I was born in southern Irland. Arklow to be exact. I have actually had major affiliation with the IRA and can only say this... i support the IRA fully and totally.

There seem to be so many idiots writing about things they dont have any idea about. Lots of 'irish Americans' ranting on about 'making ireland free' Im irish and i am free, I have no interest in Northern Ireland becoming part of my country because its a sh*t hole full of racist lunatics. We got our freedom from the brits 80 years ago and Northern ireland remained part of britain. most people in the north want to stay british and if they want to change, they can vote. the IRA are murderers, just like the UDA and Al Quaida.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government--quote from the American Declaration of Independence. Northern Ireland is under the rule of an outside government that has become corrupt in its treatment of it territories. Make Ireland free, fight for your independence IRA, and may God be with you on you mission.

SCREW THEM THEY ARE OUTDATED MORONS, USELESS AND GOOD FOR NOTHING. GIVE UP GERRY ADAMS YOU LOST THE WAR!!!!!

I am an American married to a Northern Irishman and he has shown me a side to the IRA that isn't revealed to us one-sided Americans. We need to beware of the manipultion created by the IRA. Watch what money you are donating to Irish charities and fundraisers. Alot of times they are IRA sponsored and the money ends up supporting their cause. Just because your ancestory is irish doesn't mean you have to give money to any random irish cause. Research it first to see where exactly it is going to.

It is quite funny to read other user's descriptions of why they despise the IRA..."IRA SUCK!", "The IRA are terrorist scum"and attacks on admittedly ignorant (at times) Irish-Americans have done nothing but prove their own ignorance. The facts are too complicated to view in detail, but what is true is this: The man many English revere, Oliver Cromwell, used political terrorism to subjugate Ireland. English landlords in Ireland used what can be described as terrorism during the Potato Famine to crush peasant resistance to their various schemes. After the Easter Rising, dozens of participants were executed, something which would contradict the not yet held Geneva Convention of 1927. English political terrorism has been present in Ireland since Strongbow first landed in the late 1100s, and has continued to this day. Whether members of 1 Para or rogue RUC units, many Catholic civilians have been killed or beaten by men acting in the name of the government of the United Kingdom. Fighting fire with fire has been a tactic many governments have used throughout history (Cough Dresden Cough)so if IRA gunmen shoot down a handful of Protestant civilians in the street in retaliation for a Catholic murder, can this be deemed any more horrid than the aforementioned bombing campaign. In reality, the IRA, more so than other notorious groups like the ETA or PLO, has strayed away from inflicting civilian casualties. Amongst units such as the South Armagh Brigade, sectarian killings have been incredibly rare, and in large cities with higher tensions it is mostly tit for tat with the LVF and UDA. While bombings in England have been regrettable, all military groups have had great smears cast upon them by their own doings, and the IRA is no exception. You can call me an ignorant American (who has been to Ireland twice, despite being fourteen) or a terrorist, but remember that your governments or ancestors are in no way cleaner than the IRA. And as to their being a Protestant majority, we Catholics breed like rats, so don't count on that for much longer :)

Parnell was one of Ireland's best and last chances of breaking free of England. And how long ago was that? The IRA is a bunch of romantic drunks living in the past. I had to deal with slight IRA sympathies at my catholic school. . .ugh. Elimenate the invaders or put down the guns- anything in between is simply intrigue. "There is no winning- only different degrees of losing." -Danny DeVito from "War of the Roses" And you gotta love the IRA's sense of math (the 26+6=1 or whatever the hell it is. . .) News to you- Jesus wants you to learn basic math before you break any more commandments or treaties. Doesn't this group realize their increasing irrelavence? For the love of God, if you can't throw out the limeys then stop with the useless romanticism. And yes, these dopes are terrorists b/c they are making warfare on the conscious minds of innocent people. Geez, even INDIA managed to kick out the English. . .

