Who Were the IRA (Irish Republican Army)? | 5 Minute History: Episode 1

[@historywithhilbert]

Hi everyone - just wanted to write a few things based on some comments and the potentially poor timing of this upload given the current protests in Northern Ireland. 1. I actually recorded this video in mid-March - before there were any riots in Northern Ireland and it happens to have been scheduled for today, rather than this video having been inspired by current events or meant to demonise a particular community. 2. I have already recorded a video on one of the Unionist paramilitary organisations, the UDA (Ulster Defence Association) which will be uploaded shortly. I can't upload everything at once and once again this video isn't meant to target one side without representing the other as violence and terrible acts were committed by both Unionists and Nationalists during the Troubles. 3. Some quick points about this new format: -It's a 5 minute clip so some things will be simplified to get the general point across. -Don't worry if you prefer the longer videos they won't be going away - this is just a new series that I'll be uploading some episodes of alongside more in depths videos. - I have to record videos well in advance because I'm currently in my last year of university and need to study for my exams at which point I won't have time to record weekly videos. Because of this time constraint I thought it better to make some shorter videos which means I can upload every week rather than only a few of the longer ones. 4. Thank you to everyone for pointing out that Ireland only became a republic in 1948 rather than already in 1922 when it was technically a 'Free State' within the Commonwealth. That was a mistake on my part for which I apologise! Thank you all for watching and continuing to support the channel, I just thought it was important to point these things out given the frequency with which they were being questioned by some in the comments.

[@eavaharris3519]

Check out... World History by a Jew

[@alexmurphyhughes7973]

👌

[@thebombisgonegameso_o2408]

Who ARE the IRA

[@alexmurphyhughes7973]

@@thebombisgonegameso_o2408 Irish men

[@thebombisgonegameso_o2408]

@@alexmurphyhughes7973 I know who they are XD The title needs to be updated that's all.

[@danieltaylor5231]

Is this the first time Hilbert hasn't been able to find a Dutch connection in some minute way?

[@historywithhilbert]

Not enough time in this one unfortunately!

[@CrashperM]

@@historywithhilbert ah come on Hilbert the orange order in Northern Ireland representing Protestantism in Ireland is orange because of William of orange. Which is also the reason why there’s orange in the Irish flag

[@onbedoeldekut1515]

@@CrashperM They don't know it, but the real (secret) reason for the silver, gold and green is they come from my family's crest.

[@CrashperM]

@@onbedoeldekut1515 from yours?! That's pretty cool

[@IrishTechnicalThinker]

Thought William of orange was going to make an appearance. In context, it would have made perfect sense.

[@NotAnAustralianEngineer]

I'm Irish and even my head is spinning keeping up with the 100 different IRAs

[@NotAnAustralianEngineer]

@Shane Molloy Certainly keeping plenty of A4 on hand, I'd say

[@Mark_Master1]

So there's the Provisional IRA Official IRA New IRA Real IRA Continuity IRA

[@xrstufty8651]

@Shane Molloy eirigi is a legal political party with no ties to any paramilitary and are on record of saying armed actions are regressive, INLA is also separate from the IRA and lean more towards socialism/ communism

[@xrstufty8651]

@Shane Molloy the Provisionals were the only legitimate “Irish Republican Army”, the new IRA emerged in 2012 when the Real IRA merged with RAAD and some drug dealing elements, they are thugs, not the IRA

[@xrstufty8651]

@Shane Molloy the topic of this video is organisations that claim the name “Irish Republican Army” someone named five of those organisations and you jumped in with “INLA and Eirigi too” when INLA have no links with the IRA and eirigi don’t even have links with armed actions at all, and are a very minor political party compared to groups like saoradh etc

[@reed6134]

you've won a car, fellow english man. Please take a ride on it

[@user-lv2yo5vh4c]

*oh no*

[@Hopeofmen]

Thanks, Fenian! *Turns key*

[@emmettoc96]

@Charlie Sefton Thanks Mr Brit, we'll have your women instead x

[@emmettoc96]

@Charlie Sefton Seeing as you can't even type your own language correctly I'll leave you with this, Queen's fanny flicker. Go n-imigh na seacht diabhail deag atá i n-Ifrionn i’d dhiaidh.

[@emmettoc96]

@tom the cat123 Well seeing as you couldn't put any punctuation (full stops incase you were wondering) in your own language sentence, I'm surprised you even managed to type a sentence with those fat fingers of yours, Tan. Nice change of name by the way, thinking of changing identidy soon too?

[@solidus784]

Correction, the treaty didn't make the 26 counties a Republic. It created the "free-state" which was still a dominion of the British commonwealth and was called at the time the "freedom to gain our freedom". The republic wasn't formed until 1948.

[@ruairiholohan4394]

The Republic was in 1949

[@vixen878]

@@ruairiholohan4394 it takes a full year to make that happen.

[@TadeuszCantwell]

The Free State was also created after a vote in the Dáil with all 32 counties, but the Bristish law that allowed this created a parliment in Dublin and one in Stormont, which then seceded from the Free State after the Free State had seceded from the United Kingdom of Great Brition and Ireland.

