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{{Infobox war faction
|name=Continuity Irish Republican Army
|war= [[The Troubles]] (1986–1998) <br> [[Dissident Irish Republican campaign]]▼
*[[The Troubles]] (1986–1998)
|image=Ciraderry.jpg
|caption=CIRA propaganda video
|allegiance = [[Irish Republic]]{{refn|group=n|Irish republicans do not recognise any of the Irish states since 1922, but declare their allegiance to the extinct Republic of 1919–21.<ref name=allegiance>Richard English, ''Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA''
|active=1986–present<ref>{{cite web|
|ideology={{indented plainlist|
*[[Physical force Irish republicanism]]
*[[Irish nationalism]]
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*[[Dissident republican]]ism
*[[Éire Nua]]}}
|clans={{indented plainlist|
*[[Republican Sinn Féin]] (political wing)
*[[Fianna Éireann]] (youth wing)
*[[Cumann na mBan]] (women's wing)}}
|leader1_title=Leadership
|leader1_name=Continuity Army Council
|area={{indented plainlist|
*[[Northern Ireland]] (mainly) *[[Republic of Ireland]]}} |size=About 50 (as of {{nowrap|July 2012)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/j/ct/rls/crt/2011/195553.htm|title=Chapter 6. Foreign Terrorist Organizations|website=U.S. Department of State}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.start.umd.edu/tops/|title=Terrorist Organization Profiles
|predecessor=[[Provisional Irish Republican Army]]
|allies=[[New Irish Republican Army|NIRA]]<ref>{{cite web|title=New IRA and Continuity IRA discuss joint attacks|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/new-ira-and-continuity-ira-discuss-joint-attacks-wpzlfwl62|work=[[The Times]]|access-date=15 August 2021|date=10 August 2021}}</ref>
▲|opponents={{plainlist|
|opponents={{indented plainlist|
*[[Government of the United Kingdom|British Government]]
*[[British Army]]
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*[[Garda Síochána|An Garda Síochána]]
*[[Irish Army]]}}
|designated_as_terror_group_by={{plainlist|
*[[United Kingdom *[[United States *[[New Zealand]]}} |native_name=''Óglaigh na hÉireann''
|split= |native_name_lang= }}
{{Irish republicanism|Militant groups}}
The '''Continuity Irish Republican Army''' ('''Continuity IRA''' or '''CIRA'''), styling itself as the '''Irish Republican Army''' ({{Lang-ga|[[Óglaigh na hÉireann]]}}<ref>{{Cite book | last = O'Leary | first = Brendan | author-link = Brendan O'Leary | title = A Treatise on Northern Ireland, Volume I: Colonialism | publisher = [[Oxford University Press]] | year = 2019 | page = 64 | isbn = 978-0199243341}}</ref>), is an [[Irish republicanism|Irish republican]] paramilitary group that aims to bring about a [[united Ireland]]. It claims to be a direct continuation of the original [[Irish Republican Army (1917–22)|Irish Republican Army]] and the national army of the [[Irish Republic]] that was [[Proclamation of the Irish Republic|proclaimed in 1916]]. It emerged from a split in the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|Provisional IRA]] in 1986 but did not become active until the Provisional IRA [[ceasefire]] of 1994. It is an illegal organisation in the Republic of Ireland and is designated a [[List of designated terrorist organizations|terrorist organisation]] in the United Kingdom,<ref>{{cite act |title=
Since 1994, the CIRA has [[Timeline of Continuity Irish Republican Army actions|waged a campaign]] in Northern Ireland against the [[British Army]] and the [[Police Service of Northern Ireland]] (PSNI), formerly the [[Royal Ulster Constabulary]]. This is part of a [[Dissident Irish Republican campaign|wider campaign]] against the British security forces by [[dissident republican]] paramilitaries. It has targeted the security forces in gun attacks and bombings, as well as with grenades, [[Barrack buster|mortars]] and [[Rocket-propelled grenade|rockets]]. The CIRA has also carried out bombings with the goal of causing economic harm and/or disruption, as well as many punishment attacks on alleged criminals.
To date, it has been responsible for the [[Murder_of_Stephen_Carroll|death of one PSNI officer.]]<ref>[http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/index.html Sutton Index of Deaths]. ''CAIN''.</ref> The CIRA
==Origins==
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{{Main|Chronology of Continuity Irish Republican Army actions}}
Initially, the Continuity IRA did not reveal its existence, either in the form of press statements or paramilitary activity. Although the [[Garda Síochána]] had suspicions that the organisation existed, they were unsure of its name, labelling it the "Irish National Republican Army".<ref>{{cite web|title=The Continuity IRA |author=David Kerr |url=http://www.ulsternation.org.uk/continuity_ira.htm |publisher=Ulster Nation |year=1997 |access-date=16 March 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070505211142/http://www.ulsternation.org.uk/continuity_ira.htm |archive-date= 5 May 2007}}</ref> On 21 January 1994, on the 75th anniversary of the First Dáil Éireann,
It was only after the Provisional IRA declared a ceasefire in 1994 that the Continuity IRA became active, announcing its intention to continue the campaign against British rule. The CIRA continues to oppose the [[Good Friday Agreement]] and, unlike the Provisional IRA (and the Real IRA in 1998), the CIRA has not announced a ceasefire or agreed to participate in weapons decommissioning—nor is there any evidence that it will. In the 18th [[Independent Monitoring Commission]]'s report, the RIRA, the CIRA and the [[Irish National Liberation Army]] (INLA) were deemed a potential future threat. The CIRA was labelled "active, dangerous and committed and... capable of a greater level of violent and other crime". Like the RIRA and RIRA splinter group [[Real IRA/ONH|Óglaigh na hÉireann]], it too sought funds for expansion. It is also known to have worked with the INLA.{{Citation needed|date=February 2021}}
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On Easter 2016, the Continuity IRA marched in paramilitary uniforms through North Lurgan, Co Armagh, without any hindrance from the PSNI who monitored the parade from a police helicopter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/may/05/fourteen-men-arrested-in-northern-ireland-after-paramilitary-funeral|title=Fifteen men arrested in Northern Ireland after paramilitary funeral|first=Henry McDonald Ireland|last=correspondent|date=5 May 2016|access-date=14 November 2017|work=The Guardian}}</ref>
In July and August 2019 the CIRA carried out attempted bomb attacks on the PSNI in Craigavon, County Armagh and Wattlebridge, County Fermanagh.<ref>{{Cite
On 5 February 2020, [[Brexit Day bomb plot|a bomb]] planted by the CIRA was found by the PSNI in a lorry in Lurgan. The CIRA believed the lorry was going to be put on a North Channel ferry to Scotland in January 2020.
