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Real IRA

Real Irish Republican Army
(Óglaigh na hÉireann)
Participant in the Troubles
and the dissident Irish republican campaign
Active 1997–present
Ideology Irish republicanism
Leaders Army Council
Area of operations Northern Ireland (mainly)
Republic of Ireland
England
Strength 150 (max, as of June 2005)
250–300 (as of September 2012)
Originated as Provisional Irish Republican Army
Allies Continuity Irish Republican Army
Óglaigh na hÉireann
Opponents British Army
Police Service of Northern Ireland

The Real Irish Republican Army or Real IRA, also referred to as the New IRA (since the 2012 merger), is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation which aims to bring about a united Ireland. It formed in 1997 following a split in the Provisional IRA by dissident members, who rejected the Provisionals' ceasefire that year. Like the Provisional IRA before it, the RIRA sees itself as the only rightful successor to the original Irish Republican Army and styles itself as "the Irish Republican Army" in English or Óglaigh na hÉireann in Irish. It is an illegal organisation in the Republic of Ireland and designated as a terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom and the United States.

Since its formation, RIRA has waged a campaign in Northern Ireland against the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)—formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)—and the British Army. The RIRA is the largest and most active of the "dissident republican" paramilitary groups operating against the British security forces. It has targeted the security forces in gun attacks and bombings, and with grenades, mortars and rockets. The organisation has also been responsible for bombings in Northern Ireland and England with the goal of causing economic harm and/or disruption. The most notable of these was the 1998 Omagh bombing, which killed 29 people. After that bombing the RIRA went on ceasefire, but began operations again in 2000. In March 2009 it claimed responsibility for an attack on Massereene Barracks which killed two British soldiers, the first to be killed in Northern Ireland since 1997.


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