[@solidus784]

@@ruairiholohan4394 Yeah you're actually right signed into law in 1948 and enacted Easter Monday 1949. I never knew that

[@shredder9536]

@@TadeuszCantwell the vote in the Dail was ultra Vires. The treaty said the Southern Ireland parliament had to agree to the treaty so TDs defected to it to have powers transferred.

[@VikingMuayThai]

Accordion to a recent study, 90% of people didn’t realise I put an instrument at the start of this sentence.

[@historywithhilbert]

Well played ;)

[@ChessedGamon]

How do your notes look so far? ;)

[@TheMedicalDemon]

HOW TF DID YOU DO THAT??!?! /s?

[@sriyasodharmma4021]

This joketh is as fusty as Jesus himself.

[@chiomaakindeleokoye4914]

SCREW BRITAIN 👎🏿 UNITE IRELAND. FROM A LONDONER!

[@dup1237]

It's quite convenient for all these groups, when something happens just say "It wasn't our IRA, it was their IRA"

[@godlovesyou1995]

Actually they all tried to take 'credit' more often

[@Ratstalgic]

It is the reason why communism isn’t working

[@Ratstalgic]

It is the reason why communism isn’t working

[@stephenwright8824]

@@Ratstalgic Could it be _you're_ the reason Communism isn't working? communism with a small C seems to have done for the Brook Farm community in Massachusetts or Cobham Heath in England.

[@knalleballkalle8365]

@@Ratstalgic What that does that even mean?

[@19MAD95]

This reminds me of that Monty Python sketch. But everyone calls themselves some form of IRA.

[@mangyminotaur30]

SPLITTERS!

[@covenawhite4855]

The Life of Brian where everyone wanted to fight Rome to get them out of Israel but the Rebel were fighting each other.

[@silversolver7809]

In The Life of Brian-along the lines of "Then you have The Organization for the Liberation of Palestine, that's him over there on the steps"

[@historywithhilbert]

@@silversolver7809 Not to be too pedantic but I think the joke is even better because it's specifically the 'Popular' front and then it turns out just to be one old man sat on his own xD

[@joshuawatt7993]

"We're not the Irish People's Front, we're the People's Front of Ireland!"

[@cameronukz]

One thing living in Ireland has taught me is these kind of situations are very complex and never really boils down to a simple good vs bad scenario like we see in movies. The IRA had reasons to stand up to the British but they soiled their local representation by killing people that had nothing to do with the British forces.

[@shcomptech]

Well done for mentioning that when the IRA split in the early 70's the Official IRA were the Marxists and the Provisional IRA were not. The Officials were the much smaller group and when they called a ceasefire in the 70's those that wanted to continue the fight formed the INLA. There had always been a very vocal Marxist minority within the IRA, most likely stemming from the Marxist Irish Citizen Army being one of the IRA's founding organisations, and post revolutionary Russia's recognition of the legitimacy of the Irish armed struggle.

[@TadeuszCantwell]

In my understanding the split as much due to the official IRA unoffcially surrendering in the 1960's and forming the Workers Party. So when the Troubles kicked off it was as much about lost momentum from a turn to polictical action instead of violence. When the movement in N.I was taken over by a new young generation who wanted to fight more than the older generation. The video also leaves out the Loyalist gangs and the ethnic cleansing of streets to give any context as to why the Bristish army went from being a peace force to largely being on one side.

[@shcomptech]

@@TadeuszCantwell The split that formed the Officials and Provisionals happened in Dec/Jan 1969/70 well before the Workers Party was formed. However, the Officials called a ceasfire in 1972 and those members of the Official IRA who did not agree with the ceasefire split and formed the INLA to continue the fight.

[@TadeuszCantwell]

@@shcomptech Ok so the Sinn Féin the Workers party to give it's proper name was formed in the 60's when after the border campaign of the fifties led to the unofficial ceasefire. The slow response by the old IRA who had changed to political action caused the PIRA to be created and then out competed the old IRA/INLA to be the dominant force on the Republican side.

[@shcomptech]

@@TadeuszCantwell No, Sinn Fein split in Jan 1970 into Official Sinn Fein and Provisional Sinn Fein, along the line of the IRA split a few weeks before. Official Sinn Fein changed it's name to Sinn Fein - The Workers Party in 1977. The IRA border campaign of the 50's and the ceasefire that followed that had very little to do with it, other than make people realise that that type of campaign was outdated. There was a shift to left wing politics within Sinn Fein when Tomás Mac Goila became Sinn Fein leader in 1962. Some of this Marxist thinking was supported by some of the IRA leadership, this is what caused the split, as most were not interested in Marxism.

[@Ricardo-mr3bg]

@@shcomptech The Provisionals were filled with Marxists and Socialists of all stripes. The difference was less ideological than tactical: the Officials were against an open assault against the British forces until class unity was achieved, and the Provos thought that you couldn't unite the Irish working classes north and south until the British were removed. As for the INLA, they were very different from the Officials.

[@jdouglasanderson4931]

An excellent presentation, and a very difficult one to do. Just one point - the Irish Free State was not a republic (that came later); it was, in fact, a Dominion like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc., with the King as Head if State, represented by a Governor General.

