I was recently asked by a US historian with a fresh interest in Irish revolutionary politics if I could list for him the main parties and organisations in contemporary Ireland (and overseas) falling under the umbrella term of “republican“. Applying the definition at its broadest I came up with the names and relationships below (formal links between some individual bodies might not exist but they do co-operate or express sympathy with each other). There are several minor or unaligned groups and committees that I did not include and I’d be interested in what others think and what suggestions or changes they would make.
Immediately apparent, I think, is the fissiparous nature of Irish republicanism and the intense competition to control existing names and titles (and the perceived legitimacy they can bequeath). It is noteworthy that the same nomenclature is used over and over again, often by otherwise rival formations, which often confuses outside observers. Thus the splinter grouping, Republican Sinn Féin, refuses to relinquish the name of its party to the established or mainstream Sinn Féin, even though any good public relations or advertising expert would argue for a new title. Equally of note is the mixture of Irish and English language names, with nominal nods to bilingualism in some cases. Sinn Féin’s youth wing, Ógra Shinn Féin, was relaunched as Sinn Féin Republican Youth in 2012 with the Irish translation reduced to a token feature in the branding.
In terms of active guerrilla or insurgent forces, the originally 19th century term, the Irish Republican Army (or, IRA), has been claimed by several armed bodies since the 1860s. Interestingly the more formal name, the Army of the Irish Republic, has not been encountered since the Easter Rising of 1916, when it was used in parallel with the historical title, Irish Republican Army. Oddly enough, no organisation has used the literal Irish language transl–ation of the name, which is Arm Poblachtach na hÉireann or “the Republican Army of Ireland” (this would be the correct or idiomatic form in Gaelic). Instead a preference is made for the term Óglaigh na hÉireann “the (Military) Volunteers of Ireland” in general usage and non-English texts.
A Listing of Current Irish Republican Parties and Organisations
(Listed by membership and popular support as of 2017. An asterisk thus * denotes a current military organisation. A double asterisk thus ** denotes no longer active or demobilised. For the sake of brevity only the main splits or divisions are listed)
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Fianna Fáil
Name(s): Fianna Fáil (FF)
Secondary Name(s): Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party
Alternative Name(s): The Soldiers of Destiny, The Republican Party
Irish Name(s): Fianna Fáil (FF)
Dates: 1926 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism; Conservative, Christian-Democrat, Liberal, Populist; Centre-Right
History: (1905) National Council > (1907) National Council + Sinn Féin League = Sinn Féin > (1922) Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin / Cumann na Poblachta – The Republican Party > (1923) Sinn Féin > (1926) Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party / Fianna Fáil
Affiliate: Ógra Fhianna Fáil (ÓFF) [Ireland]
Affiliate: Friends of Fianna Fáil [United States of America]
Military: (1913) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1916) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Republican Army / Army of the Irish Republic > (1919) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922) Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922-23) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / The Irregulars > (1923-26) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann**
Sinn Féin
Name(s): Sinn Féin (SF); formerly, Provisional Sinn Féin (PSF)
Secondary Name(s): The Republican Movement (RM); formerly, the Provisional Republican Movement (PRM)
Alternative Name(s): Shinners, Provisionals, Provos, Provies
Irish Name(s): Sinn Féin (SF)
Dates: 1905 / 1970 – Present
Country: Ireland, Global
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist, Social-Democrat, Populist; Centre-Left
History: (1905) National Council > (1907) National Council + Sinn Féin League = Sinn Féin > (1922) Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin / Cumann na Poblachta – The Republican Party > (1923) Sinn Féin > (1926) Sinn Féin > (1969-70) Provisional Sinn Féin > (1977) Sinn Féin
Affiliate: Fianna Éireann (FÉ) > Sinn Féin Youth (SFY) > Ógra Shinn Féin (ÓSF) > Republican Youth; Sinn Féin Republican Youth (RY; SFRY) > Ógra Shinn Féin (ÓSF) [Ireland]
Affiliate: Friends of Sinn Féin USA [United States of America]
Affiliate: Cairde na hÉireann [Scotland]
Affiliate: Cairde Shinn Féin [Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Global]
Affiliate: Irish Northern Aid (INA / NORAID) [United States of America]
Affiliate: Clan na Gael (CnaG); “Provisional wing” [United States of America]
Affiliate: Wolfe Tone Society [Britain]
Affiliate: Ex-Penal Servitude Prisoners > Irish Republican Felons Association (The Felons’ Club) [Ireland]
