Page "Continuity Irish Republican Army" Paragraph 4

The Provisional IRA convention delegates opposed to the change in the Constitution claimed that the convention was gerrymandered " by the creation of new IRA organisational structures for the convention, including the combinations of Sligo-Roscommon-Longford and Wicklow-Wexford-Waterford.

" The only IRA body that supported this viewpoint was the outgoing IRA Executive.

Those members of the outgoing Executive who opposed the change comprised a quorum.

They met, dismissed those in favour of the change, and set up a new Executive.

They contacted Tom Maguire, who had legitimated the Provisionals in 1969, and asked him for support.

Maguire had also been contacted by supporters of Gerry Adams, then and now President of Sinn Féin, and a supporter of the change in the Provisional IRA constitution.

Maguire rejected Adams ' supporters, supported the IRA Executive members opposed to the change, and named the new organisers the Continuity Army Council.

In a 1986 statement, he rejected " the legitimacy of an Army Council styling itself the Council of the Irish Republican Army which lends support to any person or organisation styling itself as Sinn Féin and prepared to enter the partition parliament of Leinster House.

" In 1987, Maguire described the " Continuity Executive " as the " lawful Executive of the Irish Republican Army.