TIMMY, how could you even think that the protestant election to keep the U.K. in control was in any way accurate? Most of the people who live in Northern Ireland are thugs from England. The heart and soul of Ireland live in the south away from those foul toothed, bad breathed English. As far as democracy goes for elections, take a look at us in the U.S. We had someone win the majority of the vote but not become president. As far as the violence goes, simply look a the statements publicly made by the I.R.A. and you will see that the I.R.A. is striving for peace, but the likes of Tony Blair are blatantly errant in their "quotes" from the I.R.A. making the un-informed general public think that those bloody old chaps in England are never in the wrong. It is wrong to put innocent lives at risk for anything, but that is exactly what England did when it took the land from the Irish.

As an Irish Catholic part of me roots for the IRA and supports their fight. I myself had a great great grandfather who was in the IRA, and had to move to America to escape capture. I can see why the IRA fights, besides the fact that England is occupying a territory that is not rightfully theirs, but that they (the British Gov.) have taken many innocent lives, and have discriminated against Catholics in Northern Ireland. But I also see how the IRA is downright bloodthirsty sometimes, and have even killed some Catholics in their bombs. Attacking military targets is one thing, blowing up 30 civilians is another.

What the IRA does is a means to an end. Freedom from oppression! The catholic are living in fear. As some one who has been there as a catholic,"I felt like a blackman in Mississippi in the '50."LF The British used Paratroopers on peaceful civilians. They mowed down innocences. The IRA is a response. The Protestants responsed in kind UVF and UFF. these two groups have killed more innocences in there short existance than the IRA. Look it up! I do believe the catholics of Northern Ireland want to be free from opression and be able to coexist with there neighbors. The protestants want to March to relive a fight they did not fight. they want to hate. little catholic girls could not go to school with out protestant MOTHERS, women throwing things at the little girls b/c they were catholic. Northern Ireland is war torn and it is not only the IRA fault, they are defending the people of Northern Ireland. and as of 2002 the IRA are not Terrorists by the US state department.

I used to be in favor of these guys, but the more I think about, the more I think these guys are cutthroats. They get a 3 because it isnt like their enemies are any better...

The IRA are trash. They're trash when they hide behind the cloak of political respectability and they're trash when they lie dead from the bullets of the SAS. They provoked Bloody Sunday and the current inquiry is just a sop to the bigots by the British Left. According to some of your correspondents, they always tried to minimise civilian casualties, bombing town centres is only part of that caring philosophy. Okay, so they expressed "regret" recently for the children blown to bits, yet we are still waiting to see an apology. I hope the peace process is successful, but don't insult our intelligence by saying the IRA ever held the moral high ground.

I live in the south of Ireland. I know nothing but this country I live in. I have no connections to any Irish Americans or whatever. In school last year, i studied history. My class spent two months on a section about Northern Ireland, learning off objectives and points, dates and political reasonings etc. I was gradually able to form my own opinion about the IRA through being thoroughly informed about Northern Ireland. For example I know that unionists versus nationalists is sometimes generalised as protestants versus catholics. But, you see, some catholics are unionists, and some protestants want a united Ireland. Do you know why the IRA came back in the 1960s? They catholics WERE being treated badly by their unionist goverment, and thats a fact NO ONE can deny now. For instance, do you know what gerrymandering is? Gerrymandering was when the Northern Ireland government said that every house in Northern Ireland was allowed one vote in National elections, and then proceeded to refuse mostly catholics houses for their families, forcing grown-ups to live together, diluting the catholic/nationlist vote. This is one of the reasons why the people set up IRA again. They were ENRAGED. But, though it set out with good intentions, it still is a terrorist organisation, and is now mostly madeup of gangland crimimals, as all political orgs seem to have at some time or another. The IRA lost sight of its goals a long time ago, and many innocents are dead. They are drug dealers and sell and buy weapons. But they were a people suffering, and HAD to rise up! They had to. Thank God for the peace process, and the new PSNI. I dunno will it ever end, but historians have a new idea, that catholics will literally out-breed the protestents in 50 years and the Nationalists will be in Government, and try to join us together again! I dont know about that, it would be quicker for people NOW to change their minds and try to tolerate each other!!!!!

