I'm doing a project for college on the impact of Bloody Sunday on the numbers of IRA volunteers.
However, I've found that neither the IRA nor the British Intelligence released officially the number of volunteers IRA had. Could you help me find reliable (and by that I mean info that can be cited) information on the estimated number of volunteers in the 70s?
Thank you in advance!
It is impossible to get any certainty about this as the IRA was a secret organisation which operated under pressure and didn't always share information internally. The figures given on the CAIN website are a decent estimate but you should make it clear that no one can be sure. The link is here http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/issues/violence/paramilitary2.htm
You might want to be a bit more specific. Are you referring to the members of the Provisional IRA with access and ability to use weapons or to include those who were providing logistic support (safe houses, weapons drops and fundraising). Are you including the early splinter movements like the INLA in 74?
Anyway Here is a good online account with some numbers and their sources. The problem is that even then, it is hard to separate the real PIRA paramilitaries from those with a more passive role.