members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). Pro-Irish Republic paramilitaries

The opposing Loyalist paramilitaries are the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF)

Conflicts this long-running are never simple, so there are many splinter groups including the *Real* IRA, a.k.a. Oglaigh na hEireann. To make matters more confusing, Oglaigh na hEireann is also the name of the Irish Republic's legitimate army. Fortunately, most people have no clue how to pronounce Oglaigh na hEireann, so the confusion is self-limiting.