The people giving them a five stars don't even realize they're supporting these terrorists! But it doesn't surprise me that "motherdonuts" gives them a five because she is an idiot herself and probably works with them!

Very interesting posts. I am an Irish American but I find that I can condone neither side in this conflict. The IRA's tactics are despicable and so are the British. However, the Irish in me says that the British should have stayed on their own islend in the first place!

Ok! I am from northern ireland and hate everthing about the IRA! They Kill Kill Kill and thats all i remember throughout my life. I personally have expearenced the ignorance of this so called organisation. I was caught in a bomb blast in which i received lots of scaring for flying glass. Even worse this is while i was in school! The bomb was planted in the army barracks beside it, this abviously shows the mentality of the IRA. They are totally pathetic. Also people seem to think they have taken this cease fire serously, they havent, their just waiting the right moment to kill more inocents. And finally would you americans STOP sending money to fund terrorism? Look at what it did to your country!

my family would have been wiped out but for the IRA. it is because of the IRA that I am here today. if the IRA has to disarm then so should the british. the IRA started to defend Ireland from british terrorism

Up the 'Ra!

Aparently some people consider a military which bombs civilian areas and kills innocent bystanders a terrorist organization. I wonder if those same people hold true to thier convictions and consider the American and British military as terrorist organisations for bombing civilion areas and killing innocents over 100 times in Iraq in the last few months not to mention the millions of innocents they have killed in the last century during thier many wars. I personally dislike but accept that in war people die including innocent people. War is a dangerous business and it is sad when an innocent life is cut short regardless of thier race, religion, or nationality. Good people die on either side of any conflict but unless you live in Switzerland you have no moral ground to stand on regarding this issue. If you live in any non-neutral country you either accept and acknowledge this as i do or you should be too busy working to change the system and prevent your country from claiming any more innocent lives to post on this board. Ba dhuchas riamh d'ar gcine chaidh Gan iompail sair o' imirt air.

i don't like the sometimes brutal actions of the IRA either. but i completely support the IRA in their military efforts and Sinn Fein in their political efforts. England has no place in ireland, let's face facts. the prods would not have a political advantage if left alone. britain provides a military one. if you would like a nice picture of the BRUTALITY of the struggle look into the ardoyne neighbourhood and how the prods are treating the catholic schoolgirls. comparing then to bin laden is akin to nazi-baiting... they are not analagous at all, as much as it helps you to claim it. furthermore, let's not forget that even when the RIRA plants a bomb they offer several warnings. look into how these warnings are handled and you'll get an interesting glimpse into the tactics employed by the RUC. when was the last time ANY of the terrorist orgs. mentioned here offered three warnings hours before the bomb detonated? now, let me get my euros ready, here comes the provos man... and by the by, i want all those americans to think about the last time their country kicked the british out, those tactics, and their justifications.

THE IRA ARE FIGHTING A WAR AGAINST IMPERIALISM. THEY ARE NOT TERRORISTS!!!

You can't justify one group of terrorists and complain about another. I may be sympathetic but taking innocent life is not the ansewer. We need to rectify both problems.

As my title suggests I have no preconceptions and so although I have given them a High rating , I do not believe all their actions are justified. The IRA were founded to gain equal rights for the surpressed Catholics of northern Ireland. Many of the Brithish will find this hard to understand as they are in the opion that they had no part to play in the violence in northen Ireland. The Brithish find themselves in the formillar position of demining all responsibilty. The resent Steak Knife issue has proved this but it has also shown how one of the IRAs own could decive them so readily. On a final note to all the anti IRA who read this do not make your judgement untill you have considered both sides, who is throughly to blame for the IRAs actions. How would you react if you found yourself and our people surpressed , how can you pass judgement when havent experienced surpression, IRELAND UNFREE SHALL NEVER BE AT PEACE

26 + 6 = 1 Eire counts 32 counties, not 26. It always has been like this & it always will be, no matter which foreign occupier tries to "prove". The brits have no reason whatsoever to be there. The north-eastern counties (not Ulster as it is often mistakenly named, cos Ulster counts 9 counties, not 6; nor northern Ireland as the most northern part Donegal is still part of the republic) are part of the one nation; Normally I do not approve of violence, but when no other option is left ... Tiocfadh ar lá Erin go braigh!

