4. The Emergence of Paramilitaries

Question 1

Why did the IRA split into 2 groups and when?

Answer 1

‘I Ran Away’ was an accusation levelled at the IRA because of its
seeming failure to defend Catholics during the violence of 1969.
Since the ending of its border campaign in 1962, the IRA had
become more interested in Marxism.

However, some of its younger members were unhappy with this and
wanted to take matters into their own hands, particularly the
defence of nationalist areas.

Towards the end of 1969, therefore, the IRA membership split and
two new groups emerged: the Official IRA (OIRA) and the
Provisional IRA (PIRA).