Plausibility check: The Soviets "Afgahnistan" the IRA

Is it possible, that for the purposes to trying to destabilize the British and or NATO; that the Soviets throw massive, but clandestine support to the IRA (doesn't matter when, I'm not an expert on the IRA, so feel free to take liberty with the dates) a la the American support to the islamic fighters in Afgahnistan in the 80's

and if it is possible, what might be the fall out and consequences
 
Seems very unlikely, the during the 80s the IRA is winding down, the early 70s they were stronger, also getting arms into Northern Ireland would be very very hard, so its doubtful the USSR could do anything, and the IRA in OTL was never very strong, I believe that from 1969-1998 the IRA killed maybe 800 British troops and RUC
 

Pangur

Donor
Mhhh

Seems very unlikely, the during the 80s the IRA is winding down, the early 70s they were stronger, also getting arms into Northern Ireland would be very very hard, so its doubtful the USSR could do anything, and the IRA in OTL was never very strong, I believe that from 1969-1998 the IRA killed maybe 800 British troops and RUC

The comments about the IRA and the 80`s is not quite true. The hunger strikes near enough gave them the chance to come back from the dead as it were so to say they were winding down is silly false- sorry mate but thats how it went In the `80`s the IRA moved far closer to classis `cell' structure which would rule out any large scale engagement between then and the British Army/RUC. What might have happened would be for the USSR to provide SAM`s and the latest equipment at that
 
Reasons why NI is very different from Afgh.:

-50% of population staunchly loyal to the UK
-much better transport & communications infrastructur
-catholicism largely gave up the holy war stuff by now
-terrain!
-much shorter border to control
-Rep. Eire can easly blockaded/blackmailed by the UK
 
Seems very unlikely, the during the 80s the IRA is winding down, the early 70s they were stronger, also getting arms into Northern Ireland would be very very hard, so its doubtful the USSR could do anything, and the IRA in OTL was never very strong, I believe that from 1969-1998 the IRA killed maybe 800 British troops and RUC

They did manage to get arms from Libya though.
 

MrP

Banned
They did manage to get arms from Libya though.

It strikes me that if the Soviets wanted to destabilise Ireland, for whatever reason,* then it would be a lot less risky for them to use another power as a go-between. Since this sounds as though I'm advancing a conspiracy theory that they were behind the Libyan (or that of any other nation) support for the IRA, I hereby make clear that I am not. Uriel's points about the differences between Afghanistan and Ireland are well-made.

* Perhaps to upset the Anglo-American relations by making it appear that the American government is supporting the IRA. There's probably a blackly comic AH novel/short-story in this, you know. I don't know about a TL, but certainly a short-story.
 
Top