Yay go Terrorists!!! Kill innocent people cuz its ALL GOOD IN THE HOOOOOD!

PEACE AND LOVE, all the IRA wants is PEACE AND LOVE.... lol

'Families, friends and Neighbours', a perfect description of the Irish Republican community, the community that the IRA come from. Try as they may, but the Brits could not, and will never defeat the IRA - hasn't 800 years of occupation taught them that, or are they as thick as we already believe

This is a short message for all those 'irish americans' who have never even set foot in Ireland but have childish, romanticised notions of 'the struggle'. As an englishman who has seen first hand the devastation a bomb planted in the middle of london can cause, your opinions are purile and insulting to the families of innocent victims. The IRA lost their legitimacy the day they switched their attentions from military to civilian targets. Whilst a united Ireland could be considered a legitimate aim, the IRA's methods, indiscriminate bombing, can never be justified. For those 'irish' americans in support of such tactics, I have to question your sanity and intelligence; especially as you have now, unfortunately, experienced an indescriminate terrorist attack first-hand. Clearly even this fails to quell your anti-english fervour as your sense of (misplaced)nationalism is more powerful than notions of humanity and morality.

hey, i am IRISH through and through, and proud of it. i agree, the british should not have been so cruel, but the IRA should be ended. i like the brits. erin go bragh

Given that the only real arguement that we have had against the IRA is, 'IRA sucks', it shows the levels of intelligence that automatically believe everything the Brits tell us. The Facts: 1) The IRA are a peoples army fighting against an occupying force. 2) The IRA, under British admission, have been excellent at avoiding civilian casulties given the severity of their campaign. 3) The IRA have been the only paramilitary group in the North of Ireland to further the peace process. What weapons have the Brits or their loyalist companions handed in as an act of good faith. So next time instead of saying the IRA sucks and using that as the core of your arguement, please consider the proper facts I have provided and those of others on this site that have seen the true side of the IRA (5 STARS UNDOUBTABLY)

The IRA are fighting for what is rightfully theirs and the English need to abandon their age-old involvement in the the Irish lands because the Irish know how to solve things the right way

An undefeated army of the people. You can never defeat families, friends and neighbour, and the IRA will never be defeated. Anyone with any idea of things woul realise that the REAL TERRORISTS ARE THE BRITS. They are not the stiff upper lipped, gentlemen that they would have you believe. Their history is one of theft and murder and their army are a bunch of drug addict yobs. The IRA on the other hand are ordinary men forced to arms through an extraordinary situation.

IM Irish,My Great Grandfather was in the I.R.A. and i think it is good that they have that in Ireland. Yes the IRA has killed women and children but for 800 years Ireland has been under British control Irish men,women and children were slaughtered by the British Army marching in there homes.And people may say that the I.R.A. is like osama bin laden there wrong bin laden bombed us becuase they dont like are democracy over hear, the Irish are fighting becuase for there freedom and there never going to stop tell the British Go To There Own F***ing home!!! The British mite say that the IRA is evil they have never been seeing what the Irish have seen for many years. there races all the british are missing is there white sheets

I hate the IRA, not being Irish myself I dont now all the specifics... But from what I have heard they are a bunch of Terrorists and idiots. Blowing innocent civilians up on the street for no reason other than what they believe in?!? That's as bad as Palestinians blowing themselves up in the middle of crowded Israely streets just because of what the believe in... It's a load of crap... The IRA are just a group of losers,and wanna be's that never will be anything but a bunch of cowards...

