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Being a guerrilla organization of long standing that has endured a quarter century of armed activity, the IRA has sought to supplement imported war material by developing its own. The advantage of the latter is that supply is not dependent on the vagaries of smuggling into Ireland by air or by sea. The IRA can call on the services of a small number of experienced engineers to help it build weapons such as home-made mortars. The organization has also been making use of a new breed of volunteer: the university-educated computer expert who can construct sophisticated timing and remote-control mechanisms for use in bombs and mortars. It is believed that the IRA used the period of the ceasefire to upgrade such mechanisms and to develop techniques to combat British Army 'disruptive' radio signals by using radar guns and microwave receivers. (In 1993, the Garda uncovered an IRA workshop at Kilcock, Co Kildare, which was producing a wide range of advanced electronic detonators.)
During the years of the 'Long War', IRA members have become skilled in making explosives from such substances as nitrobenzene and fertilizer, either for use in large bombs designed to blow up buildings or in smaller devices designed to be thrown at the North's security forces. Home-made weapons have included the nail bomb (an anti-personnel device) and the 'drogue bomb' (an anti-vehicle grenade consisting of about 230 g of explosive packed into a big baked bean tin attached to a throwing handle). Home-made explosives are known by such names as 'Anfo' (fertilizer and diesel oil mix) and 'Annie'.
Intelligence sources in the Republic believe the IRA also used the period of the ceasefire to develop a 'Mark 17' mortar, which is said to be one of its most destructive weapons yet. It is believed that the mortar has already been tested in the Carlingford Lough area of Co Louth, just south of the border. Over the years, the IRA has deployed with some success its home-made 'throw-away' mortars - crude weapons that can have a devastating effect at short range. The mortar tubes are normally mounted on the back of a hijacked truck and are fired by a timing device after the bombers have made their getaway. During the 1980s, the IRA deployed its 'Mark 10' mortar, which fired a six-inch shell with 24 lb (10.9 kg) of explosive up to 300 m. This was the type used in the attack on 10 Downing Street during the Gulf War.
Type, quantity of arms Origin Date Comments
About 70 small arms: M1 carbines; M3 'grease guns'; some hand guns; 60,000 rounds of ammo
USA
1969
Arms acquired originally for the 1950s campaign.
Smuggled to Ireland by Harrison network.
Revolvers x 50
Spain
c1970
Arms reported to have been supplied by Basque group ETA
9 mm pistols x 500 FRG
180,000 rounds
1969-70
Arms bought not for IRA but for defence groups in
North, but IRA planned to seize them. Irish authorities foiled moves to import guns. Four later acquitted in
famous arms trial.
Armalite AR-15 rifles
USA
1970
Consignment smuggled to Ireland by group of Republican sympathizers
in Philadelphia.
Small arms and ammo
USA
1971
Six suitcases full of small arms and ammo seized by police at Dublin port after being landed by ship from USA.
4.5 tons of small arms
Czechoslovakia
1971
Shipment arranged by IRA leader Daithi O'Conaill; bought from Omnipol Prague; seized at Schiphol Airport.
Small arms
Libya
1972
Unconfirmed reports that two cargoes of arms from Libya reached Ireland.
RPG-7 rocket launchers
Europe
1972
Reported import of RPG-7s from unknown source in Europe.
M-16s and AR-15s
USA
Early 1970s
Smuggled to Ireland by
Harrison network.
AK-47 rifles x 250,
plus other materiel
Libya 1973
Czech-made arms supplied by Col Ghadaffi; cargo aboard Claudia seized by Irish authorities. IRA boss Joe Cahill and others arrested.
100 rifles
USA 1974
US Treasury Dept agents foil plot to smuggle to
IRA cargo of arms bought at Maryland gun shop. Five later jailed in USA.
Small arms: AK-47s x 27; SMGs x 29; RPG-7 rocket launchers x 7; Bren Guns x 2; plus grenades, ammo & explosives
Middle East 1977
Arms supplied by Al Fatah section of PLO. Cargo sent by ship via Cyprus; seized at Antwerp. One IRA man arrested by Irish police. Arms believed to have come from Lebanon.
M-60 MGs x 6; M-16 rifles x c100
USA 1977
Arms stolen from US Army depot; smuggled by ship
to Ireland by Harrison network.
