This lavishly illustrated, fullcolour publication marks the 25th anniversary of the deaths of ira volunteers brendan burns and brendan moley on active service. By the 1990s, the south armagh brigade was thought to consist of about 40 members, roughly half of them living south of the border. The book of armagh or codex ardmachanus ar or 61, also known as the canon of patrick and the liber ardmachanus, is a 9thcentury irish illuminated manuscript written mainly in latin. The author has interviewed members of the army, mi5, ruc and ira to form a picture of the delicate balance of tensions in the area. Gerry kelly describes his experiences of south armagh and his affection for the people in the region. The iras fuel business turned south armagh into a petrochemical complex, with dozens of small farms transformed into socalled diesel washing plants. He added that the ira murdered around 390 people in the general south armagh area. Many men in the area served in the fourth northern division of the irish republican army during the irish war of independence 191921 and, unlike most of the rest of the northern ireland ira, on the republican side in the irish civil war 192223. Throughout the troubles the provisional ira s feared south armagh brigade waged a relentless campaign against military aircraft operating in the region, where the threat posed by roadside bombs made the security forces highly dependent on helicopters to conduct daytoday operations. The south armagh sniper is the generic name given to the members of the provisional irish republican army s ira south armagh brigade who conducted a sniping campaign against british security forces from 1990 to 1997.
Oct 20, 2009 during the past 30 years south armagh has become synonymous throughout the world when one speaks about the present troubles in northern ireland. See more ideas about armagh, irish history, northern ireland troubles. May 12, 2011 the focus on south armagh is key, as harnden emphasizes the regions rebellious history, splintered ideology and recalcitrant personalities that helped escalate the violence, shift ira attacks to the british homeland and threaten lasting peace in spite of overarching britishsinn fein political agreements. The south armagh oc laundered diesel in full view of british army observation posts. However, it is worth reading, not least for its insight into the often naive british military occupations thinking into the capabilities of south armaghs elite insurgents. Notwithstanding the iras fearsome reputation lance cpl restorick was the only british soldier or police officer killed in south armagh by the ira during the period from february 1996 when it. Toby harnden has stripped away the myth and propaganda associated with south armagh to. Mr traynor was now considered to be the number one on the ira hit list, he said, because he had talked the leadership in south armagh into a situation which saw the brutal and savage murder of. He turned his back on the organisation in the late 1980s and later coauthored a book called killing rage telling of his experiences in the ira. South armaghnorth louth two large asus, with up to 20 members. Aug 01, 2000 the focus on south armagh is key, as harnden emphasizes the regions rebellious history, splintered ideology and recalcitrant personalities that helped escalate the violence, shift ira attacks to the british homeland and threaten lasting peace in spite of overarching britishsinn fein political agreements. Packed with new information, bandit country penetrates the ira. More deaths feared in feud between ira factions uk news.
Since the start of the troubles in 1969, 124 soldiers and 58 police officers have been murdered in south armagh by the provisional ira. It was organised into two battalions, one around jonesborough and another around crossmaglen. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Drawing on secret documents and interviews in south armaghs recent history, he tells the inside story of how the ira came close to bringing the british state to its knees. It was used by the postirish civil war irish republican army ira.
The ira ceasefire of 1994 was a blow to the south armagh brigade, in that it allowed the security forces to operate openly in the area without fear of attack and to build intelligence on ira members. He tries to make the case that, even prepartition, that the fewes area, which includes south armagh, was quite a bellicose proposition for the british. Peter taylors top 10 books on the troubles books the. My job was to see to the funeral drill for which i had a permanently drilled squad, apart from. Eamon collins 1954 27 january 1999 was a provisional irish republican army ira paramilitary in the late 1970s and 1980s. The south armagh brigade of the provisional irish republican army ira operated during the troubles in south county armagh. Among the poetic and pugnacious people of south armagh 2. The surgeon is referred to at length in the book, which focuses on the activities of the ira in south armagh. Mcallister says locals know who is making the money.
When the ira resumed its campaign in 199697, the south armagh ira was less active than previously, although one of the sniper teams killed one soldier and seriously wounded an ruc constable. The bulk of the 1st battalion of the iras south armagh brigade has resigned and is supporting those challenging the leadership, a spokesman for other ira dissidents has claimed. They know about the mobile diesel plant near crossmaglen run by ira men. Additionally, for the first time, the identities of the men behind the south quay and manchester bombings are revealed.
If you are to read only one book about the modern ira, this should be it irish times south armagh was described as bandit country by merlyn rees when he was northern ireland secretary and for nearly three decades it has been the most dangerous posting in the world for a british soldier. He is a long time associate of the south armagh based former ira chief of staff thomas slab murphy. See more ideas about armagh, irish history, irish republican army. The book lost lives, which chronicles the victims of the troubles, shows that co armagh saw the highest concentration of deaths outside of belfast during those years.