SFALCONAR states that the IRA killed more innocent people than the Brits. BULLS**T. Perhaps you'll do a little research on the matter before spoutinf off the next time. Most of the IRA's targets were far from inoccent. They targeted British armed forces and the armed wing of Unionism, the RUC, as well as drug dealers and those involved in upholding British oppression in Ireland. The so called 'security forces', ie, the British Army and the RUC were responsible for hundreds of deaths among the Nationalist/Republican Community. Their only crime - being a Catholic. They were directly involved in murders (12%of all deaths during the troubles) all of which were put down to accidents and no one ever prosecuted.Funny that all these 'accidents had Catholic victims. they were also indirectly involved in COLLUSION with Loyalist death squads, which accounted up to another 25 - 30% of all those killed during the troubles. This collusion went right to the top, and by the top I mean 10 Downing street.

They DO suck actually, kill Gerry Adams he is scum!!! and as for that freak that says he should run for president, I've got a better idea How about Mariah Carey? The IRA are terrorists and screw all of you who voted them to no. 1 YOU are SCUM SUCKERS!!!!! The IRA stopped being protestes when they started killing people!!! By the way, I'm sure this chart is fixed - read the reviews of gopman79 fenian armadilo Do you really think that that many terrorists use rateitall.com? Stop knocking the English you didn't like it on September the 11th when your country was attacked o don't give money to people to kill the British, either!

Try to learn something about the struggle before opening your mouths: A)The British themselves use terrorist tactics (see Castlereagh, Bloody Sunday) B)Loyalist paramilitaries have done far worse things on Catholic civilians than the IRA have ever done, such as the Shankill Butchers who abducted, and tortured to death over 25 civilians before being caught. C)The British are an illegal presence in Ireland, and the IRA are dedicated to removing them from Ireland. D)Most Republicans would be opposed to any forms of attacks on civilians, and the IRA's attacks on "civilian properties" are actually attacks on Britan's economy. E)Tony Blair has done NOTHING to help the so-called "Peace Process" which is in actual fact a sham to sugarcoat Britan's rule over Ireland. F)To the person who said the "IRA SUCK!" I bet you have heard how bad the evil old terrorists over in Ireland are. Well, put it this way, maybe you should be directing your empty hate towards Britan, who torture many in Castlereagh, or to the Loyalists who are still murdering innocent Catholics right now (In 1997, they abducted a 16 year old schoolboy and tortured him to death). Oh, but you don't hear anything about these puppets of the British state, because they are of course British! There is much more than you think you know about the conflict, so please try to research a little more before you moan about the "terrorism" going on in Ireland.

To DAN SMITH; You say the IRA has killed over 1,800 'innocent' people. If you had any notion of the nature of the war here, you would realise that the vast vast majority of those so called innocent people were far from innocent. A few examples: 1)Lenny Murphy, a Loyalist killed by the IRA. Leader of the Shankill Butchers, an organisation that used to abduct, toture and kill catholics with rusty butcher knifes. Not to mention dozens of other loyalist murders shot by the IRA. 2)Hundreds of members of the British Army, including 18 Paratroopers at Narrowwater - The Para's were the mudering regiment who butchered 13 civilians on Bloody Sunday, and whos leaders the queen went on to decorate. How are occupying forces 'innocent victims'? 3)Hundreds of RUC and UDR/RIR personnal. "A protestant police force for a protestant people". Designed to keep catholics in their place through fabricated charges, murders, collision with Loyalist death squads and constant harrassment of Nationalist/Republican commmunities. 4) Dozens of Informers who accepted Britain's Judas gold to betray their commarades. 5) Dozens of drug dealers. Need I say any more? 6) British judges who handed out lenghty sentences on fabricated charges infront of a Diplock court (non jury) British justice speaks for itself (Birmingham 6, the Gilford 4, Internment) 7)Dozens of Prison Screws who regularly tortured Irish POWs. 8) Members of the British Government (Brighton bombing) who supported the murderous campaign waged by the Brits and their coharts in the RUC and the UDR/Royal Irish Regiment. Now Dan, how can you describe these animals as 'innocent'. The IRA fought a clean war by in large and as the British government even addmitted, they were very effective in minimising civilian casualities. They did make a few mistakes but they have always apologised for them. As for the rest of these so called innocent victims; they tried to stamp down a proud people and paid the price, from the brave volunteers of Oglaidh na Ehirrean (Provisional Irish Republican Army) Tiocfaidh Ar La. P.S. All you one star clowns from Britain, please try to learn the shameful history of your country throughout the world and them comment. Is it any wonder no one likes you?