[@Niall001]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Governor-General_of_the_Irish_Free_State

[@celticdodge5282]

A Republic in all but name, you would find very few people in Ireland from that era loyal to King or commonwealth. Quite the opposite, unlike the other "dominions" mentioned.

[@Top5Aircraft]

@@celticdodge5282 Very true though the occupying power controlled the media , govt policy through blackmail and deceit etc. Thankfully that has in large part been swept away.

[@eyan4329]

Very topical right now

[@historywithhilbert]

Accidentally so as I made the video a few weeks ago.

[@TheAmericanPrometheus]

sadly

[@owowowowowowowowwowowo]

Not as topical , it’s more Loyalists Rather than Republicans at the moment

[@eyan4329]

@@owowowowowowowowwowowo true yeah

[@morisco56]

Why?

[@thugshaker4]

Person 1: "I'm a Republican!" Person 2 (American): "Really what is your stance on the second amendment?" Person 1: "I live in Ireland" *Gunshots* Person 2: "OH, SHI-"

[@justjackmarstonwithinternet]

Extremely inaccurate a drunken 8 year old with a rpg killed them both ten minutes ago

[@Neanderthal1]

Like they said in Devil's own. "I told ya it wasn't an american story , it's an Irish one"

[@louisjefferies2733]

Actually Ireland doesn't permit people to purchase a gun without a correct license

[@theduke7539]

@@louisjefferies2733 the secret ingredient is a little bit of crime

[@stopdeletingmyaccount125]

@@louisjefferies2733 in other words fook et

[@cianthemasseyfergusonlover5324]

Just saying u can trace the IRA to the irb before 1900 as that's where the original IRA members came from

[@Guadalajara1937]

You should do a video about the Insurgency in Mozambique too

[@IrishTechnicalThinker]

Great job. Being from Belfast you've did your research and must admit, fantastic work. Edit, I thought you would have mentioned Bloody Sunday, this event changed everything, caused the IRA to swell in ranks and giving birth to the Provisionals. Nonetheless, excellent job!

[@Shinji_1943]

There is key events throughout the conflict that served to prolong it. You rightly mention Bloody Sunday, Falls Curfew and the Hunger strikes are other notable events.

[@IrishTechnicalThinker]

@@Shinji_1943 Good points. I'm only speaking in regards to the structure of the IRA changed throughout the troubles as you pointed out. Although after bloody Sunday and the ballymurphy massacre, the official IRA were non existed and criticised for not being there to defend innocent people. This in my opinion was a key point that was slightly overlooked.

[@Shinji_1943]

@@IrishTechnicalThinker Yeah the Stickies went on ceasefire early 70s and were over shadowed by the PIRA but the left wing elements within Irish Republicanism continued their activities throughout the conflict in the form of the INLA IPLO etc.

[@silversolver7809]

@Tammy XoX "N.I. is British" I thought that was England + Wales? Anyway, NI isn't British, it's part of the UK.

[@Shinji_1943]

@@silversolver7809 The irony am I right?

[@Erebe56]

Very good this new short format video

[@historywithhilbert]

Thank you for the feedback!

[@crywlf9103]

Lmao “WERE” OH NELLY

[@bobo9519]

Were Moment

[@derman-ps6re]

They don’t do shit anymore

[@orangecat504]

@@derman-ps6re don't jinx it

[@b3artattack]

Radovan Karadžić's son you wait now that shankills on fire.

[@aoibhinnomahony7712]

@@derman-ps6re but loyalists are rioting again like the riots that caused the troubles

[@thing8357]

A neat video idea would be to go over the different paramilitary groups during the troubles. Kind of like what you did with the Spanish Civil War factions.

[@tomblack4634]

UDR

[@onezerooneo]

Love your videos Hilbert. It might be interesting to make one about the Loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland too since most people around Europe (or elsewhere) know nothing about them and think only the IRA were the cause of all the trouble in the north.

[@historywithhilbert]

Thank you! The next episode in the series is on the UDA :)

[@onezerooneo]

@@historywithhilbert amazing! Thank you for your efforts!

[@onezerooneo]

@Tammy XoX Haha! Amazing. From which history book did you get that from?

[@navywastaken]

Teacher: what is 26 + 6? Everyone: 32 The Irish kid: *1*

[@josephgreble5]

Oof that timing

[@historywithhilbert]

I know right!

[@Guadalajara1937]

?

[@donnachaoconnor9425]

@@Guadalajara1937 theres riots and secterian violence in northern ireland now

[@Guadalajara1937]

@@donnachaoconnor9425 damn,I didnt know that

[@normiron736]

Yeah, pretty poor tbh, prince Philip's uncle was blown up by the IRA.

[@therookie8872]

It’s a family legend but my great grandfather was apparently a rebel who would take potshots and ambush British troops after WWI around the north. he fled to New York after it all and here I am.

[@sunofdawn3237]

as we say in ireland: UGHWAYYYYYYY!

[@godlovesyou1995]

Idk why he would flee when ireland became independent only 3.5 years after ww1.

