"The IRA is to stand down"

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The leadership of Oglaigh na hEireann has formally ordered an end to the armed campaign. This will take effect from 4pm this afternoon. All IRA units have been ordered to dump arms. All volunteers have been instructed to assist the development of purely political and democratic programmes through exclusively peaceful means. Volunteers must not engage in any other activities whatsoever.

The IRA leadership has also authorised a representative to engage with the IICD to complete the process to verifiably put its arms beyond use in a way which will further enhance public confidence and to conclude this as quickly as possible. We have invited two independent witnesses, from the Protestant and catholic churches, to testify to this.

The Army Council took these decisions following an unprecedented internal discussion and consultation process with IRA units and volunteers. We appreciate the honest and forthright way in which the consultation process was carried out and the depth and content of the submissions. We are proud of the comradely way in which this truly historic discussion was conducted.

The outcome of our consultations show very strong support among IRA volunteers for the Sinn Fein peace strategy. There is also widespread concern about the failure of the two governments and the unionists to fully engage in the peace process. This has created real difficulties. The overwhelming majority of people in Ireland fully support this process.

They and friends of Irish unity through the world want to see the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Notwithstanding these difficulties, our decisions have been taken to advance our republican and democratic objectives, including our goal of a united Ireland. We believe there is now an alternative way to achieve this and to end British rule in our country.

It is the responsibility of all volunteers to show leadership, determination and courage. We are very mindful of the sacrifices of our patriotic dead, those who went to jail, volunteers, their families and the wider republican base. We reiterate our view that the armed struggle was entirely legitimate. We are conscious that many people suffered in the conflict. There is a compelling imperative on all sides to build a just and lasting peace.

The issue of the defence of nationalist and republican communities has been raised with us. There is a responsibility on society to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of the pogroms of 1969 and the early-1970s. There is also a universal responsibility to tackle sectarianism in all its forms. The IRA is fully committed to the goals of Irish unity and independence and to building the Republic outlined in the 1916 Proclamation.

We call for maximum unity and effort by Irish republicans everywhere. We are confident that by working together Irish republicans can achieve our objectives. Every volunteer is aware of the import of the decisions we have taken and all oglaigh are compelled to fully comply with these orders.

There is now an unprecedented opportunity to utilise the considerable energy and goodwill which there is for the peace process. This comprehensive series of unparalleled initiatives is our contribution to this and to the continued endeavours to bring about independence and unity for the people of Ireland.

P O'Neill.

― opportunistic, Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:06 (twenty years ago)

pogroms? woah.

― N_RQ, Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:08 (twenty years ago)

HAZAA!

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

I hope someone tells MI5.

― Mad Phil (GerryNemo), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

Three cheers all round!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

Also, I think they mean 'Sit Down'.

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:09 (twenty years ago)

good.

still, there seems to be a very painful irony here somewhere, doesn't there?

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:10 (twenty years ago)

First Celtic get humped 5-0 and now the IRA throws in the towel! What a time to be a Tim!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:12 (twenty years ago)

Well that was a lot of nonsense over some potatoes wasn't it?

― Hari A$hur$t (Toaster), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

it won't last!

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:19 (twenty years ago)

maybe they realise any future bombs they use is just going to get claimed by al qaeda. imagine how pissed off you'll feel.

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

Unfortunately the full message is that the IRA are to express their love for Don't Stand Me Down, the celebrated, if unsold, 1985 album by Dexy's Midnight Runners.

At 4 pm today Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness will perform a live version of the popular favourite, "This Is What She's Like."

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:28 (twenty years ago)

They're pissed off because everyone thinks it's just MI5 and Sir Ian Blair planting the bombs anyway

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:29 (twenty years ago)

does this include the "real IRA"? or is this a case of "will the real IRA please stand up"

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:32 (twenty years ago)

What's that other mob too, the Conditional IRA or sumthin'?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:34 (twenty years ago)

The Continuity IRA

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:35 (twenty years ago)

IRA Z, the great taste of chip shop bombings with no added sugar.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:38 (twenty years ago)

Dissensus IRA, grimier and less interesting than the actual IRA.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Thursday, 28 July 2005 12:39 (twenty years ago)

Presumably...Just to inject an unwonted note of seriousness into proceedings...They've done it because to continue the "armed struggle" (ie blowing up stuff and murdering people) would get them tarred with the same terrorist brush as Al'Qaeda. This would lose them a sizeable section of their US support and hence funding. Although not as much as you'd think, I suspect that a lot of Irish Americans probably didn't care that the people being blown up were English and would continue not to care if the IRA decided to start blowing us up again.

