# Information About the IRA



## JamesR (Jan 10, 2015)

I'm writing a short story involving the Irish Republican Army--the modern terrorist cell that you hear about in the news, not the historical fighting force--and I needed some information about them. Probably first and foremost, what firearms do they commonly use? Do they operate like a conventional military force divided into units with a Sergeant and everything? Do they have any special "traditions"--like a secret handshake before staging an act of terror, a slogan, or a victory cry or something? And any other interesting information about them that can be used in a story?


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## Sam (Jan 10, 2015)

It depends on what IRA you're talking about. 

The Real IRA, the Continuity IRA, the Official IRA, or the Provisional IRA? There's even a Real IRA splinter group. They all have different _modi operandi, _but the Provisional IRA is the more common one in terms of popular culture. It's main goal was the collapse of the government of Northern Ireland, through any means necessary, and its weapons of choice were the AR-18, the AK-47, and the Heckler and Koch G3 assault rifles. The PIRA was organised hierarchically, with a chief of staff at the very top, and commanders of brigades in each of the nine counties of Ulster. The group was one of the most well-organised cells in the world, and still is today, running their operations with military precision. Most, if not all, of the members are volunteers who were trained extensively by some military groups with sympathies for the PIRA and its goals. 

Handshakes or victory cries? No, but they do use the name P. O'Neill in all their public statements so that everyone knows who the message is from.


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## aj47 (Jan 10, 2015)

lol, I thought it might be Individual Retirement Account and so I clicked.


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## JamesR (Jan 10, 2015)

Sam said:


> It depends on what IRA you're talking about.
> 
> The Real IRA, the Continuity IRA, the Official IRA, or the Provisional IRA? There's even a Real IRA splinter group. They all have different _modi operandi, _but the Provisional IRA is the more common one in terms of popular culture. It's main goal was the collapse of the government of Northern Ireland, through any means necessary, and its weapons of choice were the AR-18, the AK-47, and the Heckler and Koch G3 assault rifles. The PIRA was organised hierarchically, with a chief of staff at the very top, and commanders of brigades in each of the nine counties of Ulster. The group was one of the most well-organised cells in the world, and still is today, running their operations with military precision. Most, if not all, of the members are volunteers who were trained extensively by some military groups with sympathies for the PIRA and its goals.
> 
> Handshakes or victory cries? No, but they do use the name P. O'Neill in all their public statements so that everyone knows who the message is from.



Thank you. That was very helpful and has answered my questions.


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