[@rabby77777]

we thank him for his service

[@therookie8872]

@@godlovesyou1995 yeah well those 3.5 yrs were nuts ig

[@charlesuzozie5747]

@@godlovesyou1995 Those 3.5 years contained the including: Irish war of independence Irish civil war, And if he were living in Northern Ireland at the time he would have been persecuted/hunted down by Unionists forces.

[@plebinator-eo5ot]

This is perfect timing

[@AshArAis]

The unionists setting things on fire would hate to know people mix them up with the IRA

[@plebinator-eo5ot]

@@AshArAis I'm not mixing them together I'm on about prince Philip dying

[@madman_2l0l57]

@@plebinator-eo5ot what has Prince Phillip have to do with the troubles and IRA ?

[@daithimcbuan5235]

I hope you'll do the INLA, UVF, UDA etc. etc. as well.

[@stephensmith4480]

@Shane Molloy It`s The DET not the DEBT.

[@stephensmith4480]

@Shane Molloy The Det`s correct name is The 14th Intelligence and security group. Sometimes referred to as " The Group " but usually called The Det. They were called The Det because there was three Detachments, or Det`s. East, North and West.

[@stephensmith4480]

@Shane Molloy You forgot The UDA.

[@stephensmith4480]

@Shane Molloy Personally, I don`t rate any of these paramilitary thugs, no matter who they represent. None of them have The Balls to wear a uniform, they conduct their business in the most cowardly way and when units like The SAS are tasked against them and they play them at their own game, they start with the hard done to routine. Shit houses, the lot of them.

[@stephensmith4480]

@Shane Molloy You know full well what I mean.

[@aoibhinnomahony7712]

The pro treaty forces were called the free state or national army not the IRA

[@tomblack4634]

They were the republican army which is the the term "IRA" comes from which is why the terrorist group used that name to gain support from Irish republicans and catholics.

[@aoibhinnomahony7712]

@@tomblack4634 I know my history a lot fucking better than you since my family fought in every fucking rebellion there was

[@InterrogatorchaplainAsmodai]

​@tomblack4634 the free state army was formed after the treaty was signed, the ira was not the official army of the state.

[@sunofdawn3237]

Thank you for a surprisingly unbiased summary.

[@shurley96]

Good video. The only correction I would make is that Southern Ireland didn't become a republic immediately after the 1922 treaty - we were the Irish Free State, still a dominion and a member of the commonwealth. The treaty was dismantled over a number of years in the 1930s, and our constitution was written in 1937. Ireland officially became a republic in 1949. Not that all that extra info is relevant to a 5 minute video when it's not the exact topic at hand, but interesting nonetheless.

[@justbeyondthecornerproduct3540]

There's no such thing as Southern Ireland.

[@barryryan14]

There's no such place as Southern Ireland. It's Ireland. Or the republic of Ireland. It's our country. Look at the messes Brits have left all over the world. Israel. India/Pakistan. Hong Kong. Ireland and the planted unionists. The Brits should take all the unionists back and pay reparations for 100s of years of occupancy.

[@blinddudegameing446]

As an Irish, American, who decided to start learning Gaelic and I started picking up history as kind of a side project to all that, this was a real mindfuck, and before anybody asks, I’m not one of those people who had a grandfather 20 generations ago. There was a Irish, I’m a bit newer than that lol, my great grandfather my grandmother’s father, came over here in the 30s to the US, so I’m not some doofus that just thinks I’m Irish, because I like to drink lol,

[@seanisnotjohn]

If you have Irish blood then *you are Irish* . It's that simple

[@Tom-eq5bz]

Good job and very topical!

[@Tom-eq5bz]

@@Stefan_W. Ach, Stefan😭

[@padraigpearse1551]

It would be a good idea to do one abt loyalist factions so people can have a better understanding of whats happening here right now

[@Shinji_1943]

Should do one on most of the major factions in the conflict here. INLA, UVF UDA etc.

[@markmclarnon7035]

It would take a life time to document all the group's

[@Lem_in]

@@Shinji_1943 The INLA is an irish org

[@Jupiter__001_]

@@Lem_in He only said "major factions in the conflict", not "major *loyalist* factions in the conflict"

[@gingus_627]

Really well made video no bias just the straight facts! :)

[@stiofanofirghil1916]

Aye.. 😏

[@ashleyberbereia8076]

I'm currently reading Northern Spy by Flynn Berry which deals with two sisters living in Belfast during a time of unrest with bombings and terrorist attacks by the IRA. This has been really informative and helpful to learn about the IRA's history. Thank you!!

[@JosephCollins-mk5ro]

@@ashleyberbereia8076 Do you Notice most comments ended 3 years ago?

[@SoftDrinksOfChoice]

Very informative and to the point.

[@onlineaccount1489]

Are you going to do the other side of the equation: UVF?

[@historywithhilbert]

Made one on the UDA that will be out soon :)

[@onlineaccount1489]

@@historywithhilbert My man

[@silversolver7809]

@@historywithhilbert You'd need to cover more than UDA & UVF if you want to call it history-you had: UDA UVF PAF RHC YCV UFF UYM UR LVF YLV OV RHD Real UFF DOW USC Then you had various official & other groups which aided them in one way or another: British Army UDR RUC RUC Special Branch Glenanne gang MI6 MI5 FRU National Front British People's Party Britain First Combat 18 USCA etc Nice video here apart from the Republic only appearing in 1949, good luck if you try to do the balancing one! Take most of the 5 minutes to list 'em all :)

[@dirtypure2023]

@@silversolver7809 Is this for real? Are all of these splinter groups of the main ones with their own specific interests or what?

