Like for a fact about Irish Republicanism

1. Sinn Féin and the IRA inspired the Tamil Tigers in their war against the Sri Lankan state

2. A Lewis gun called "Big Louey" captured on March 19th 1921 by the Cork. No.3 flying column was the weapon of Vol. Jim Bryson of Ballymurphy from May 1972 until his death in September 1973. It was recaptured by the British in 1977.

3. There was a Fianna Fáil Cumann named after IRA Volunteer Timothy Coughlan until the 80's. Tim was murdered by a Gardaí agent in 1928 and FF ministers promised those who killed him would "not go unpunished if they got into power."

(They went unpunished)

The Harbinson plot in Belfast was bombed three times:
First in 1937 by loyalists
Then in 1938 by IRA Volunteers pretending to be loyalists to spark a conflict
And again in 1939 by Loyalists the day before it was re-erected!

5. In Limerick, the two highest IRA pensions went not to the 1914-23 Brigadier, but a Battalion Adjutant and an officer who only joined 1914 and 1917 and were interned by the truce.

Both were Fianna Fáil TD's.

6. The inquest on Volunteer Barney Casey, killed in the Curragh camp December 16th 1940 was never closed. It was immediately adjourned when Seán MacBride asked why he was shot in the back.

7. Only five IRA General Army Conventions were held during the Long War despite normally meeting every 2nd year.

1970 (ending the Provisional period)
1986 (ending Leinster house abstentionism)
1996 (confirming ceasefire)
1997
1998 (GFA)

8. Fianna Éireann was modelled off the Baden-Powell Boy Scouts and beat the shite out of their counterparts across Ireland for being Westbrits

9. Fianna Fáil executed a 1916 veteran Paddy McGrath on September 6th 1940 alongside Lurgan Volunteer Thomas Harte.

10. The Official IRA has never actually given up weapons. A splinter group the Official Republican Movement decommissioned, but "Group B" has never given up a bullet or an ounce.

12. No accurate tally of IRA casualties for 1916-23 will ever be made due to the many who died in the next several years of wounds while either refusing a pension or in America, both likely due to being anti-treaty men.

11.

IRA Volunteer James Glynn of Ennis a committed trade unionist was shot dead by a Blueshirt in the town and died May 2nd 1934. 8 key witnesses refused to recognise the court for the inquest, his father approving of this.

13. If you have a relative who was in the ra 1916-23 I'll help you find their pension record/ nominal roll

14. Fianna Éireann Lieutenant Patsy O'Connor died as a result of the 1913 lockout when he suffered a blow to the head from a DMP baton. He died suddenly two years letter

15. (Gonna do a few more now)

During the Easter Rising, the Volunteers used 1871 blackpowder Mausers. Due to their large cartridge they were mistaken for using illegal dum-dum bullets by the British who used this as an excuse to murder captured rebels.

16. IRA divisions did not exist prior to spring 1921 at the earliest despite often retrospectively applied to events and deaths prior to their formation.

17. The IRA, Cumann na mBan and na Fianna Éireann all voted to reject the Treaty at conventions.

The votes were:
IRA 220-0 against treaty
CnB: 419-64 against treaty
FÉ: unclear but firmly against treaty

18. An IRA Volunteer, James Dalton was killed in Limerick in May 1920. It is now believed his comrades in the IRB killed him in murky circumstances related to a 1st and 2nd battalion feud in the City.

https://www.theirishstory.com/2015/03/09/in-the-presence-of-his-enemies-the-controversy-of-james-dalton-may-1920/#.YDo237enyDY

19. The 1973 book "Freedom Struggle by the Provisional IRA" was semi-illegal to possess and a senior member of Fianna Fáil was caught printing it in Dundalk.

20. IRA structure as of 1972: (several parts)
Derry Brigade:
1st Battalion. Bogside-Brandywell
2nd Battalion. Creggan.
3rd. Shantallow
4th Waterside
Each consisted of an A, B and C company.

