Today, December 28th, is the 35th anniversary of the split of the Provos from the IRA. The members of the Belfast Brigade held that the Army Council was not protecting the Catholic communities from the onslaught of ongoing UVF attacks. This stemmed from the August 1969 attacks by loyalists on Catholic housing estates, as well as a growing sense of helplessness spurred by the Southern domination of the AC. The Council refused to allow any reprisals or offensive action to be taken against the loyalists, favouring politics as the way forward.

It's funny how things change, isn't it?

The majority of the delegates at the Army conference voted to maintain a more political line, and the Northern Command split from what was now called the "Official" IRA. The annoucement regarding this split was not made for another two weeks, but the rifts were already rising between the factions. It would errupt into a feud in early 1971.

  ¶ 3:30 p.m.