Insider
Gerry Bradley's Life in the IRA

For Gerry Bradley, the IRA was his life. His sole interest was in ‘ops’ – carrying out shooting and bombing operations as instructed. Inspired initially to defend his homeplace

against Loyalist attack, he went on to become one of the most senior and prolific operatives in the Belfast IRA.

However, when things turned political, his kind of action was not to the forefront. When politics becomes the only game, what then for the activist? Is there a role for them in the

push towards normalising situations of conflict? Here is an account of one activist’s journey, one who did not go the political route – but neither did he split from the IRA.