The military ascendancy

The fracturing of the republican movement in early 1970 left the Provisionals in a distinct minority in Northern Ireland. Although PIRA more or less cleaned up in Belfast, obtaining the allegiance of nine of the thirteen IRA units in the city, ¹ elsewhere in the province its membership was patchy. In the country areas the Officials tended to hold sway. The division of 1970 had caused much confusion inside republican ranks, and units untouched by the turbulent events of 1969 on the whole remained cautious and stayed with the Officials, even though their sympathies may have lain with PIRA. Initial reports submitted to the first meeting of the Provisional Committee of Sinn Fein indicated that support for the new breakaway grouping was forthcoming from many areas in the South. However, the committee acknowledged that the ‘situation in the 6 counties was not very clear but their [sic] is definate [sic] support in Derry, Belfast, Nth [sic] and Sth [sic] Armagh and Sth [sic] Down and Fermanagh’. ² Whatever the organisational and numerical weaknesses in Northern Ireland, the Provisionals were determined to go their separate way. There was no prospect of accommodation with the Officials. PSF’s first committee meeting concluded with a proposal ‘that no such reconciliation should take place. This was passed unanimously.’ ³