[@silversolver7809]

@@dirtypure2023 "Is this for real?" Yes-although I can't find the original source for my notes, it's from a few years ago. There were also a good few more nationalist factions than the main ones. It was a real mess, I truly hope they can defuse the current situation-nobody needs a return to the old situation.

[@madbun1312]

the music is so loud and lively that it feels like Hilbert is trying tell me all this while we sit at the back of a pub as a trad band is playing lol

[@michaelcollins8442]

Amazing video! Really helps me to have more of an insight into Irish history. Slainte Hilbert!

[@crazywelshman5909]

Can you please do a video on the free Wales army. It's one of my favourite topics in history and I love it. Thanks you

[@donalmacthomais7584]

Good Friday agreement was in 1998. If you want a good story to talk about is the " one man march" in which during the late 60s ( the Catholics ) in the north marched on being inspired by MLK Jr.

[@alfredthegreatkingofwessex6838]

Great video Hilbert! Idea for future video? The history of ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna)

[@historywithhilbert]

Already made that one - should be coming out in the next two months :)

[@alfredthegreatkingofwessex6838]

@@historywithhilbert We are not worthy of your amazing work ethic Hunkbert 👏 🙏🏻

[@LuisAldamiz]

@@historywithhilbert - Hope you are less predictable than in this one, which I'm still doubting about downvoting. "Catholics"?!

[@chiomaakindeleokoye4914]

Screw Britain 👎🏿 unite Ireland from a Londoner

[@alfredthegreatkingofwessex6838]

@@chiomaakindeleokoye4914 if you wanna be free then maybe you should learn how to win battles

[@user-vi6wf4gh9x]

Proud Irishmen fighting to free their homeland from foreign occupation and tyranny. TAL ☘️🇮🇪

[@johnritter6864]

While planting bombs in pubs and railways stations and killing scores of innocent people. Didnt they go into extortion, drugs and prositution rings when their US funds dried up?

[@user-vi6wf4gh9x]

@@johnritter6864 All's fair in love and war boyo.

[@nickd745]

@@johnritter6864 The irish could do that for a hundred years and still have less blood on their hands then the british

[@tombolo9370]

@@johnritter6864 i always laugh when british people act like the ira are bad for killing “innocents” as if they didn’t starve a million irish to death, 4 million bengalis and 150 thousand kenyans in british concentration camps

[@GreoGreo]

@@johnritter6864 That was a good thing. The Irish should do that again.

[@arannblanchfield3963]

" Were?" Hmmmm very bold claim for someone with a car.

[@o-o2399]

Good timing for this topic

[@bigiron9334]

Has there been recent activity i haven't heard about?

[@lurkag2672]

@@bigiron9334 Unionists are big mad about the Brexit compromise so they've been rioting over the past week. Now Republicans are out rioting too, and they've traded some projectiles over the peace walls in Belfast.

[@TheLoughDuck55]

@@bigiron9334 about a week ago unionists started rioting and throwing petrol bombs in mostly in Belfast and south of Derry city, republicans have now joined in and it’s just become a huge mess.

[@brokearcader6625]

I’m here because I watched the movie blown away and patriot games, I love history especially historical wars, I never really understood what the this was so thank you for the education 😊

[@Mr.internet.Lag.]

I can still hear the song black and tans

[@igneous061]

Morning dew and wearing wearing on the green aswell

[@vuho2075]

What doesn't get mentioned is that the conflict is basically between 3 groups - Irish Catholics (IRA+Sinn Fein), Irish Protestants (RUC+UVF), British Army. This is not a foreign colonial occupation issue

[@seanisnotjohn]

the British were the foreign colonizers

[@GlizzyLizzieP]

Gotta remember Gerry was ‘never’ in the Ra

[@dwaynesbadchemicals]

Why is the title in the past tense?

[@julianshepherd2038]

"Were" ?

[@Jim54_]

When talking about modern Ireland one thing that needs to be mentioned was how a Protestant Irish Parliament successfully gained independence for Ireland between 1782 and 1800, during which time Catholics got most of their rights back, with most Irish people of different faiths uniting under the ideologies of either constitutionalism or Republicanism, with both in favour of varying degrees of Irish sovereignty/autonomy and increased personal rights. This independence ended when a failed Republican Revolution in 1798 led British prime minister William Pitt to intimidate and bribe the Irish Parliament into merging the Kingdom Ireland into the UK after an initial Union vote failed. Ireland’s Parliament was forced to merge with The British one (though the courts and civil service of Ireland remained separate, but nominally subject to Westminster from now on). People on both sides seem to have completely forgotten this chapter in Irish history, because Protestants and Catholics fighting together for an independent Irish Kingdom doesn’t fit anyone’s narrative, and yet it had a major impact on the island. Unionism, Republicanism and Constitutionalism all originate from the original Irish volunteers that used the opportunity of the American Revolution distracting Britain to revolt in 1782. This heralded the independence and has shaped all aspects of Irish politics ever since

[@monarchistheadcrab8819]

So, how many IRAs do you want Ireland? Ireland: *YES*

[@Gillemear]

Quick correction- the IRA originates from the Irish Volunteers who were founded in 1913 with the aim to insure, with arms if necessary, that the Irish Home Rule (devolution) Bill, about to be passed in Westminster, would indeed come into effect. They were a response to the Ulster Volunteers who were in opposition to Home Rule and were set up a year earlier. After 1916 and the Easter Rising the Volunteers switched from being a Nationalist to a Republican movement, changing their name later to IRA as you mentioned.