They're the only people willing to stand up for Ireland's freedom. Since I'm Irish it's very important to me that they are free. Good luck IRA!

They fight 4 the freedom of Ireland. Look at Bloody Sunday!!!! Does that say the All mighty British <-deleted due to extreme content-> is good? Long live Sinn fein! Long Live The IRA!

"one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist". how true!!!!!

Exbrit for all his ravings left some interesting opening in his statement. I'll address only 2. War of Liberation--Just who exactly were the Brits liberating??? They were liberating the Irish from their lands,their customs and heretige. And his login name ExBrit--tends one to believe even HE got fed up with the Brits.Does the term also mean he is no longer a Brit or does it mean he is a person without a country. With his views America doesn't want anyone who isn't willing to put up or shut up.

I am voicing my opinion as a person who has lived through two decades of this conflict. I am from a small village in Mid tyrone in the north of Ireland. I have suffered at the hands of terrorists, the British Army and the RUC. Everyone must remember we are faced with a government who don't care, a government who builds armed fortresses ever town / village throughout the north ( as in my area) and then release their trigger happy army upon the innocent community to keep "you fenian f**kers in your place". People only had one option. We did not lie down, we fought and fought a clean fight , not that that could be said of the Brits. The IRA were the only leadership we ever had, and the men who fought and died for her, were amongst the best and bravest I have ever had the pleasure to know. Just remember that one mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. Why should the IRA be judged any differently from the likes of Nelson Mandela ( a strong supporter of the IRA and a man once described by the Brits as a terrorist)or the American revolutionaries of past history. The fought for the protection of their families, their towns and villages and for the freedom of their country. TIOCFAIDH AR LA - UP THE RA.

The IRA are terrorist scum, and must pay for their murders. England must stay strong, and now America has realized terrorism isn't fun, maybe they will help the fight.

I agree with ExBrit!!!!!

To those who say that Bush is a terrorist, who are you to say that!!! I'd like to see you lead such a diverse culture. How about you take a long hard look at your self and then judge a president of a country. I'm not going to say that the IRA is bad or good, but both sides have done some good and some bad. I think that you become a terrorist is when you start targeting the innocent on perpose. So I emplore you to take a hard look at yourself before you are so quick to judge others.

The RA like any army has made some errors i.e. if the allegations about aiding the FARC rebels ends up to be true. Otherwise BRITS OUT. GIVE US THE DATE.

The only reason the peace process is going on is because of the IRA.The IRA has kept there cease fire going,had there weapons on watch and publicly apoligized for casualties of war.The unionists or brits make near impossible demands and when they are met by Sinn Fein or the IRA they make another set of demands.It was very convenient for the stormont raids to take place at the time they did and yet now the brits refuse to disclose any info on the investigation that painted sinn fein and the IRA as the reason for Britain to take direct rule and suspend the self governing institution for the fourth time since the agreement.Even if the IRA went back to its war it would not be wrong.Sadly enough casualties of war happen.Its easy to yell peace when you hold all the power. As for yelling democracy well when Northern Ireland was partitioned it was originally going to be 9 counties, but realising that would be to even of catholics and protestants the brits only took six therebye insuring a majority of unionists.So there goes the brits major concessions to the peace process.The brits are all about using propaganda and making the IRA look bad for fighting against an illegal force of occupation. For the record the IRA are not considered a terrorist group and have been in a cease fire for years,and until Ireland is united they should not decommision.The brits have given them no reason to trust them and after they give up there arms theyd have nothing to negotiate with.

The struggle of the IRA for the unification of ireland is a war, and in a war there are always civilian casualties. As for the tactics used by the IRA, they are quite similar to the tactics used by the american revolutionaries against the british in the american revolutionary war.

The IRA are only trying to get the damn British out of their home. Most of the protestants aren't even irish, most are originally from England. They should just go back to England if they don't want to be minorities.