
This book analyses the underlying reasons behind the formation of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) its development where this current in Irish republicanism is at present & its prospects for the future. Tommy Mc Kearney a former IRA member who was part of the 1980 hunger strike challenges the misconception that the Provisional IRA was only or even wholly about ending partition & uniting Irel&. He argues that while these objectives were always the core & headline demands of the organisation opposition to the old Northern Ireland state was a major dynamic for the IRAs armed campaign. As he explores the makeup & strategy of the IRA he is not uncritical examining alternative options available to the movement at different periods arguing that its inability to develop a clear socialist programme has limited its effectiveness & reach. This authoritative & engaging history provides a fascinating insight into the workings & dynamics of a modern resistance movement.