[@nirnman]

you jumped from the Irish Civil War to the troubles omitting the fact the IRA were continually engaged in attacks in N Ireland and the mainland UK from then and during WW 2 and throughout the next decades until with a short-lived escalated campaign in the early 50s which was suppressed until the Troubles campaign all that happens is that the core dissidents simply use a new prefix but it is still essentially the same organisation remember one Gerry Adams quotation where he said "we haven't gone away you know"

[@mikamikachu2375]

We watched that in class and It's really interesting now we had to do portfolio about How Brexit reopening old wounds in Ireland and I've choosed your video for my portfolio

[@bluesberrysmoothie69420]

That was a lot, I guess I have to rewatch it.

[@lindsayhengehold5341]

Great video on this topic/ political group.

[@aliciaanderson873]

This is a prime example of how groups that become divided within themselves will ultimately fail.

[@ScuffedLawReview]

They didn't fail, they won

[@mmmhmmm8236]

@@ScuffedLawReview Eh, it's more of a draw considering that the Provos became Sienn Fein and are still not defeated but Northern Ireland is still in British control as of 2022 by the time I'm writing this comment. At least the violence is non-existent, terrorism is still a bad way to get your message across because innocent people can become collateral damage by the many bombings the IRA conducted regardless of your opinions on the matter.

[@RobertK1993]

@@mmmhmmm8236 Northern Ireland on verse leaving the United Kingdom

[@marywood3144]

i’m still confused, so is the ira good or bad?

[@CrazyMonkey679]

Depends which way you look at it...

[@seamuswbiggerarmalite3379]

gooad bad n good bad if they are socialist good if they arent socialist

[@seamuswbiggerarmalite3379]

@Roger Roger ye right

[@james06598]

The IRA committed terrible atrocities (bombing rememberance services for example) , the UVF committed terrible atrocities (murdering students because they were Catholic for example). There really is no “good” or “bad” side in this.

[@seamuswbiggerarmalite3379]

@@james06598 in that time of the british empire aye ye right

[@finntraynor3904]

very good unbiased and factual video

[@johnrutledge8267]

what is "were" bit?

[@cheddarcheeseisgood8030]

Hilbert never fails with these dopamine inducing videos

[@jon6309]

Thank you for this video. As a geography and history fanatic I was familiar with the Good Friday Agreement but I actually heard of the IRA recently after watching the show National Treasure: Edge of History. The Antagonist Billie lost her parents from an IRA bombing incident when she was 10 years old which is why I wanted more details on the IRA.

[@micahistory]

good video

[@oneworld9071]

On the day in about 1977 I arrived to attend college in a city in California, my aunt said to me and my friend, "Be careful who you make friends with....... there's a lot of IRA members here; it's a haven and hideout for them.......". One day around sunset, the street was ablaze with the colors of the sun setting over the Pacific. I saw a guy and his immense German Shepherd on a balcony above. I waved, asking, "You got a saddle for that horse?". I noticed he had a mixed drink in hand, which he held up and asked if I like Tanqueray and tonic. I've never had a weakness for alcohol, but Tanqueray's a different matter. I asked about his UK dialect....... "100% Irish", he replied. In the course of chat he said in a city of millions, he'd never felt so lonely....... then revealed he was an IRA member, and that part of the loneliness was his worry about being spotted by another member. He was on the lam in an IRA haven. He told me the story of his exile....... He was a bomber......... bomb-maker........ he'd carried out a revenge mission for his mother's death in a bombing of a Catholic parish. He'd bombed a Protestant church, then immediately after went inside, on the premise he'd lower the chances of being marked as a suspect as he acted the part of a victim's family member. He said that the blood was so deep his shoes were completely submerged in it. I think at that point I guzzled the rest of my Tanqueray. He began to cry with regret and sorrow...... he was marked for death for using IRA materials and methods, and especially for carrying out a personal vendetta with them. He was already well along in his years; no doubt he's no longer among the living. Something that I've always found rather ridiculous..... Catholic and Protestant faiths have far more parallels than not. I was baptized Lutheran in 1958, confirmed by catechism in the early 70's. I wasn't about to reveal to this IRA dude I was Lutheran, given it was the first Protestant denomination of the Reformation. When I was to be married in a Catholic church, during prenuptial consultation I asked the priest if he had any concerns that I was Lutheran. His answer was absolutely perfect: "My doctorate is in theology, NOT religion". I've come to believe that the religious have grasped their idea of a surrogate for spirituality; in spirituality there's no room for, nor virtue in fear and proselytizing. Lastly...... a few years later, back home on East Coast, I continued college........ in an English course we had to read "Guest of a Nation" by Frank O'connor. Over dinner, I was telling the owners of the farm where I'd boarded and their long-time friend who was also living on the farm about the book I was reading....... as I'm unknowingly sitting right next to the very author's son........!?!? He loved to drink; he'd recite from memory the very long and elaborate poems of Whitman and the like, earning free drinks all night :) What a small world sometimes.

