy but is a handy tool with having the Pump or semi auto choice. It would be ideal for home defence, in which case I would take that stock off.

[@StuartSimms-gj5ui]

Long as thay did job on the Brits. Crossmaglen never took 100 yrs snipers still on tour..

[@stephensmith4480]

@@StuartSimms-gj5ui Grow up.

[@StuartSimms-gj5ui]

@@stephensmith4480 .think 70s 80s 90s.did that my friend

[@michaelh9554]

"Diehard doubters worry that Gerry Adams may be prepared to countenance something short of British withdrawal". Jeez, those diehard doubters might just have been on to something after all.

[@johnroarty4077]

Michelle O'Neill will set us FREE......eventually 😉

[@davidoconnell4100]

Yes....what were they thinking.....Sinn Fein in government North and South, border poll on the cards inside a decade and the economic case for a United Ireland growing by the day.

[@michaelh9554]

@@davidoconnell4100 Yeah, a power-sharing government, an internal settlement within the United Kingdom. Guess what? That was on offer in 1972. Not one Armalite bullet, not one ounce of Semtex got us any closer to a united Ireland. We’d be in exactly the same place today if the Armed Struggle had never happened, it was all a complete and utter waste of time, effort and lives. Pointless narcissism by the Republican Movement who thought “one more push” would drive the Brits into the sea. The Provos gave up, beaten, 30 years ago and still we’re in the United Kingdom. At this rate Scotland will be out of the UK before Northern Ireland is. Bobby, you should have taken the chicken supper lad, it was all in vain.

[@gearoftones8585]

The Government in Ireland really didn't cover itself in glory during the troubles. They continually sided with the British.

[@gearoftones8585]

@@Barneybhoy Aye

[@RekedProductions]

@@Barneybhoywhat’s funny ?

[@Barneybhoy]

@@RekedProductions?

[@salahad-din4114]

To think we were initially deployed to protect the Catholic community. The British government were equally as guilty of crimes while playing both sides against each other. Just as our Western governments are still doing today

[@trodairecroga]

Well of course it’s the free state after all, sadly because of them the real republic proclaimed in 1916 is underground with citizens of it still hunted down to this day

[@Avaloctus]

Thanks for another great documentary upload.👍 Keep it up ! Greetings from Germany.✌

[@melissabyrne8749]

Thanks for sharing

[@paulbrowne6087]

Amazing piece of historical footage.

[@Sean-y5x]

Great show

[@hughmac13]

The killing of UDR can hardly be called "murder," any more than the death, in the line of duty, of a republican volunteer. It is unfortunate--at least in the case of the latter--but it is the soldier's occupational hazard.

[@myeyeswentdeaf6213]

Tiocfaidh ár lá! ✊🏻🇮🇪 Oo up RA!

[@John-O-Hooligan1916]

26+6=1🇮🇪

[@williamdodds1394]

How will your day come with Ireland filled with migrants and people from the south with tricolours drinking in UDA clubs with union flags to make a stand its the height of nonsense there should be a united Irishman both protestant and catholic and run our nation have are own industry and armed forces dont forget the brits or red coats attacked ulster farmers presbyterians and killed them britain wanted this place divided.

[@Scotia6261]

This was broadcast in June '88

[@johnhannahM2.0]

I had a HK91, heavy boat anchor with a horrid trigger.

[@johnroarty4077]

Excellent Irish social history here mo chara.

[@captainchaos3053]

How can you call this unseen?

[@JohnSmith-ij6ms]

why don't you upload these videos in their original correct aspect ratio instead of stretching them?

[@hughmac13]

Not those sinister electrical sockets again lololol.

[@JoeRogansForehead]

When a television program starts with “truth be told” you know it’s. Lie

[@Bannedatl]

Unless its a channel intro!!

[@JoeRogansForehead]

@@Bannedatl my bad , didn’t know that was you guys , thought it was from the documentary 😂

[@BobBlack-dz3ty]

some day we will have our country back all 36 countries but not in the next 30 to 50 years so sad

[@allybo1]

Back from the EU ?

[@nigecheshire9854]

Back from DAVOS? Back from the Banks ? You think so...🤔

[@smith5796]

Give it a Year?

[@michaelh9554]

Have they added another four counties?

[@jacquiewalton1996]

@@nigecheshire9854 Despite the common misconception that we Brits bailed Ireland out, we actually bailed out the British Banks who had lent 149 Billion to Ireland and would have collapsed but for the taxpayers intervention. We actually borrowed the 7 Billion bailout money and haven't yet paid it back even though the Irish have paid us all of the money back with interest

[@mrivantchernegovski3869]

Wow FNC and AR18 Franchi spas are rare weapons in the USA lol good on the Irish fuck yea

[@keithgoodrick-meech3921]

It's a sad fact that the only people to gain from the troubles were the gangsters and criminals.

