PIRA

PIRA most commonly refers to the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA), a republican paramilitary organization active during The Troubles in Northern Ireland and parts of Great Britain. It originated in 1969 after a split in the Irish Republican Army between the Provisional wing and the Official IRA, with the former adopting the name to distinguish its leadership and methods. The PIRA aimed to end British rule in Northern Ireland and to establish a united Ireland, achieving its goals through an armed campaign.

During the 1970s–1990s, the PIRA conducted bombings, shootings, assassinations, and other attacks, targeting security forces, politicians, and economic infrastructure. It enjoyed varying levels of support among Irish nationalists while facing strong opposition from the British government and many local communities. The conflict, known as The Troubles, also involved loyalist paramilitaries, state forces, and political actors.

A key turning point came with a 1994 ceasefire, followed by engagement in the peace process. The Provisional leadership supported the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which established a framework for power-sharing and political legitimacy.

In parallel, decommissioning of weapons was verified by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, with the process reaching completion in the mid-2000s. The armed campaign by the group effectively ended, and Sinn Féin, its political affiliate, pursued politics within the new framework.

Other uses: The lowercase term pira does not denote a widely recognized organization in English; it can appear as an acronym in other contexts or as part of non-English names. The article focuses on the Provisional Irish Republican Army as the predominant reference.