1 battalion each of Cumann na mBan, Fianna Éireann and Cumann na gCáilini

21.
Belfast Brigade:

1st Battalion
A. Upper Andersonstown
B. Lower Andersontown
C. Turf Lodge
D.(See below)
E. Riverdale
F. Lenadoon
G. Twinbrook

2nd Battalion
A. Beechmount
B. Ballymurphy
C. Clonard
D. Falls
E. St. James(formerly D. Coy 1st Batt until early 1972)
F. Whiterock

22.
3rd Battalion
A. Ardoyne
B. Short Strand
C. New Lodge
D. The Market
E. Bawnmore-Rathcoole
F. Marrowbone
G. Unity Flats

Note: B and D Companies formed their own 4th battalion during the Mid-70's

23.
Fermanagh Brigade:
1st Battalion:
North-West Fermanagh: 1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
South Fermanagh
A. Company
B. Company (Lisnaskea)

South Derry Battalion
North Antrim Battalion

(All upgraded to Brigade status by early 1980's)

24. North Armagh Brigade:
1st Battalion: Armagh City
2nd Battalion: Craigavon

South Armagh Brigade:
1st Battalion: Crossmaglen
2nd Battalion: Keady Newtownhamilton

North Louth Battalion

South Down Command(stripped down Brigade)

25.
West Tyrone Command

Mid-Ulster/Mid Tyrone Brigade

East Tyrone Brigade

Mid-Ulster and Mid-Tyrone are sources of some confusion in archives

26. The National Graves Association has no branches and Tyrone, Belfast and Strabane NGA's are all seperate entity's. There are also Wexford and Carlow Republican Graves Association's (RSF)

27. The tricolour was first flown in 1848 in Enniscorthy the same days as it was in Waterford https://www.independent.ie/regionals/wexfordpeople/news/enniscorthy-tricolour-flag-claim-verified-31551635.html

28. Offaly was accused of "tinkering with the honour of the nation" by Richard Mulcahy for it's lack of action in the first half of the Tan War

29. Chief of Staff Frank Aiken brought in the policy of non-recognition of Free State and six county courts immediately before he left the IRA for Fianna Fáil. This was very useful for his party when convicting IRA members.

30. Sinn Féin's Margaret Buckley was the first female party leader in Ireland from 1937 until 1950

31. Fianna Fáil attempted to introduce an alternative to the Easter Lily in 1933, the Easter Torch. It was rejected by the membership, the Roscrea members leaving en mass.

32. If you call yourself a Republican and you aren't actively striving towards 32 counties, you're a Free Stater with notions.

33. Irish Republicans have conducted multiple campaigns using bombs in Britain.

1867 (Clerkenwell bombing)
1881-85(Dynamite campaign)
1919-21 (Tan war operations)
1939-40 (S-Plan campaign)
1972 (Aldershot bomb by Official IRA)
1973-1997 (The Long War)

34. You can be in Sinn Féin and a Protestant

35. Young members of Republican Sinn Féin said after the 1986 Ard Fheis

"They got Gerry Adams and we got the Geriatrics!"

36. Six IRA Volunteers were executed by Fianna Fáil. They were:
Óglaigh
Paddy McGrath(Dublin) 1940
Thomas Harte (Lurgan) 1940
Maurice O'Neill (Caherciveen) 1941
Richard Goss (Dundalk) 1941
George Plant (Fethard) 1942
Charlie Kerins (Tralee) 1944

37. Tom Barry was a leading proponent of peace after the Civil War, seemingly advocating even the surrender of IRA arms

38. There is confusion as to the status of the north County Dublin IRA, often being described as the "Fingal Brigade" when it was actually the 5th Battalion Dublin Brigade for most of the struggle

39. Sinn Féin in Fermanagh were almost unanimously against running Bobby Sands in 1981 but were overruled by the leadership.

40. Up until about 1974, both Official and Provisional Sinn Féin,not recognising the other wing, referred to themselves as "Sinn Féin (Gardiner Place)" and "Sinn Féin (Kevin Street)" as if this was any less silly

41. Máire Comerford, a 1916, Tan War and Civil War veteran was last arrested in 1976 for attending an illegal 1916 Commemoration. She offered to go to prison rather than pay the fine but was forced to do so.

42. The 1976 Commemoration was Interesting in and of itself as the government refused to hold one and despite banning it, 10'000 turned out in Dublin to hear Daithí O'Conaill ask them to "put their faith in the Provos"

43. The Song "Say Hello to the Provos" was written and performed by Volunteer John "Bap" Kelly killed in an accidental explosion in 1975 in Belfast just weeks after bringing the song on a US tour

44. Bobby Sands organised a local republican newspaper for the Twinbrook area called "Liberty" and also had the black taxi service extended to the area, organized a Sinn Féin Cumann, Green Cross and a fledgling local Active Service Unit

45. The peace wall in the White well Road area along Serpentine Gardens was not built until 1997 when Drumcree lead to polarized relations among the two communities

46. Three Volunteers of E. Company in the Bawnmore/Whitewell area were killed during the conflict: Jackie McErlean, Samuel Hughes and Charles McCrystal were killed in a premature explosion 7/4/72. Each of of their families later lost a relative to random sectarian butchery.