Military: (1913) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1916) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Republican Army / Army of the Irish Republic > (1919) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922) Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922-23) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / The Irregulars > (1923) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1969-70) Provisional Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1972 – 2005) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann**
Saoradh
Name(s): Saoradh (S)
Secondary Name(s): Saoradh – Revolutionary Irish Republican Party
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Saoradh
Dates: 2016 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association (IRPWA) [Ireland]
Affiliate: Éistigí Ireland / Éistigí Republican Youth [Ireland]
Affiliate: National Republican Commemoration Committee (NRCC) [Ireland]
Military: (1913) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1916) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Republican Army / Army of the Irish Republic > (1919) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922) Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922-23) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / The Irregulars > (1923) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1969-70) Provisional Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1972) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1997) Real Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (2012) Real Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann + Republican Action Against Drugs + Independent Republicans = New Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann
Military: Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD)**
Irish Republican Socialist Party
Name(s): Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP)
Secondary Name(s): Irish Republican Socialist Movement (IRSM)
Alternative Name(s): IRPs
Irish Name(s): Páirtí Poblachtach Sóisialach na hÉireann (PPSÉ)
Dates: 1974 – Present
Country: Ireland, Britain, North America
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: (1905) National Council > (1907) National Council + Sinn Féin League = Sinn Féin > (1922) Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin / Cumann na Poblachta – The Republican Party > (1923) Sinn Féin > (1926) Sinn Féin > (1969-70) Official Sinn Féin / The Republican Clubs > (1974) Irish Republican Socialist Party
Affiliate: Republican Socialist Youth Movement (RSYM) [Ireland]
Affiliate: Teach na Fáilte [Ireland]
Affiliate: Irish Republican Socialist Committees of North America (IRSCNA) [United States of America, Canada]
Military: (1913) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1916) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Republican Army / Army of the Irish Republic > (1919) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922) Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922-23) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / The Irregulars > (1923) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1969-70) Official Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1974) Irish National Liberation Army*
Republican Network for Unity
Name(s): Republican Network for Unity (RNU)
Secondary Name(s): Republican Network for Unity – Revolutionary Republicanism
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Poblachtáigh do Aontiú (PDA)
Dates: 2007 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: Cogús, POW Department of Republican Network for Unity [Ireland]
Military: (1913) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1916) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Republican Army / Army of the Irish Republic > (1919) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922) Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922-23) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / The Irregulars > (1923) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1969-70) Provisional Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1972) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (2009) Óglaigh na hÉireann*
32 County Sovereignty Movement
Name(s): 32 County Sovereignty Movement (32CSM)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Gluaiseacht Ceannasachta na Dhá Chontae is Tríocha
Dates: 1997 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: 32 CSM International [Canada, United States of America]
Military: (1913) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1916) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Republican Army / Army of the Irish Republic > (1919) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922) Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922-23) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / The Irregulars > (1923) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1969-70) Provisional Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1972) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1997) Real Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (2012) Real Irish Republican Army
Note: There formerly existed an overlap in membership with Saoradh. Both organisations are now antipathetic to each other.
The 1916 Societies
Name(s): The 1916 Societies (1916Soc)
Secondary Name(s): ’16 Soc.
