On 4 September 2012, one of the then Dublin Real IRA leaders, Alan Ryan, was assassinated. In this article, Cork Republican Roger Tuohy re-examines the state-links in Ryan’s assassination.

The occupational government in the North and the Free State government in the south has a shared and vested interest in eliminating radical revolutionary republicans. No doubt this issue came to the fore as Republicanism grew and developed from 2008-2012 with serious shifts and developments that began to unsettle both governments.

At first, the aim of the media began to focus on various individuals from various backgrounds. Soon it became clear that the resurgence in Republicanism came from the I.R.A and the state started to put in motion the wheels of the media, counter-revolutionary agents and all tool's at its disposal. The I.R.A at the time began to execute numerous drug dealers in the South, while in the North a series of successful attacks grabbed media headlines and had the eyes of the world focused on the occupation of Ireland.

While the media began to target Republicans like Alan every week, the state set in motion a series of events which would ultimately result in Alan's death. In turn, this would make way for the ascendance of a criminal element which would infiltrate the republican movement. A nefarious cadre of counter-revolutionary agents that would openly use the assistance of the criminal underworld and other tools of the state.

Shortly after the murder of Alan, the UCD-based Frank Ryan Society outlined that Sunday papers journalist Paul Williams knew that Alan’s life was in danger. They wrote that the very fact that Paul Williams knew of Alan's impending death links that knowledge to the Gardai figures he would regularly drink with, figures who were high up in the ranks of the Gardai and would be privy to such intelligence. These facts collected by the society illustrate that every effort was made by the Gardai not to be present on that day. One day when the ever-present Garda and special branch surveillance was not present.

Alan's death and the events that followed allowed the state to shape and influence a new movement whereby certain elements had no qualms integrating itself with the criminal gangs of the underworld. This allowed the state to capture many Republicans and orchestrate the division and sabotage of any capable and credible movement which had been previously developing.

The results of this also contributed to the lack of morale felt by many Republicans. This, in turn, promoted the position of face-saving capitulation and engagement in political processes predicated on the democratic acceptance of Britain existing in Ireland. This has been presented as the only remaining solution and path for the advancement of republican socialist objectives. However, this would further constrict any such revolutionary fervour and enable Britain to assimilate people further into the machinery of the state.

We must never forget that the British recognised that they could not militarily defeat the republican movement of yesteryear. Instead, they moulded circumstances whereby they could edge that movement into an agreement which assured British rule and ruined that movement. They did this with the tacit support of a vast array of state agents and figures they used as pawns in a long and pre-planned game of chess.

Alan's death was an act of state collusion; at the very least they made efforts to ensure Alan's cowardly killers could carry out the murder and escape. This was practically admitted by Paul William's on the Duffy show at the time through his own admission that he had prior knowledge of the arranged murder of I.R.A volunteer Alan Ryan.

Even after Alan was murdered the media tried to assassinate his character. While the state imprisoned his relatives, raided his family home and gloated over his death.

⏭Roger Tuohy is an activist of the 32 CSM in Cork for the past 13 years.

The Death Of Vol. Alan Ryan: A State-Sponsored Assassination

On 4 September 2012, one of the then Dublin Real IRA leaders, Alan Ryan, was assassinated. In this article, Cork Republican Roger Tuohy re-examines the state-links in Ryan’s assassination.

The occupational government in the North and the Free State government in the south has a shared and vested interest in eliminating radical revolutionary republicans. No doubt this issue came to the fore as Republicanism grew and developed from 2008-2012 with serious shifts and developments that began to unsettle both governments.

At first, the aim of the media began to focus on various individuals from various backgrounds. Soon it became clear that the resurgence in Republicanism came from the I.R.A and the state started to put in motion the wheels of the media, counter-revolutionary agents and all tool's at its disposal. The I.R.A at the time began to execute numerous drug dealers in the South, while in the North a series of successful attacks grabbed media headlines and had the eyes of the world focused on the occupation of Ireland.

While the media began to target Republicans like Alan every week, the state set in motion a series of events which would ultimately result in Alan's death. In turn, this would make way for the ascendance of a criminal element which would infiltrate the republican movement. A nefarious cadre of counter-revolutionary agents that would openly use the assistance of the criminal underworld and other tools of the state.

Shortly after the murder of Alan, the UCD-based Frank Ryan Society outlined that Sunday papers journalist Paul Williams knew that Alan’s life was in danger. They wrote that the very fact that Paul Williams knew of Alan's impending death links that knowledge to the Gardai figures he would regularly drink with, figures who were high up in the ranks of the Gardai and would be privy to such intelligence. These facts collected by the society illustrate that every effort was made by the Gardai not to be present on that day. One day when the ever-present Garda and special branch surveillance was not present.

Alan's death and the events that followed allowed the state to shape and influence a new movement whereby certain elements had no qualms integrating itself with the criminal gangs of the underworld. This allowed the state to capture many Republicans and orchestrate the division and sabotage of any capable and credible movement which had been previously developing.

The results of this also contributed to the lack of morale felt by many Republicans. This, in turn, promoted the position of face-saving capitulation and engagement in political processes predicated on the democratic acceptance of Britain existing in Ireland. This has been presented as the only remaining solution and path for the advancement of republican socialist objectives. However, this would further constrict any such revolutionary fervour and enable Britain to assimilate people further into the machinery of the state.

We must never forget that the British recognised that they could not militarily defeat the republican movement of yesteryear. Instead, they moulded circumstances whereby they could edge that movement into an agreement which assured British rule and ruined that movement. They did this with the tacit support of a vast array of state agents and figures they used as pawns in a long and pre-planned game of chess.

Alan's death was an act of state collusion; at the very least they made efforts to ensure Alan's cowardly killers could carry out the murder and escape. This was practically admitted by Paul William's on the Duffy show at the time through his own admission that he had prior knowledge of the arranged murder of I.R.A volunteer Alan Ryan.

Even after Alan was murdered the media tried to assassinate his character. While the state imprisoned his relatives, raided his family home and gloated over his death.

⏭Roger Tuohy is an activist of the 32 CSM in Cork for the past 13 years.

1 comment:

  1. Well said a brilliant read and very true everything stated here I have personally felt for a long time and said to many if my close friends the ryan family have endured alot of pain and anguish with the loss of Alan and his brother through state sponsored assassinations by turning a blind eye allowing drug dealers to do their dirty work alot of innuendo and skull dugry at the hands of Freestaters,propaganda media and their British counterparts are behind this to make sure Republicanism will never be able to get up off the ground

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