Provisional Irish Republican Army (Noun)
Meaning
A militant organization of Irish nationalists who used terrorism and guerilla warfare in an effort to drive British forces from Northern Ireland and achieve a united independent Ireland.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The Provisional Irish Republican Army was responsible for numerous bombings and shootings throughout Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
- The Provisional Irish Republican Army's campaign of violence was widely condemned by the British government and many Irish citizens.
- In the 1990s, the Provisional Irish Republican Army declared a ceasefire and began to engage in peace talks with the British government.
- The Provisional Irish Republican Army's use of terrorism and guerrilla warfare was a major factor in the escalation of violence in Northern Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s.
- The Provisional Irish Republican Army's goal of a united and independent Ireland was shared by many Irish nationalists, but its violent methods were widely criticized.