[@garden_3130]

Encore.

[@NICK77777]

The little guy with balaclava is cute. Like a little mascot.

[@fawwazamsyar2224]

where i can get the longer version of this video?

[@cillsleibhe4653]

Irish author Brendan Behan - who had been in the ira in the 1930's once joked that the first item on the agenda of a republican meeting was 'the split' - very pythonesque indeed!

[@markmclarnon7035]

Very nice video and as some one from NI I all ways like it when English people manage to explain groups like this (especially the funding from America) casue so many people don't now it happened

[@peternoone8437]

Good vid but Ireland didn't become a republic in '22 it was the free state and still a member of the commonwealth with the monarch as head of state, one of the catalysts for the civil war was maintaining the monarchy rather than having a president. :)

[@tonymane6627]

good job guys, inspiration to all

[@jovan8972]

You should cover the Yugoslav Wars.

[@regandeileenkingston5768]

That would take a 15 hour video and have 15 million conflicting comments, the balkan people can't even agree among themselves who was wrong and who was right and exactly what happened, I've been in the balkan many times and in every country you have those that accept blame for part of the trouble and some that want another war.

[@QuipCS]

Thank you for covering this stuff much appreciated from me

[@SiVlog1989]

The British Army was initially sent in to Northern Ireland as a neutral peace keeping force, and were welcomed as such by the Nationalist Community. However, as with the RUC before them, they began to sense growing bias towards those who were in the Unionist and Loyalist Communities and things got worse from there until the 1990's

[@jose-Maki]

What version is the ira on now?

[@dubhainoceanntabhail5262]

A five minute video is way way too short to cover this. I wouldn't be political inclined but I do know those who were and still are. And they all have their own different stories be they republican Sinn Féin or provisional Sinn Féin. I will say it is a hard part of history to cover and it is controversial and no doubt will cause arguments on this video and most of them will be from people who don't have a clue. Fair play to you for taking it on..

[@ea.fitz216]

Very good timing

[@connordoyle8014]

"Were" COME OUT YE BLACK AND TANS, COME OUT AND FIGHT ME LIKE A MAN...

[@godlovesyou1995]

It was the ira that hid though...

[@jowaksh6627]

@@godlovesyou1995 yeah but we don't acknowledge the "IRA I ran away" time

[@amandagale7641]

My Grandma talked about hiding in the bogs from the black and tans as they were riding around Finny Co. Mayo and shooting Irish in the fields. She later came to N.Y city and made sure her grandchildren new the history and language, we all stepped danced played the bagpipes. Tiochaidh Ár Lá”

[@francisconnellan350]

The IRA was the replacement for the Fenians (IRB). My grandfather and his Brother were Fenian and later IRA

[@francisconnellan350]

@Leo D'Arcy what age am I now ? I was born in 1962. grandfather on my mother's side was born in 1880 and died in 1960 and did not marry until he was 44 years old. My mother was born in 1933 and died 2020. My grandfather was in an engineering sector that made IEDs. One of my grandmother family died young after spending time in prison during the war of independence. He got TB in prison and died not long after he was released at the end of the war. My fathers family were in Australia during the war of independence so were not involved in the conflict.

[@francisconnellan350]

@Leo D'Arcy my grandfather who was IRB came from an Ulster-Scots background. Also, people after the famine married later in life. He also was a big fan of cricket.

[@francisconnellan350]

@Leo D'Arcy It was a popular game in Longford where he grew up.There were 70 cricket grounds in the Phoenix Park Dublin in 1900. now only 2. Martin McGuinness was a cricket fan.

[@francisconnellan350]

@Leo D'Arcy Indeed. Strangely the game of Croquet was invented in Ireland. this claim may be disputed and the GAA formalised the rules of rounder 10 years before this was done in England.

[@harveylafever3646]

no mention of the hunger strikes in HMP's?

[@Skwigz]

The creator of the original IRA was the first Irish Prime Minister (as it was called at the time) Michael Collins, he later left the IRA and signed the Anglo-Irish treaty with Britain and was eventually assassinated by one of his old men, who was in opposition to his decision. Michael Collin's last words were; "Forgive them. Bury me in Glasnevin with the boys." He was murdered on the day his soon-to-be wife was picking out a dress for their wedding.

[@sean_d]

I think those "last words" are mythical. He was in no condition to speak.

[@thedownfallparodist1145]

Good Topic

[@ladyaneal4]

When CNT-FAI?

[@clover1475]

Actually the weapons weren't actually being handed over they were "being put behind use"

[@isaakellson7113]

Do you think you could make a video of the Nagorno karabakh war and the Chechen war

[@russiansaurusrex6056]

the british army do kind of have some kinky boots 😳😳

[@kandarpdubey457]

The background music is of the best !!!

