Noraid & It’s Support of the PIRA

Erika Dennery
Professor Shirk
Global Politics of Terrorism
March 14th, 2018
Noraid, or Irish Northern Aid, was formed in 1970 after the Troubles in Northern Ireland following the IRA’s split into two groups, to be the public face of Irish republicanism in America. Noraid argued that it’s main purpose was to raise money in order to support the families of imprisoned PIRA members and to publicly campaign for British withdrawal from Northern Ireland, but it’s true role was more or less getting funds for weapons for the PIRA. Fundraising letters that Noraid sent out in the 70’s said that, “Our support goes exclusively to the Provisional IRA and those who are working with them and our funds are to be used for the advancement of the campaign in Northern Ireland,” and while this does not explicitly suggest that Noraid was fundraising for weapons, it can be implied.

Noraid is the only organization in America that supports the PIRA and another one of its main goals was to represent the true Irish identity that was being threatened at the time. Most importantly, Noraid wanted Irish Americans to support their cause in order to gain independence and they wished to get rid of the negative stereotypes of the Irish that were present in America. Along with this, Noraid was angered by the fact that many of the Irish living in America were doing so comfortably and without considering the struggles that their Northern Irish kin were experiencing. Overall, Noraid supported the PIRA because it wanted to solve the issues in Ireland taking place at the time and it needed American support to do so.

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