Iras top sniper bernard mcginn is found dead in his monaghan. Aug 26, 2017 but in his superbly researched book, bandit country. The ira and south armagh, is very probritish in outlook. The assets frozen include eight houses in south armagh, an apartment in south belfast, the proceeds of the sale of three other houses in south armagh and a number of bank accounts. The 59 year old republican served a prison sentence for explosives in the republic of. Aug 08, 2016 he is a long time associate of the south armagh based former ira chief of staff thomas slab murphy. Oct, 2002 since the start of the troubles in 1969, 124 soldiers and 58 police officers have been murdered in south armagh by the provisional ira. Hughes was once charged with membership of the ira and conspiring with onetime. However, it is worth reading, not least for its insight into the often naive british military. The northern ireland affairs committee declined to make any comment yesterday. He was killed in 1999, it is presumed by his former ira colleagues, for testifying against thomasslab murphy in a civil. Mar 11, 2001 the surgeon is referred to at length in the book, which focuses on the activities of the ira in south armagh. To the army, south armagh is bandit country, 200 square miles of the most hostile terrain in northern ireland which has claimed the lives of 115 soldiers since 1969.
Drawing on secret documents and interviews in south armagh s recent history, he tells the inside story of how the ira came close to bringing the british state to its knees. Produced by south armagh sinn fein, legends in their time looks at the lives of the two brendans as well as the most recent phase of the conflict in the south armagh area. South armagh north louth two large asus, with up to 20 members. My job was to see to the funeral drill for which i had a permanently drilled squad, apart from that if a wake was to be arranged and the fellow was quite shot up about the head, then they used a cosmetic chap. Hughes was once charged with membership of the ira and conspiring with onetime supergrass eamon collins to murder members of the security forces at newry and elsewhere between august 1984 and february 1985. As a party, the sdlp has proposed to hold future council meetings in large spaces to facilitate social distancing including the possibility of holding. Who was the undertaker in south armagh in toby hardens. The bulk of the 1st battalion of the ira s south armagh brigade has resigned and is supporting those challenging the leadership, a spokesman for other ira dissidents has claimed. The focus on south armagh is key, as harnden emphasizes the regions rebellious history, splintered ideology and recalcitrant personalities that helped escalate the violence, shift ira attacks to. In armagh city we used a civilian firm, however they had a cosmetic mortician on their books. The 59 year old republican served a prison sentence for explosives in the republic of ireland in 1975, was jailed for 16 months for weapon procurement in the usa in 1989 and was later held on remand in londons belmarsh prison in 1994. Jun 02, 20 this lavishly illustrated, fullcolour publication marks the 25th anniversary of the deaths of ira volunteers brendan burns and brendan moley on active service. He implicated more than twenty members of the iras south armagh brigade in his evidence and was sentenced to a total of 490 years in 1999 for 34 separate offences.
It was used by the postirish civil war irish republican army ira and cumann na mban, league of women, along with later incarnations such as the provisional ira pira. Fatal attack on paul quinn was ordered by provisional ira. It was here that a team of snipers killed 12 members of the. Oct 25, 2016 in armagh city we used a civilian firm, however they had a cosmetic mortician on their books. Eamon collins military wiki fandom powered by wikia. During the past 30 years south armagh has become synonymous throughout the world when one speaks about the present troubles in northern ireland. It was organised into two battalions, one around jonesborough and another. The ira and south armagh by toby harnden courageous journalism and compulsive reading as harnden goes inside the most impenetrable and deadly of the ira brigades. According to security sources, he is also a member of the iras sevenstrong council, as is the prominent crossmaglen republican, an extremely wealthy and powerful man, who sources in south. First described as bandit country by merlyn rees when he was northen ireland secretary in 1974, its undulating terrain and fiercely independent people made it the ideal theatre.
But in his superbly researched book, bandit country. The ira and south armagh new ed by harnden, toby isbn. Dec 22, 20 he implicated more than twenty members of the iras south armagh brigade in his evidence and was sentenced to a total of 490 years in 1999 for 34 separate offences. Toby harnden has stripped away the myth and propaganda associated with south armagh to produce one of the most compelling and important books of the subject. The green book is a training and induction manual issued by the irish republican army to new volunteers. Leaks naming sean hughes as an informant designed to hide. South armagh has a long irish republican tradition. It is held by the library of trinity college dublin ms 52. Throughout the troubles the provisional iras feared south armagh brigade waged a relentless campaign against military aircraft operating in the region, where the threat posed by roadside bombs. Many men in the area served in the fourth northern division of the irish republican army during the irish war of independence. The daily telegraphs irish correspondent toby harndens book, bandit country, introduces readers to a brief history of the ancient area known as the fewes, encompassing south armagh, the outlying areas of north louth and north monaghan. For the first time, the identities of the men behind the south quay and manchester bombings are revealed. He is the author of the forthcoming book the intelligence war against the ira cambridge university press and a former irish research council awardee. Toby harnden has stripped away the myth and propaganda associated with south armagh to produce one of the most compelling and important books of the troubles.
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