Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA

For such a small organization, one engaged in a low-grade civil war on a small island, the Irish Republican Army has snatched an inordinate amount of attention. The Provisionals, in particular, have been dissected ad nauseum. Additionally, images of Irish gunmen, their shark eyes staring out from balaclavas (see book cover), are routinely splashed across the silver screen where they utter blarney, concoct explosives, and speed away in stolen cars. As Richard English aptly observes, these packaged gunmen come in one of three forms: the psychopath, the romantic freedom fighter, or the troubled loner. Who then are the real recruits of the IRA? What makes an Irishman become a nationalist guerilla/terrorist in an environment that is anything but Third World? At its core, this exhaustive study examines the motivation and political shape-shifting of the republican movement. ARMED STRUGGLE is no primer. Rather, the author's willingness to plum complexities, to see the IRA as both a visceral and political animal, make the book essential reading for anyone keen to wrestle with the mind-bending paradoxes of the Northern Ireland troubles. English honors the ideology of Republican spokesmen like Gerry Adams but reserves the right to point out gross hypocrisies and flabby thinking. He also recognizes the allure of this secretive organization with its promise of adventure for working-class men who face a future of numbing banality. In essence, the IRA is a well-organized gang, its fraternal bonds strengthened by prison experience. It's a gang undergirded by an elaborately constructed cause, one reduced for clarity's sake to the reunification of Ireland. The Catholic dimension of the IRA, unfortunately, is all but ignored here. English admits that others, like Padraig O'Malley in his fine BITING AT THE GRAVE, can more satisfactorily examine the symbolism of suffering (ie. crucifixion) appropriated by the IRA during hunger strikes (passive aggression has always been a highly effective tool of Irish resistence). The long conclusion of English's book offers an extremely satisfying appraisal of the IRA and thus serves as a stand-alone essay to be revisited again and again.

This is a substantial, dense, and very objective book which helps to understand of Irish conflict. Having been born in Belfast Richard English approaches the IRA with simple assumptions and provides complex details. He ties major events in the PIRA history with the organization's philosophies and objectives. He argues for both sides Nationalist and Unionist as well as IRA's own justifications for its war against Britain supporting through extensive research. Drawing on the books, articles, TV broadcasts, newspapers, interviews, he provides Northern Ireland recent history and IRA's ideology from beginning of 1900's to the current century.

This is by far one of the best books that I have read on The Troubles. English, an Irish Protestant raised in England, doesn't just write a 'history' of the events of those years, but he also writes the book in a political and philosophical way as well. English says at the beginning of his book that he "wants to fill in the holes that other books fail to do." And English does this well. When talking about the birth of the Provos, he doesn't just say that the split between the Provos and Stickies was because of political differences or the need to increase violence. He talks about how different events, from the Battle of the Bogside, Bloody Sunday, and the need for someone to protect the Catholic community, merges together to not only form the Provos, but destroy any faith that Catholics had in the Unionist government. He doesn't just do, as I said previously, give a list of the history of the Troubles, but he has really done research on the subject. He is also one of the only writers on the subject that give logical reasoning into why things happen (due to his extensive research). He doesn't give a black and white answer to everything like other writers do, but always blends a combination of events that makes the reader think that there is more than just the average answer. He also talks about the start of the IRA and the early history of the conflict (from 1916 to the 1960s). He does this in great detail (almost too much detail). There were only two things about the book that I didn't like. First was that he really didn't talk about the Official, Continuity or the Real IRA that much. I feel most book fail to talk about these organizations more in depth. I know there isn't too much anyone can say about these organizations (esp. CIRA and RIRA). Most books on the IRA talk about the Provos, and thus their title should state that. I was wanting to know more about the Real and Official IRA, but was disappointed. The best book I have read about the Official IRA is, oddly enough, "The Provisional IRA", but Patrick Bishop. Second, English uses a lot of what I would call 'text soundbites'. He uses a lot of one line quotes from prominate people involved in The Troubles. Though some of the quotes make his argument stronger, sometimes I wonder why he even put in a quote at all (meaning that his argument was already strong). I think the book could have been 50 pages lighter if he took out the quotes that I think shouldn't have been in there. Overall, it was a really good book (even with these minor flaws). This is the book you want to read if you want a "deeper understanding" of The Troubles. I think English wrote this book for people who already know about The Troubles. If you are wanting to learn about The Troubles and have never studied it before, this might not be the best book to start with, it might overwhelm you. If you are a beginner, the first part of the book (from 1916 to 1969) would not overwhelm you and would be benefitial to read, as it gi

I've taken a look at this book at a local library in West Jerusalem, and I must say that it's one of the best books I've ever read of the troubles in Northern Ireland and the Irish Question. I also must say that as a researcher in the field of Irish History, the IRA and Sinn Fein are a legitimate fighting body that want a unified homeland, for they've been oppressed by the British ruling class and the Loyalists who I can't imagine them to be Irish at all!! They're like Paracites, just like the Zionists who eat up Palestine day by day. If they consider themselves British, why the hell don't they go back to the British mainland???!!!