In the summer of 1972, Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi approached the Provisional IRA with an offer of weapons. A few months later, this first ever shipment of arms landed into Ireland. In this first part, we follow these weapons from their point of manufacture in Russia, through to their highly secretive arrival on Irish soil.

A daring, pioneering and dangerous chapter in Irish life began in the summer of 1972 when Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi made an approach to the Provisional IRA with an offer of arms. Months later, this secret shipment of weapons landed into Ireland. All these years later, this untold tale is finally revealed by those centrally involved… // Previous series from DocOnOne include The Real Carrie Jade, Runaway Joe, Finding Samantha, GunPlot, Tiger Roll and The Nobody Zone.

First Consignment

Part 1: Airlift

With Gadaffi’s first shipment of weapons to the IRA now landed into Ireland and dispersed around to hiding places, in this second part of this series, we hear how the IRA trained on these weapons. We then travel north, to Northern Ireland where on Tuesday, November 28th 1972, the IRA carried out ten rocket attacks injuring, maiming and killing.

Part 1: Airlift

First Consignment

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First Consignment

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