― Stone Monkey (Stone Monkey), Thursday, 28 July 2005 13:15 (twenty years ago)

rational IRA? the one that can be expressed as a fraction?

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 28 July 2005 13:17 (twenty years ago)

I suspect that a lot of Irish Americans probably didn't care that the people being blown up were English and would continue not to care if the IRA decided to start blowing us up again.

'cept most of them were Irish of course, 'twas ever thus

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 28 July 2005 13:19 (twenty years ago)

Divisional IRA? The one that can be expressed as a faction?
xp

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 28 July 2005 13:20 (twenty years ago)

Now it's important that neither the Unionists or the UK Govt start crowing. It's not a time to start demanding too much, this is a pretty big step. Lock Paisley away for a while, he's going to fuck it up if only to justify his existence.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Thursday, 28 July 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

Oo-hoo, everybody’s talking ’bout the new kid in town.
Oo-hoo, everybody’s walking like the new kid in town.
There’s a new kid in town I don’t want to hear it
There’s a new kid in town I don’t want to hear it
There’s a new kid in town
There’s a new kid in town
There’s a new kid in town everybody’s talking
There’s a new kid in town people started walking
There’s a new kid in town
There’s a new kid in town (repeat & fade)

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Thursday, 28 July 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

Imaginary IRA? IRAi? xpost

― tissp! (the impossible shortest specia), Thursday, 28 July 2005 13:53 (twenty years ago)

Oh man, what fun the Rangers' fans will be having on Saturday!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 28 July 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

You can pretty much guarantee Paisley will say he won't believe it until he sees Gerry Adams and Martin McGuiness singing The Sash on live TV.

― Teh HoBB (the pirate king), Thursday, 28 July 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

I'd buy that for a dollar.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:15 (twenty years ago)

Discursively, it is a huge moment! Bigger, I think, than anything in the last 80 years or so.

The material results may be slightly more questionable - as, for instance, the IRA has been on ceasefire for ages anyway: it's not as though they were bombing yesterday and have stopped today.

And it must be uncertain that their alleged criminal actions will now cease.

But I believe that this is a very big moment in the history of Republicanism, and thus of modern Irish history.

The timing is strange, yes. They had utterly lost the violent limelight - so they are switching off that lamp altogether.

― the finefox, Thursday, 28 July 2005 14:42 (twenty years ago)

Holding statement by Democratic Unionist Party Leader Dr Ian Paisley MP MLA:

“The history of the past decade in Northern Ireland is littered with IRA statements which we were told were ‘historic’, ‘ground-breaking’ and ‘seismic’. These same statements were followed by the IRA reverting to type and carrying out more of its horrific murders and squalid criminality. The unionist community feels no obligation to cheer the words of P O’Neill. We will judge the IRA’s bona fides over the next months and years based on its behaviour and activity.

Even on the face of the statement, they have failed to explicitly declare an end to their multi-million pound criminal activity and have failed to provide the level of transparency that would be necessary to truly build confidence that the guns had gone in their entirety. This lack of transparency will prolong the period the community will need to make its assessment.

We treat with contempt their attempt to glorify and justify their murder campaign and we will be evaluating the extent of the price paid by the Government and the consequences that will have for the political process."

― stevo (stevo), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)

This is good news, if it holds true. I still hope we see a unified Ireland in my lifetime.

― giboyeux (skowly), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:18 (twenty years ago)

"Dr" Ian Paisley.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:21 (twenty years ago)

Dr "Ian" Paisley.

― Teh HoBB (the pirate king), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:23 (twenty years ago)

They took their time; this should have happened years ago, but then again the republican movement are playing a long game. The demographics are on their side in the North + Sinn Fein is now a major political force both sides of the border. A return to 'armed struggle' would jeopardise that. For Ireland's sake I hope their commitment to democratic peaceful politics is genuine and more than a tactical gambit.

I still hope we see an Ireland at peace in my lifetime, where both traditions feel 'parity of esteem'.

― stevo (stevo), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:24 (twenty years ago)

This would lose them a sizeable section of their US support and hence funding. Although not as much as you'd think, I suspect that a lot of Irish Americans probably didn't care that the people being blown up were English and would continue not to care if the IRA decided to start blowing us up again.

Horseshit. I can't believe the propaganda you people spout.

― Carol Stream (dymaxia), Thursday, 28 July 2005 15:31 (twenty years ago)

to whom are ira members supposed to turn in their arms? or is this just metaphorical?