[@MarkG-f7v]

Saoírse , Eíre Nuá , Erín Go Brágh !!

[@DavidR..Shay2.0]

The Barrett light fifty put the comments regarding the IRAs role of attrition without the ability to up the game in the space of a year after this filming, never disregard the South Armagh IRA.

[@michaelh9554]

Attrition? There were bullying NCOs in the British Army barracks in Deepcut who killed more Brits through suicide than the sniper did. No doubt South Armagh was the only effective unit left in the IRA by the time of the ceasefire, but a handful of dead cops and squaddies over seven years didn't exactly rock the British government back on its heels.

[@liamgarland1425]

Young warriors back in 1979 are now growing men and they are still in warriors? Madeira 40 40 Liamp atrick Mr CCC?Amen Godbless

[@dowdallerno1]

RTE never covered collusion between loyalists and The British Army. And helped the government cover up, the Dublin Monaghan bombings, and countless British agents operating in the Gardai and in government.

[@irishcoffee5412]

Donaldson went to the Arab world, not just Libya but also to get Irish reporters released from being held hostage

[@bordercollie1140]

That American made my blood absolutely boil with temper.

[@monaghan5475]

Give Sinn Fein the support and time to make the North of Ireland a great and prosperous part of this island of Ireland and to create an envious life of health ,wealth and prosperity.

[@heribertvonwattweisich8447]

What a disgusting time! So many people have died senselessly, the dead on both sides have far too often left behind bereaved families seeking revenge. The youngest children were brought up in a world of daily threats (car bombs, shootings, violence on the streets). It is not only the deaths in the four-digit range, there are many times more traumatised relatives of injured and killed people to mourn. It will take generations, under the best possible conditions, for these wounds to heal. When I think of the Blackbird Field, Kosovo/Serbia, I have little hope...

[@MaxRank]

We are at least 2 generations away from a true peace, but even then the animosity still boils just below the surface even today 2024. I pray we some day see peace and understanding in Ireland. I support a united Ireland but have no idea how this will ever be possible.

[@MikeFoxtrot1]

What's the presenters name?

[@Bannedatl]

Olivia O'Leary

[@MikeFoxtrot1]

@@Bannedatl That's a woman's name. The presenter is a man.

[@Bannedatl]

Sorry Mike the presenter of the show is Olivia though the reporter in this episode took the mantal , my bad , his name is Brendan O'Brian

[@Countrymouse123]

Paddy Murphy

[@aor3220]

Is this an RTE production ?

[@Bannedatl]

Yes it is from the "Today,Tonight" Show

[@aor3220]

@@Bannedatl if it wasn't for the southern accent narrating you could mistake it for a BBC production

[@Scotia6261]

Pure west brit atmosphere that time....I remember watching this documentary in June '88.

[@Patrick7joseph]

RTE was an extended mouthpiece of the tyrannical British propaganda machine. West Brit’s as we called them

[@Rob-lu8me]

Ireland has bigger problems than the British now .. they were relative locals !

[@josephhutcheson8367]

What about the loyalist and Brit ammo .if ever caught

[@Bannedatl]

Not many ever happened. Ulster Resistance weapons brought in from South Africa had a large amount captured but many got through. Loyalism was being armed by the security services in the most part as shown in many a documentary, it would make zero sense for the security services to then capture what in most cases would be their own arms.

[@captainchaos3053]

@@Bannedatl That's just not true. Have you any proof of that?

[@Bannedatl]

@@captainchaos3053 What is not true?

[@captainchaos3053]

@@Bannedatl Many protestant paramilitary weapons were found and confiscated and the accusation of the security forces arming the British resistance was never substantially proven and remains nothing but a conspiracy theory. If they had been armed by the security forces they would not have been using such horrible ancient rubbish. The fact that the republican terrorists were armed and trained by America, Libya and even the Russians makes the whole thing more laughable.

[@Bannedatl]

My friend if you think for one second memebrs of the UDR/RUC and British Army who were also members of or supporters of Loyalist paramilitaries did not willingly give weapons you are living in cloud cuckoo land. I will point you to one instance which is well documented here: www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/police-handed-gun-used-in-1992-sean-graham-massacre-to-loyalist-terrorist-1.4796117 Who is "British Resistance"? In terms of high level finds of arms as that is what we are talking about and comparing to the arm finds all over the island of Ireland I am very much correct in saying Loyalist weapons were not recovered in any great relevance other than "Ulster Resistance" arms finds. In relation to weapons being given to Loyalisim from the security forces , I hardly need touch upon, it is well documented in various doucmentary and news bulletins.

[@jpgduff]

That reporter is a joke. The worst kind of free stater.