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 2009 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: Various [Ireland]
Affiliate: Éalú Ex-Prisoners [Ireland]
Affiliate: Tyrone National Graves Association [Ireland]
Military: None
The Workers’ Party
Name(s): The Workers’ Party (WP); formerly, the Workers’ Party – Sinn Féin / the Workers’ Party – Republican Clubs (WP-SF / WP-RC); formerly, Official Sinn Féin / the Republican Clubs (OSF / RC)
Secondary Name(s): The Official Republican Movement
Alternative Name(s): Officials, Sticks, Stickies
Irish Name(s): Páirtí na nOibrithe
Dates: (1905) 1970 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: (Republicanism); Socialist; Left
History: (1905) National Council > (1907) National Council + Sinn Féin League = Sinn Féin > (1922) Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin / Cumann na Poblachta – The Republican Party > (1923) Sinn Féin > (1926) Sinn Féin > (1969-70) Official Sinn Féin / The Republican Clubs > (1977) Sinn Féin – The Workers Party > (1982) The Workers Party
Affiliate: None
Military: (1913) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1916) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Republican Army / Army of the Irish Republic > (1919) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922) Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922-23) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / The Irregulars > (1923) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1969-70) Official Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1974) Official Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Group B**
Republican Sinn Féin
Name(s): Republican Sinn Féin (RSF)
Secondary Name(s): Sinn Féin Poblachtach (SFP)
Alternative Name(s): The Republican Movement / Official Republican Movement / Continuity Republican Movement
Irish Name(s): Sinn Féin Poblachtach (SFP)
Dates: (1905) 1969/1986 – Present
Country: Ireland, Britain, United States of America, Global
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: (1905) National Council > (1907) National Council + Sinn Féin League = Sinn Féin > (1922) Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin / Cumann na Poblachta – The Republican Party > (1923) Sinn Féin > (1926) Sinn Féin > (1969-70) Provisional Sinn Féin > (1977) Sinn Féin > (1986) Republican Sinn Féin / Sinn Féin Poblachtach
Affiliate: CABHAIR, Irish Republican Prisoners Dependant’s Fund (IRPDF) [Ireland]
Affiliate: RSF Scotland [Scotland]
Affiliate: RSF England and Wales [Britain]
Affiliate: RSF International [Austria, Germany, Global]
Affiliate: Fianna Éireann (FÉ) [Ireland]
Affiliate: Cumman na mBan (CnamB) [Ireland]
Affiliate: Clan na Gael (CnaG); “Republican wing” [United States of America]
Affiliate: Cumann na Saoirse Náisiúnta / National Irish Freedom Committee (CnaSN / NIFC) [United States of America]
Military: (1913) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1916) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Republican Army / Army of the Irish Republic > (1919) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922) Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922-23) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / The Irregulars > (1923) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1969-70) Provisional Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1972) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1986) Continuity Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann**
Éirígí
Names(s): Éirígí
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Éirígí
Dates: 2006 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Tar Anall
Name(s): Tar Anall
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Tar Anall
Dates: 1995 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
National Graves Association
Name(s): National Graves Association (NGA)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Cumann Uaigheann na Laochra Gael
Dates: 1926 – Present
Country: Ireland, Global
Politics: Republicanism
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Note: Largely focused on the pre-1966-2005 conflict and with no close associations to any political party
National Graves Association, Belfast
Names: National Graves Association, Belfast (NGAB)
Secondary Name(s): Belfast National Graves Association
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: circa. 1988 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Note: Largely focused on the 1966-2005 conflict and closely associated with Sinn Féin
James Connolly Society
Name(s): James Connolly Society (JCS)
Secondary Name(s): The Connolly Society
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1986 – Present
Country: Scotland
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Irish Freedom Committee, Inc
Name(s): Irish Freedom Committee, Inc / Cumann na Saoirse (IFC / CnaS)
Secondary Name(s): The Freedom Committee
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1961 – Present
Country: United States of America
Politics: Republicanism
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Official Republican Movement
Name(s): Official Republican Movement (ORM)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1998 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: (1905) National Council > (1907) National Council and Sinn Féin League = Sinn Féin > (1922) Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin / Cumann na Poblachta – The Republican Party > (1923) Sinn Féin > (1926) Sinn Féin > (1969-70) Official Sinn Féin / The Republican Clubs > (1977) Sinn Féin – The Workers Party > (1982) The Workers Party > (1998) Official Republican Movement
Affiliate: Irish Republican Comrades Association (IRCA) [Ireland]
Military: (1913) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1916) Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Irish Republican Army / Army of the Irish Republic > (1919) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922) Anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1922-23) Irish Republican Army / Irish Volunteers / Óglaigh na hÉireann / The Irregulars > (1923) Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1969-70) Official Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann > (1974) Official Irish Republican Army / Óglaigh na hÉireann / Group B > (1998) …?
