South Down Brigade

The South Down Brigade (Or 'South Down Command') was a brigade within the Provisional Irish Republican Army which operated during the Troubles in southern County Down, a predominantly Nationalist area within the county, which is partly in Newry. It has often been suspected that the South Down Brigade was affiliated with the South Armagh Brigade, especially in Newry and in Warrenpoint. Many of the most brutal IRA attacks in the Border area where assisted by IRA Volunteers from the South Down & South Armagh Area.

Activity

Republican activity has been ACTIVE in South Down for many years; many of the people in the area fought as Volunteers within the Fourth Northern Division of the Irish Republican Army during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) and also within the "Republican camp" of the IRA during the Irish Civil War (1922-1923). Many of the Republicans from the area also participated in the Irish Republican Army's campaigns during the 1940s/1950s. [7]

The South Down Brigade has been involved with at least two major attacks on British Army and on the Royal Ulster Constabulary; the Narrow Water ambush and the 1985 Newry mortar attack. A lot of the members of the Brigade have also died because of premature IED explosions.

British intelligence infiltration

The South Down Brigade was infiltrated by at least two British intelligence agents and informants throughout the Troubles, two of them being exposed as Kevin Fulton and Eamonn Collins.

Dissident republicanism

South Down is allegedly one of Ireland's "strongest" areas for supporting dissident republican movements, such as the 32 County Sovereignty Movement and the Real Irish Republican Army.