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==Internal tension and splits==
[[File:Wall Slogans 21.jpg|thumb|Graffito in [[Dublin]] in support of the Continuity IRA]]
In 2005, several members of the CIRA, who were serving prison sentences in [[Portlaoise Prison]] for paramilitary activity, left the organisation. Some transferred to the INLA landing of the prison, but the majority of those who left are now independent and on E4 landing. The remaining CIRA prisoners have moved to D Wing. Supporters of the Continuity IRA leadership claim that this resulted from an internal disagreement, which although brought to a conclusion, was followed by some people leaving the organisation anyway. Supporters of the disaffected members established the [[Concerned Group for Republican Prisoners]]. Most of those who had left went back to the CIRA, or dissociated themselves from the CGRP, which is now defunct.
In February 2006, the [[Independent Monitoring Commission]] claimed in a report on paramilitary activity that two groups, styling themselves as "Óglaigh na hÉireann" and "Saoirse na hÉireann", had been formed after a split in the Continuity IRA either in early 2006 or late 2005.<ref name=imc8>{{cite web |url=http://www.independentmonitoringcommission.org/documents/uploads/8th%20IMC%20Report.pdf |title=Eighth Report of the Independent Monitoring Commission |access-date=2007-05-06 |url-status=
In 2007, the Continuity IRA was responsible for shooting dead two of its members who had left and attempted to create [[Irish Republican Liberation Army|their own organisation]]. Upon leaving the CIRA, they had allegedly taken a number of guns with them.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/Sunday_Tribune/arts2007/mar18_Republicans_appalled_murders__SBreen.php | title=Republican community appalled by gruesome murders | date=18 March 2007 | work=Sunday Tribune | access-date=16 July 2014 | author=Breen, Suzanne | location=Dublin | archive-date=25 July 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140725155413/http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/Sunday_Tribune/arts2007/mar18_Republicans_appalled_murders__SBreen.php | url-status=dead }}</ref> The Continuity IRA is believed by Gardaí to have been involved in a number of gangland killings in Dublin and Limerick.
In July 2010, members of a "militant Northern-based faction within the CIRA" led by a well-known member from south Londonderry claimed to have overthrown the leadership of the organisation. They also claimed that an Army Convention representing "95 per cent of volunteers" had unanimously elected a new 12-member Army Executive, which in turn appointed a new seven-member Army Council. The moves came as a result of dissatisfication with the southern-based leadership and the apparent winding-down of military operations. A senior source from RSF said: "We would see them [the purported new leadership] as just another splinter group that has broken away."<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/militant-faction-claims-it-has-taken-over-leadership-of-cira-1.628385 |
In June 2011 CIRA member Liam Kenny was murdered, allegedly by drug dealers, at his home in [[Clondalkin]], West Dublin.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/gardai-fear-retaliation-attack-after-dissident-murder-2800112.html | work=Irish Independent| title=Gardaí fear retaliation attack after dissident murder | date=19 June 2011}}</ref> On 28 November 2011 an innocent man was mistakenly shot dead in retaliation for the murder of Liam Kenny. Limerick Real IRA volunteer Rose Lynch pleaded guilty to this murder at the [[Special Criminal Court]] and was sentenced to life imprisonment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0410/380678-rose-lynch-court/|title=Rose Lynch jailed for life over 2011 murder|date=10 April 2013|publisher=Raidió Teilifís Éireann|access-date=30 January 2015}}</ref>
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|access-date=26 July 2012}}</ref>
In April 2014 a former leading member of the Belfast Continuity IRA who had been expelled from the organisation, Tommy Crossan, was shot dead.<ref>{{cite
==In popular culture==
The CIRA are depicted in [[RTÉ]]'s TV series crime drama ''[[Love/Hate (TV series)|Love/Hate]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=****SPOILER ALERT**** Ghost of Fran's wife Linda wreaks havoc for Nidge in Love/Hate|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/spoiler-alert-ghost-of-frans-wife-linda-wreaks-havoc-for-nidge-in-lovehate-30658912.html|website=The independent|date=13 October 2014 |language=en|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref>
==Notes==
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[[Category:Irish republican militant groups]]
[[Category:Organised crime groups in Ireland]]
[[Category:1986 establishments in
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