Ancient Order of Hibernians
Name(s): Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH)
Secondary Name(s): Hibernians
Alternative Name(s): Hibs
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1836 – Present
Country: United States of America
Politics: Nationalism; (Republicanism); Christian-Democrat; Right
History: N/A
Affiliate: Several
Military: None
Note: This refers to the Irish-American mainly nationalist organisation in the USA
Connolly Association
Name(s): Connolly Association (CA); formerly, the Connolly Club
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1938 – Present
Country: Britain
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Irish National Caucus
Name(s): Irish National Caucus (INC)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternate Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1974 – Present
Country: United States of America
Politics: Nationalism; (Republicanism); Christian-Democrat; Centre-Right
History: N/A
Affiliate: INC Irish PAC [United States of America]
Affiliate: Irish Peace Foundation [United States of America]
Military: None
Aontacht
Name(s): Aontacht
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Aontacht
Dates: 2016 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism
History: None
Affiliate: None
Military: None
The 1916 Clubs
Name(s): The 1916 Clubs
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 2014 – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism
History: None
Affiliate: None
Military: None
The 1916-1921 Club
Name(s): The 1916-1921 Club
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1940s – Present
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism
History: None
Affiliate: The Association of the Old Dublin Brigade Óglaigh na hÉireann (incorporated)
Military: None
Irish Republican Prisoners’ Support Group
Name(s): Irish Republican Prisoners’ Support Group (IRPSG)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 2010 – Present
Country: Britain
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: Socialist Fight (assoc.) [Britain]
Military: None
James Connolly Association
Name(s): James Connolly Association (JCA)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: ? – Present
Country: Australia
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Anti-Internment Group
Name(s): Anti-Internment Group (AIG)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 2017 – Present
Country: Britain
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: (2010) Irish Republican Prisoners’ Support Group > (2017) Anti-Internment Group
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Irish Political Status Committee
Name(s): Irish Political Status Committee (IPSC)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: ? – Present
Country: Britain
Politics: Republicanism; Socialist; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Radio Free Éireann
Name(s): Radio Free Éireann (RFÉ)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1981 – Present
Country: United States of America
Politics: Republicanism
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Irish Anti-Partition League
Name(s): Irish Anti-Partition League (IA-PL)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Cumann Frithdheighilte na hÉireann
Dates: 1991 – Present?
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Troops Out Movement
Name(s): Troops Out Movement (TOM)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1973 – 2011?
Country: Britain
Politics: Republicanism
History: N/A
Affiliate: None
Military: None
Irish National Congress
Name(s): Irish National Congress (INC)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Comhdháil Násiúnta na hÉireann
Dates: 1989 –
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism
History: N/A
Affiliate: Peace and Neutrality Alliance [Ireland]
Military: None
Irish Freedom Movement
Name(s): Irish Freedom Movement (IFM)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): None
Dates: 1982 – 1997?
Country: Britain
Politics: Left; Socialism; Republicanism
History: Smash the Prevention of Terrorism Act Campaign (Revolutionary Communist Tendency) > Irish Freedom Movement (Revolutionary Communist Party)
Affiliate: Revolutionary Communist Party [Britain]
Military: None
Communist Party of Ireland
Name(s): Communist Party of Ireland (CPI)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Páirtí Cumannach na hÉireann
Dates: 1896 –
Country: Ireland
Politics: (Republicanism); Communism; Left
History: (1896) Irish Socialist Republican Party > (1904) Irish Socialist Republican Party + Irish Socialist Labour Party = Socialist Party of Ireland > (1921) Communist Party of Ireland > (1923) Communist Party of Ireland + Irish Worker League = Irish Worker League > (1930) Revolutionary Workers’ Groups > (1933) Communist Party of Ireland > (1948) Irish Workers’ League > (1962) Irish Workers’ Party > (1970) Irish Workers’ Party + Communist Party of Northern Ireland = Communist Party of Ireland
Affiliate: Connolly Youth Movement [Ireland]
Military: None
Lasair Dhearg
Name(s): Lasair Dhearg (LD)
Secondary Name(s): None
Alternative Name(s): None
Irish Name(s): Lasair Dhearg
Dates: 2017 –
Country: Ireland
Politics: Republicanism; Socialism; Left
History: N/A
Affiliate: An Spréach – Magazine [Ireland]
Military: None
AN SIONNACH FIONN 
Also could include Teach na Fáilte, their ex-prisoner group. There is also the Irish Freedom Committee/Cumann na Saoirse based in the USA, an independent POW support group which has been around 1961 but reorganized in 1987 and 1998. The National Irish Freedom Committee split from them in 2001.
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I’ve added in IFC/CnaS, thanks. TnaF I might add though it seems largely apolitical in terms of activism.
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TnaF is very important within the IRSM and they also serve as the POW support group for current INLA prisoners. There’s a typo in the IFC entry, it should read Cumann na Saoirse, not Saoirse na hÉireann.
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Good spot. Fixed that. I was looking at the alleged mid-2000s faction at the time and typed it in by mistake. LOL!
I’ve added TnaF. Great to be getting this feedback from everyone on the website and social media.