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Thursday, 28 July 2005 17:32 (twenty years ago)

The last couple of times they 'decommissioned' some weapons, they took some neutral international monitors to some secret arms dumps where they witnessed the weapons being destroyed (or something). I don't think they would hand them in to the police or to the British army or government as this would be seen as surrendering.

― Teh HoBB (the pirate king), Thursday, 28 July 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

i made Ian Paisley's kitchen (not on my own), it cost £23'000. i worked for neville johnson kitchens years ago.

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:18 (twenty years ago)

Remarkleby low-key reaction to all this. Are we all too fed up?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

I think the agreement says that the weapons have to be witnessed as being "placed beyond use", and that just *how* this has been done has to be kept secret by the witnesses.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 29 July 2005 13:57 (twenty years ago)

The IRA have said that the decommissioning will be observed by the decommissioning... erm... commission... thingy... , and by "members of the Catholic and Protestant churches".

I think the splinter groups will grow :-(

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 29 July 2005 14:07 (twenty years ago)

My reaction was not low-key.

I think it is one of the great political moments of my lifetime.

― the finefox, Friday, 29 July 2005 18:41 (twenty years ago)

Funny, I remember talking about this on Sinister when I guess it would've been the Good Friday Agreement, 8 years ago now (worryingly). I'm pleased about the situation. It's rare that you get s statement as clear as has been made.

― KeefW (kmw), Friday, 29 July 2005 18:46 (twenty years ago)

8 years ago must have been Before Sinister Became Sinister - I remember joining it in October 97 when that incarnation was less than a couple of months old.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Friday, 29 July 2005 18:53 (twenty years ago)

So are they going to give up their organized crime activity? Those guns are probably worth more for the IRA's smuggling trade than for any revolution.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Friday, 29 July 2005 18:57 (twenty years ago)

Well I dunno, something like that. Maybe it was the pre-sinister sinister. I can't remember. I can't remember that decade. I'd look in the archives if I could be arsed. Susannah said something about it.

― KeefW (kmw), Friday, 29 July 2005 19:07 (twenty years ago)

Something that puzzles me is why people (here, and Guardian editorial also) keep saying that 1998 was 8 years ago.

― the finefox, Saturday, 30 July 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

On my part it's quite simple... I'm just copying them. But that would explain it. Didn't think Susannah was on the pre-list thing.

― KeefW (kmw), Saturday, 30 July 2005 09:20 (twenty years ago)

Hey! That is so great, and to see it in my lifetime! D.V & I had this chat awhile back and I think it's the best news today!

― Judith Deslongchamps (Judith), Saturday, 30 July 2005 12:13 (twenty years ago)

Except it was two days ago. Where ya been?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Saturday, 30 July 2005 12:15 (twenty years ago)

Howdy there!
I have been really busy. I recently moved and had little to no help in packing . I handled the brunt myself. I don't spend much time online anymore, but I do like to pop in and say "hi". :)
I care for my Mom at home and that's my main priority right now.
What are you all up to? Btw. I just heard the news about Ireland today... So I'm a tad slow. Happy to see someone remembers me.

― Judith Deslongchamps (Judith), Saturday, 30 July 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

I just watched Tony Blair greeting "Reverend" "Doctor" Ian "Paisley" at Downing Street. Tony is clearly afraid of him. Let's hope they don't discuss Tony's kids' schooling...

Paisley said the DUP would require a "prolonged period of assessment" to determine whether the IRA has given up its armed campaign.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 4 August 2005 11:42 (twenty years ago)

six years pass...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-18607911

The BBC's royal correspondent Peter Hunt said: "Asked how it was to meet Queen, Martin McGuinness replied 'very nice'".

Umm...

― Mark G, Wednesday, 27 June 2012 12:09 (thirteen years ago)

would have been cool if he did that thing where you slick back your hair and refuse a handshake

― Know how Roo feel (LocalGarda), Wednesday, 27 June 2012 12:29 (thirteen years ago)

prince philip mercifully unavailable for comment

― Ну, там твое место, там сабе будь! (darraghmac), Wednesday, 27 June 2012 13:02 (thirteen years ago)

Saw it on telly, briefly mistook him for David Letterman.

― Andrew Farrell, Wednesday, 27 June 2012 14:51 (thirteen years ago)

They've fixed the typo now.

― Mark G, Wednesday, 27 June 2012 15:47 (thirteen years ago)

disingenuous leader of murderous terrorist organisation meets martin mcguinness etc

― ENPBGIW (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 June 2012 23:34 (thirteen years ago)

First Rangers go tits up, now this :-D

― Too Busy Thinking About Mr. Abie (Tom D.), Thursday, 28 June 2012 11:10 (thirteen years ago)

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