[@Simonsvids]

What about the 'Really Genuine' (yes it's really us) IRA?

[@danielmurray3239]

"I cant believe its not IRA" was another one 😅

[@AshImprezaTV]

@@danielmurray3239 🤣🤣🤣

[@regarded9702]

I appreciate you saying unify instead of reunify. It always irks me when I see that.

[@Shinji_1943]

You refer to the Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921 as leading to the formalisation of partition which was initiated by the Government of Ireland Act 1920 but then go on to say that the southern state was a republic which is incorrect. The southern Irish Free State still featured the British Monarch as its figure head therefore it was not a Republic and members of its parliament still had to say the oath of allegiance to the British Crown, the issues of partition, and the oath and the fact they sold out on the Irish Republic were major factors in the commencement of the Irish Civil War.

[@kratosboy5557]

good lads

[@englishalan222]

They lost.

[@Slava_Ukraini1991]

@@englishalan222 they are still fighting. Sinn Fein is on the rise. A United Ireland is within sight. Tiocfaidh ar la!

[@rayoboyle7789]

A Great bunch of lads

[@tf2664]

nice video

[@phillipwilloughby5013]

Under the Anglo Irish Treaty (signed 6th December 1921) the island was to be partitioned forming two nations, Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland, with parliaments in Dublin and Belfast, creating an independent United Ireland but as a dominion not a republic and to happen in exactly one year. The anti-treaty side wanted to continue fighting for a republic. The pro-treaty side wanted to take advantage of independence to achieve a republic. Then came 6th December 1922 (independence day) and Northern Ireland's parliament was already set up but in Southern Ireland both Sinn Fein and the IRA had spilt between pro-treaty and anti-treaty sides thus the Civil War. Northern Ireland's parliament was to give itself 30 days in this new Ireland before deciding whether or not to return to the UK but the Civil War in Southern Ireland made them quickly choose to return to the UK after only two days. Southern Ireland was renamed the Irish Free State. The Irish Constitution was ratified in 1937 renaming the Irish Free State "Ireland", and established the presidency making Ireland a republic which the Irish government didn't declare until 1949.

[@psyops_meows]

How do I get an ira uniform

[@Slava_Ukraini1991]

You gotta find a british soldier and then... well you know.

[@Bloodnut4life]

Has the man from the daily mail shown up yet?

[@fred8180]

nice timing

[@allanlank]

I was waiting to hear of the PRO (Protestant Retaliation Organization) and the Orange Order (Dutch anthem played here).

[@allanlank]

@novax must be lizards for there aren't any snakes in Ireland. 😅

[@rudolfsbelozerovs7816]

Great video on the subject would love to see you make one on loyalist parmiliratires

[@Legionnaire7777]

Do one on the United Irishmen.

[@Legionnaire7777]

@kbooax Good on Wolfe Tone and all the men that started the United Irishmen both religions standing firm together, the Green the White and the Orange United for freedom.

[@Jupiter__001_]

@kbooax Plus there would be no religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics since both banded together to fight.

[@Jupiter__001_]

@kbooax I disagree. The entire reason the British planters (not colonists, planters are something similar but distinct) were sent to Ireland was to bring it more in line with the Protestantism of England and Scotland. Nationalism wasn't really a thing at the time, so instead religious differences provided the fuel for unrest. The division was initially between British planters of either Presbyterian religion (in the case of Scottish planters) or the Anglican religion (in the case of English planters), and the Roman Catholic Irish. Eventually, however, Presbyterianism came to be seen as a dissident religion, and this view of it by the English ironically caused it to become so. Indeed, Wolfe Tone of the United Irishmen was Presbyterian. The British government had to give considerable financial reparations and an official apology for their actions against Presbyterians in the late 19th century (when that was _not_ common at all, as imperialism was seen as normal), because they knew that with them becoming more and more anti-British and joining forces with the Catholics, there would be no way of maintaining control of Ireland. Gradually Presbyterians forgave the government to a degree, such that by the time of renewed nationalism they sided with the British, having been forced to pick a side. The brief Ulster Nationalist movement can be seen as another manifestation of this dissident spirit, as they saw the English as abusing their forgiveness and trust. Basically, painting it as a sectarian issue only does more to highlight the crimes of the British government, since they were the ones who created it in the first place to keep the island divided. Also, almost all Ulster Protestants are of majority Irish ancestry, especially among the Presbyterians whose Scottish ancestors intermarried readily with the Irish (thanks to a common Gaelic cultural bond). To rephrase your claim more accurately, it is not so much of a religious issue as it is a cultural divide, which was born of the initial religious divide, but is more or less separate.

[@Jupiter__001_]

@Leo D'Arcy Mate, I know the official church was (and is) the Church of Ireland. I'm from here. Also, it is good that you removed the profane insult at the start of your message, you ignoramus.

[@Jupiter__001_]

@Leo D'Arcy Now you deleted my reply! I said I am from NORTHERN Ireland, you absolute goblin. No wonder the Presbyterians eventually fell out with you lot.

[@MrMnk-z]

You left a little part out from 1972