IRISH REPUBLICAN COUNTERPUBLIC AND MEDIA ACTIVISM

In the early years of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the IRA was aware of its subaltern status and how its campaign of violence saw it marginalized from the mainstream political public sphere. It embraced this status and, using activist media materials and techniques, it built a highly functioning counterpublic within which to express its political positions and in which to negotiate future strategy. Initially utilizing activist newspapers, it drew on a rich heritage of publishing associated with Republicanism dating back to the 1790s. However, the counterpublic surrounding these publications could often be said to be quite small and difficult to break out of; thus in later years, Republicanism would expand its repertoire to embrace muralism and street art which brought it to wider international attention. Murals also created physical manifestations of the Republican counterpublic, establishing geographic parameters on spaces that had only previously been metaphysical or virtual.