Estimated 500,000 5.56 x 45 mm cartridges
USA
1973-78 Ammo stolen from US Marine base, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. Believed sent to
Ireland by Harrison network.
Cargo of more than 150 guns and 60,000 rounds of ammo. Arms included: M-60 MGs x 2; M-16s x 15; M-14s;
AK-47 x 1
USA
1979 Cargo smuggled by ship to Ireland by Harrison network; seized at Dublin port by police.
MAC-10 SMGs x 350; AK-47 x 12
USA 1981
Harrison network plot foiled in FBI 'sting'. Leads to break-up of network.
50 firearms and ammo; tone frequency switches
USA 1982
US Customs find arms in truck at docks in Newark,
New Jersey. Four members of IRA cell later jailed.
200 cases of mixed ammo
USA 1982
Five men arrested entering USA from Canada; suspected
of plot to acquire ammo for IRA. 'Shopping list' for 200 cases found.
Explosives
USA 1983
FBI foils IRA bid to buy explosives in Wyoming. Man arrested.
Seven tons of arms, ammo and explosives
USA
1984
Cargo seized on fishing boat Marita Ann by Irish Navy. Men jailed in USA and Ireland. Arms procured by drugs gang in Boston.
Small arms
USA
1985
FBI foils IRA bid to buy small arms in Colorado.
Irishman deported.
40 firearms, including: FN FAL rifles x 13; AK-47 x 1. Also: hand grenades x 2, drums of nitro benzene,
70,000 rounds of
ammunition
Netherlands
1986
Dutch police seize arms in raid on apartment in Amsterdam. Two well-known four IRA men arrested.
Heckler & Koch G3 rifles
Norway 1984-86
Irish police seize 10 G3 rifles in 1986 - part of batch of 100 stolen from Norwegian Reserve base near Oslo, 1984.
Redeye SAMs, M-60 MGs, M-16 rifles, MP-5 SMGs, bullet-proof vests x 11
USA 1986
FBI 'sting' foils plot to fly arms cargo by private jet from Boston to Ireland. Several convictions followed.
150 tons of arms: AK-47s, SAM-7s (reported), Semtex, RPG-7 rocket launchers, Taurus pistols, plus
other materiel
Libya
1985-87 Four shipments of arms and explosives successfully landed in Ireland by boat skipper Adrian Hopkins.
AK-47s x 1,000, SAM-7s x 20, RPG-7s, 2 tonnes of Semtex .
Libya
1987
French Navy seize cargo on Eksund, skippered by Adrian Hopkins, off Brittany. Five arrested
380 gallons of nitro benzene
Netherlands
1988
Cargo smuggled from Amsterdam aboard truck; seized by Irish police, Kells, Co Meath. Driver later jailed.
Small arms, described as 'high-powered rifles'
USA
1988
US Customs foil bid to buy rifles from gun dealer in Alabama. Two men jailed.
Detonators for bombs; anti-aircraft missile system
USA
c1982-88
Group of IRA supporters jailed in Boston in 1990 for trying to smuggle a home-made missile system to Ireland. Member of group is also believed to have supplied detonators in 1982-88.
Stinger missiles
USA
late 1980s/ early 1990s
FBI foils plot to acquire Stingers on black market in Miami. Several arrests made.
Type Role Quantity
Webley .455
Revolver
60
AK-47/AKM
Assault rifle
650
Armalite AR-15
Assault rifle
a few dozen
Barrett M82A1
Sniper rifle
1
7.62 mm FN MAG
Machine gun
12
12.7 x 107 mm DshK
Heavy machine gun
20
RPG-7
Rocket launcher
40
SAM-7 (may not be serviceable)
Surface-to-air missile
1
LPO-50
Flamethrower
6
Detonators
For use in bombs
600
Semtex
Explosive
3 tonnes
Note
As well as the arms listed above, it is believed the IRA has other weapons including Heckler & Koch G3 assault rifles, Taurus pistols and FN FNC assault rifles. Security forces have made estimates of the IRA inventory partly on the basis of material known to have been imported from Libya, from which has been subtracted material seized by the authorities north and south of the border as well as Semtex estimated to have been used in various bomb attacks.
Sean Boyne is a Dublin-based journalist who specializes in defence matters and international affairs. Part 1 of this article, which dealt with IRA organization and strategy, was published in the July issue of JIR.
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