Did the Soviets support the IRA?

[Ol' Dirty]

Did the Soviet Union give support to the IRA? And, if so, how much, and in what form?

[Dr Mindbender]

the IRA has had some sort of support from lots of groups, from Nazi Germany to the PLO.

The soviet union i'm not sure about. I suppose it would make sense since they had a common enemy (which is how the cold war was fought).

[Dr Mindbender]

Here is a BBC article-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1490000/images/_1490663_ira_abroad3.gif


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/1490663.stm

[Jorge Miguel]

In the recent stage of the conflict, Daithi O Conaill went to Prague and purchased arms for the IRA in the 1970s. On a point of interest, the Official IRA Director of Operations in 1972 is alleged to have visited Albania but returned empty handed.

Prior to that in the 1920s the Comintern held a meeting in London with members of the forerunner to the Communist Party (SPI in English but CPI in it's Irish name) at which an agreed Socialist programme was drawn up for the IRA. Not much came of it, but interestingly, a few senior IRA Volunteers joined and supported the Communist Party around this time including Peadar O Donnell, Rory O Connor and Liam Mellowes.

For further reading there are two publications I'd recommend -

The Irish Case for Communism (Cork Workers Club)
The Reds and the Green

[Q]

the IRA has had some sort of support from lots of groups, from Nazi Germany to the PLO.

The soviet union i'm not sure about. I suppose it would make sense since they had a common enemy (which is how the cold war was fought).

If we're talking about the provisional IRA (Northern Ireland), how could Nazi Germany have supported it, since the provisional IRA exists since 1969?

[redflag32]

The INLA used a "pink-soviet made explosive" in the past. It was this explosive that was used in the attack on Airey Nieve in the houses of parliament. Dont ask me where they got it from though. :p

[redarmyfaction38]

If we're talking about the provisional IRA (Northern Ireland), how could Nazi Germany have supported it, since the provisional IRA exists since 1969?
my understanding of republican politics in northern ireland as explained by a family bombed out of ni baxck in the 1970s when they came to live with my family.
the oficial ira was supposedly marxist and realised that ireland could only be united after a socialist revolution.
it's policy was in ni to protect the republican minority until a socialist revolution united the whole of ireland.
unfortunately, after the uk govt. armed the "loyalist" para miltaries in order to divide ulsters working class communities, ira came to mean "i ran away", out of that the "provos" were born. the "provos" then split, the provisional ira becomong a solely "nationalist" group and the "inla" becoming the armed wing of the "irish socialist party".
the german govt. back in the 1920s and later in the 1930s are supposed to have backed "irish nationalism" in order to create a "second front" against "english imperialism".
on an objective note, not a bad move given 400 years of english oppressino in ireland.

[Lamanov]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1490000/images/_1490663_ira_abroad3.gif

Bosnia?

[Trystan]

Bosnia?

I think that Karadzic's friends were aiding the Real IRA, not sure though.

[Pogue]

IRA were backed by the Nazis? Yuck.

[Jorge Miguel]

The INLA used a "pink-soviet made explosive" in the past. It was this explosive that was used in the attack on Airey Nieve in the houses of parliament. Dont ask me where they got it from though. :pEither paid for in cash from Prague or through contacts with the RAF in Germany.

[Jorge Miguel]

my understanding of republican politics in northern ireland as explained by a family bombed out of ni baxck in the 1970s when they came to live with my family.
the oficial ira was supposedly marxist and realised that ireland could only be united after a socialist revolution.
it's policy was in ni to protect the republican minority until a socialist revolution united the whole of ireland.
unfortunately, after the uk govt. armed the "loyalist" para miltaries in order to divide ulsters working class communities, ira came to mean "i ran away", out of that the "provos" were born. the "provos" then split, the provisional ira becomong a solely "nationalist" group and the "inla" becoming the armed wing of the "irish socialist party".
the german govt. back in the 1920s and later in the 1930s are supposed to have backed "irish nationalism" in order to create a "second front" against "english imperialism".
on an objective note, not a bad move given 400 years of english oppressino in ireland.Comrade, this is a bit incorrect, but you're generally on the right path. The Official IRA was on a position known as 'defence and retaliation' which essentially kept the ball in their court. Regarding Nazi Germany, nothing ever came of it. It's a non-issue in so far as 'support', however, plans did exist for a German invasion. Frank Ryan was taken by the Gestapo from a Spanish concentration camp. Little is known about what happened after, but he died in Dresden in 1943-4. Sean Russell died on a U-Boat on his way back to Ireland was buried at sea.