I’ll probably change the layout of the list later, make it easier to navigate.
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IRSM has a youth wing, the Republican Socialist Youth Movement (2005-present). Also is there any evidence for a Clan na Gael aligned to RSF other than Wikipedia?
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Added that in, thanks. On CnaG, there were definite divisions in the late 1980s to early 2000s, with a formal split in the latter decade. I’ve added the two wings for SF and RSF though there is probably a couple of other branches where loyalties are fairly fudged.
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Yeah, it’s hard to tell about Clan na Gael as they were never overtly a public organization and there was a lot of overlap with Noraid. In Chicago anyway, there was the Clan na Gael Guards, whose legal name has been taken over by a lunatic. They have a large memorial in a local cemetery. The local Clan na Gael camp (not connected to the CnaG Guards) is loyal to the Provisionals, but is made up of mostly people who were not involved pre-GFA.
Thanks for this list though. It’s interesting, albeit, somewhat depressing, to see all the groups laid out at once.
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Isn’t it? The old Behan joke, “When’s the split?”, springs to mind. Very similar to Far Left groups and parties, constant splits and splits of splits. And these are all fairly contemporary organisations. Imagine adding in the defunct groups. Or then putting all of them into a genealogical chart.
Though the Brits have probably done that already in an Excel or Visio file on the MI5 and MI6 networks 😉
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CLR gave it a try of all the Left groups: http://www.clririshleftarchive.org/page/timeline-of-the-irish-left/
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Yeah, that is a great resource, one I’ve used several times. Unfortunately it would take some time to compile a strictly “republican” version (with much debate about who to include or exclude). I might well give it a go at some stage.
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Thanks for this Sionnach Fionn- very handy census / survey of the various strands of Irish Republicanism.
I would however challenge your inclusion of the Ancient Order of Hibernians as a “Republican” organisation. They are an exclusively Catholic body which puts them at odds with the pluralist Irish Republican philosophy founded by Tone and the United Irishmen and later espoused in the 1803, 1867 and 1916 Proclamations. I recall that circa 2003 – 2004 the head of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in Ireland was interviewed on Irish radio (possibly by Sean Moncrief?) and I remember specifically the AOH Leader stressing specifically that “The Hibernians are a Nationalist organisation NOT a Republican one!”
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The AOH mentioned here in the Ancient Order of Hibernians in America, Inc. While sharing a similar heritage and purpose, it is different from the Irish based Ancient Order of Hibernians – Board of Erin. The AOH in the US is not officially a political organization, it is a Roman Catholic, charitable fraternal organization. However there is definitely some overlap with Republicanism, especially in some east coast divisions.
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Yep. The New York people would be republican-friendly, if I can express it in those terms. That is why the Irish diplomats in NYC, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, etc. used to play up the Marxist-Leninist thing about PSF/PIRA in the 1970s and ’80s.
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Hi Pádraig and thanks for that. The AOH I’m referring to is the US organisation. It is undoubtedly more of a nationalist than republican organisation but that inevitably has some overlap with Irish republican politics and activism in the United States. The AOH has played some part in campaigning on various “republican” issues in the US, in the loosest sense of the term.
The rationale for inclusion is pretty much the same as the Irish National Caucus or the Workers’ Party. Peripheral republicans or republican-leaning or “culturally” republican.
I’ll change the wording or add a category. Republican-leaning? Republican-associated? Something like that.
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Thorough per usual. Thank you. Go raibh maith agat.
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I would like to run by you a draft about the Economic War (“Banking Crisis”) on Ireland. I’ll look for your email and send along the preliminary research I’ve done so far. I would like to produce videos detailing the mechanics of this neo-colonialism.
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By all means, send it via the contact form here, initially, and I’ll reply. I would love to get some video stuff up here.
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Also, the 1916 – 21 Club: http://the1916-21club.org/ (Website isn’t active in a while, but the group still regularly meets and holds events)
And the (not confusing at all) 1916 Clubs which held several events and debates through last year: https://www.facebook.com/The-1916-Clubs-601754709952180/
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Added them in thanks, along with Aontacht. Any more you’ve heard of let me know.
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Would just like to state that the I.r.c.a. are now defunct. As members of the orm seen through they’re agenda to drop the title “official” leaders in belfast who were once over orm members told a select few that they were changing the name from orm to irca.. which caused a split. As I have already stated irca no longer exists so I would also like to know how the Web etc came up with this ?
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