[@binflynn1]

Imagine today if the war was still going in Northern Ireland, what kind of armour would be used with technology moving forward and the way drones are now used in the Ukraine. Iam so glad it’s all over

[@pedclarkemobile]

Hopefully the worst is behind us in terms of paramilitary (and military) violence but now that Brexit has precipitated resentment among the hard-line Loyalists (Sea Border, WF/ Protocol etc) ... and DUP refusing to return to Stormont under an SF FM. The chances of a border poll, probably preceded by a period of Direct Rule, get higher by the day. I worry that a YES vote majority in Unification referenda will trigger paramilitary violence from dissident Loyalists. Now, of course they'll be without collusion, protection & weapons from the RUC & Brit Army/ Intelligence services this time around, so not as significant a threat as 30 years ago... But definitely well able to cause major disruption and carnage to try and stop the wheels of peace & progress. The nature of guerilla tactics mean that alot of damage can be inflicted on targets with minimal manpower & resources. I believe it will all come good within another generation or 2. Unionist folk will realise that Dublin will treat them better than Westminster. Plenty of wealthy & successful protestant Anglo Irish in the south, especially South Dub & Co Wiclow. The sectarian divide in NI is tragic, in the South nobody cares what denomination someone is. They'd be more interested if you were a GAA fan or a soccer fan.

[@MarkG-f7v]

@@pedclarkemobile Eíre Nuá , Saoírse !!

[@Chop2016]

That is why the brits shut up shop.. Internet was coming. I wouldn't worry about loyalists.they our nothing without the brits

[@paulbrowne6087]

​@@pedclarkemobileit turned out that unionist fears of Catholic/Nationalist demographic change were well founded. NI has lost its Protestant majority, even hard line loyalists are accepting they cannot purge Catholics from the six countries and therefore need to come to some accommodation with them.

[@jm-np4mu]

​@@Chop2016There was never any sign the IRA would kick the Brits out during the troubles

[@Travers-kx4zk]

That's why civilians need to be armed

[@bigshoes5228]

U have all the info on ira guns but lost your steakknife

[@marioncharleston]

Anti aircraft machine guns ever get found?or handed in?

[@jimjohnston2149]

Yip barret

[@Lee-nh5bb]

" Church, tri-colour, and Republican plot. " Now that's an unholy trinity.

[@anthonymcgills7037]

sean o callahan i wounder

[@damienmooney3342]

McGuinness J118

[@marioncharleston]

1000 dead by there own incompetence!

[@markhynes6517]

There was no winners in this war jusl losers.

[@polmacdhomhnaill3021]

I wish those in the north would have armed the Brummies in the early 90’s as they would have been wiped out the government and time for a pint before the bar closed. Then both sides wouldn’t have to put up with the shit from London.

[@captainchaos3053]

Yeah yeah and soon as you figure out how to pull a darker off your granny you will take over the world.

[@cormacmc8874]

... and also, dont forget... bad Irish /s

[@charlesduggan7600]

Just like the Palestinians resisting occupation, they are justified in their actions.

[@KimPhilby203]

Can't stand Provisionals whatsoever, but they were professionals at what they did under the circumstances...Held down 12k troops for 30 years and caused serious damage...

[@declanoleary1]

It was called "defense of the realm", and not some overseas territory, Also control of northern Ireland gave control to the seas and one of the entrance/exits from the nuclear submarine bases at faslane on the clyde

[@L-gd8re]

more like 30,000 troops

[@Patrick7joseph]

The lengths these men and women went to fight against a tyrannical colonial British regime is astounding. Fighting for freedom required every stone to be unturned.

[@MaxRank]

What’s astounding is the lack of true understanding of the troubles demonstrated by this comment.

[@Patrick7joseph]

@@MaxRankassuming you’re British or a loyalist. And therefore obviously have little to no knowledge or understanding of the troubles. I’ve studied the troubles in depth for 40+ years. It’s not rocket science

[@MaxRank]

@@Patrick7joseph I didn’t need to study the troubles I grew up during them. 70/80s. I am British, but have always supported a United Ireland. If you believe the troubles are solely rooted in British colonialism then I’d suggest getting back in the books and do more study! Rocket science is easier to understand than the complexity of Northern Ireland

[@cdickenson82]

What a name for a show lol. Today tonight, that's too funny. To be clear I mean that in a good way, I think it's a great name.

[@Johnnyfive55]

Dickinson is funnier

[@cdickenson82]

@@Johnnyfive55 is it? Who has that last name?

[@Johnnyfive55]

​@@cdickenson82I saw an openning and I went for it, no animosity intended - it is the more common spelling, no?. Today, Tonight kind rolls off the tongue :). It is news from....today, tonight. Seems normal to me, I did grow up with it though.

[@cdickenson82]

@@Johnnyfive55 I wasn't mad that why I joked with you back. You misspelled my name so I said that. It's all good I'm not some thin skinned sissy who is offended by anything and everything.

[@cdickenson82]

@@Johnnyfive55 it's actually the perfect name and epic wordplay all in one.

[@nicholasbaird]

Thatchers fault.. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