[RedAnarchist]

IRA were backed by the Nazis? Yuck.

I assume it was more of a convenience rather than an actual alliance - both had a common enemy, and I am certain that the IRA would have found the Nazis to be as vile as we do.

[Brady]

my understanding of republican politics in northern ireland as explained by a family bombed out of ni baxck in the 1970s when they came to live with my family.
the oficial ira was supposedly marxist and realised that ireland could only be united after a socialist revolution.
it's policy was in ni to protect the republican minority until a socialist revolution united the whole of ireland.
unfortunately, after the uk govt. armed the "loyalist" para miltaries in order to divide ulsters working class communities, ira came to mean "i ran away", out of that the "provos" were born. the "provos" then split, the provisional ira becomong a solely "nationalist" group and the "inla" becoming the armed wing of the "irish socialist party".
the german govt. back in the 1920s and later in the 1930s are supposed to have backed "irish nationalism" in order to create a "second front" against "english imperialism".
on an objective note, not a bad move given 400 years of english oppressino in ireland.

Double it and you´re getting closer.

[Trystan]

I assume it was more of a convenience rather than an actual alliance - both had a common enemy, and I am certain that the IRA would have found the Nazis to be as vile as we do.

Probably. But the IRA's one fixed goal was the unification of Ireland. I find all this stuff about them being "left-wing revolutionaries" nonsense really; links with the Nazis is a case in point.

[Philosophical Materialist]

IRA were backed by the Nazis? Yuck.

Ideologically speaking, both had nothing in common. Some IRA men took the view of the "enemy of our enemy is our friend."

Nazi Germany abandoned support for the IRA as they saw them as unreliable and noted that the IRA's interests weren't broadly pro-Axis.

German bombing of the British-occupied six counties and the resulting civilian costs made republicans wary of seeking Nazi support.

Irish left-nationalists had abandoned any sort of notion of an Axis victory helping to bring about Irish unity when the Soviet Union was invaded in 1941.

[redflag32]

Probably. But the IRA's one fixed goal was the unification of Ireland. I find all this stuff about them being "left-wing revolutionaries" nonsense really; links with the Nazis is a case in point.

There was both a left wing and a right wing element within the IRA and the influence of each changed from time to time. The history of the IRA spans a very very long time, to say they had "one fixed goal" is nonsense.

[cameron222]

INLA split from OIRA after the PIRA-OIRA split, not from PIRA
to throw that out.
now i hear they're just drug dealers

[redflag32]

INLA split from OIRA after the PIRA-OIRA split, not from PIRA
to throw that out.
now i hear they're just drug dealers

From who?

[redarmyfaction38]

From who?
according to popular belief, it is the provos and the loyalists that are using gangsterism to serve their own needs, deal drugs etc.
i,ve not heard any mention of the inla in any of this.

[Trystan]

There was both a left wing and a right wing element within the IRA and the influence of each changed from time to time. The history of the IRA spans a very very long time, to say they had "one fixed goal" is nonsense.

If the opportunity had arisen for them (i.e. Sinn Fein/PIRA) to unite with the capitalist south, they would have undoubtedly taken it. The socialist revolution was secondary.

[redarmyfaction38]

If the opportunity had arisen for them (i.e. Sinn Fein/PIRA) to unite with the capitalist south, they would have undoubtedly taken it. The socialist revolution was secondary.
that's entirely correct.
there is another twist to the tale though, the irish republics govt. regarded the provos as "socialist revolutionaries" and colluded with the british govt. in order to prevent the succesful conclusion of the provos terrorist campaign and the unification of ireland.
seeing such a victory as a threat to the capitalist order and their personal position within irish "democracy".
sein fein was a minority party in the republic and the capitalist parties wished it to remain so.
quite ironic really, as nowadays, sein fein, is not regarded as a "revolutionary" party north or south of the border.

[redflag32]

If the opportunity had arisen for them (i.e. Sinn Fein/PIRA) to unite with the capitalist south, they would have undoubtedly taken it. The socialist revolution was secondary.

I totally agree comrade. The Socialist revolution never came into the equation for the provisional movement. But you said the "IRA" not the "PIRA". The republican movements history is so long and detailed that i thought it was unfair to say that there was one fixed goal.