Did IRA (Irish Republican Army) punishment beatings paradoxically keep the peace in Catholic area?

Answer 1

I cannot tell you how much I loathe the parasitic cowards that the IRA are or were; however, I believe you ask an intelligent question and I hope this is a good answer.

Paradoxically, the IRA did indeed keep the peace in the areas they 'policed'. The community at large didn't want to mess with them and members of all terrorist organisations knew what they were capable of. Therefore, many IRA-held areas were superficially safe.

However, let it never be forgotten that the chief reason for this was not only the threat of immediate and often terminal violence, but that the IRA themselves operated like this simply to protect their own rackets - prostitution, drug running, minicabbing, restaurants, and 'protection' were some of the many illegal or highly dubious enterprises they set up for themselves, so be under no illusions. It may have been quiet on the streets, but it was only because one huge gang was covering its own private crimewave.

Answer 2

Yes and no,It was organised crime so I can't as a normal person condone it,the only reason why House breakers etc got beatings was because they did not give the I.R.A. or any other Paramilitaries a cut off their ill gotten gains,I worked and lived in Belfast for 15 years and could not believe how much they controlled the communities they lived in and how they kept the people bitter so they could line their pockets.
I felt sooooo sorry for the small minded people who let these criminals control them.
I have seen them hone in on young children and groom them from a young age to get them,so to me they are all Murders,thugs and even paedophiles.
N.Ireland is a beautiful place but is filled with Racketeering from the highest to the lowest,that's why I no longer live there.
I couldn't stomach what seemed so obvious to me that other people couldn't see.

Answer 3

People were certainly scared to step out of line or argue with IRA members but I wouldn't say it kept the peace. Whilst drug dealing, messing with kids etc. were certainly down, IRA members created a mini crime wave by committing crimes such as stealing cars, armed robbery and using their positions to dispense beating on other catholics who they may have had a personal grudge with.

From reading various sources i believe this still goes on today. As I am typing this I wonder what happened to the McCartney sisters who's brother Robert was murdered by IRA thugs in a Belfast bar?

Answer 4

I'm a proud Irish man. The IRA were a legitimate and necessary force in kicking the English out of the country up untill we were 'granted' sovereignity. After this a far smaller force refused to give up the north and these guys WERE terrorists, they were foolish idealists. Initially there was no other way for us to get independance other than thru force but they were too stupid to realise that this was not the case with the north and they kept fighting. The north will inevitably rejoin the Republic, the north is not a self-sustaining entity and costs the British government millions if not billions each year. The only reason the north is not already a part of the Republic is because in the 1700s and 1800s the English sent over landlords who settled and laid roots in Ireland. This didn't really take in the south but it worked in the north. Now the British government is responsible for a loyalist population living in Ireland which they no longer want. Reconcilliation is the only logical path........

Ok I'm going on here, sorry!

Answer 5

The "punishment" beatings are often too severe and on against innocent people.

I had to laugh at a USA gameshow clip I saw... a young USA couple (in their 20s) were asked what the letters of the IRA stood for. Their answer: "Amnesty International".

Answer 6

My Gran was caught in the Harrods blast, she used to work there, my schoolfriend missed the MacDonalds blast by less than 15 mins.
That Q is like saying 'do gangsters do a better job of keepng the peace than the police' in which case you may as well bring back the Krays and be done with it.


Just remember not to piss them off or do anything they disagree with, or you'll be there next target. Theres no peace when you live in fear.

Answer 7

Good question.

When I was a young man growing up in East London, the small area I lived in had a reputation, well founded, of being a hard area. Anyone who was a nuisance to the local peace and quiet knew a couple of the local "boys" would come and have a word, the severity of the word depended on what sort of a nuisance the offender was. The east end was home to some hard vlillains who wanted peace and quiet on their "manor", in those days respect was also a standard to live by. Punishment beatings for nuisances not only kept the peace, it kept the focus of the Met away from our area. Can it be justified? If your mum was mugged or burgled maybe you'd condone it. The IRA allegedly dish out beatings for joyriders, drug dealers, police informers, burglars etc etc. ........................I wil keep my own counsel on this one.

Answer 8

i really dont know if this is relevant to the question, but bear with me if you please.recently i watched on t.v. a young women being savagely beaten on the ground by , british police officers.my question,..what (peace) was being maintained in a multinational area? these were, and are, members of a legitimate force. i suppose, on reflection, you get (bad apples everywhere)!!!!!

Answer 9

The IRA are thugs - they use school children as cover so British soldiers don't shoot at them.
They did not maintain peace as much as they maintained fear. Where you have more freedoms there is the possibility of more crimes because people are not afraid to do what they wish, be it gardening or robbing. So if you want to look at it in a horrible view they maintained peace like strict martial law.

Answer 10

Yes, in the same way that school bullies keep the peace in the playground except that school bullies don't usually kneecap their victims, yet.