Jimmy Steele (republican)

Jimmy Steele (August 8, 1907 – August 9, 1970) was an Irish republican and Irish Republican Army (IRA) member born in Belfast, Ireland.

Steele joined Fianna Éireann in 1920 during the Irish War of Independence and later went on to join the IRA. He was arrested in 1923 and again in 1924 and imprisoned in Crumlin Road Gaol. After his release in 1925, Steele helped in the reorganisation of the IRA's Belfast Brigade.

In 1935 Steele led an IRA raid on a RUC base within the grounds of Campbell College, a school in the east of the city. The raid was unsuccessful due to a tip-off, but Steele managed to escape. The following year he was arrested for the raid along with several other IRA members and again sent to Crumlin Road Gaol. In 1943 Steele, along with Patrick Donnelly, Ned Maguire and Hugh McAteer escaped from the Gaol. Shortly afterwards he was appointed adjutant of the Northern Command.^[1] While on the run he helped 21 prisoners escape from jail on March 20, 1943, this was known as The Big Derry Jail Escape.

Steele spent a further ten years in prison after arrests in late 1943 and 1967. He wrote for a number of republican publications, including Glor Uladh, Resurgent Ulster and An Phoblacht. In the 1950 United Kingdom general election Steele stood for Sinn Féin in the West Belfast constituency.

Steele was founder of the Belfast Republican Press Centre in 1970. He was the first editor of Republican News, which started as a monthly and later became a weekly.

He died on August 9, 1970 the year after the IRA split, in which he sided with the Provisionals. He was one of the leaders of the 1969 split, being critical of the leadership of the time.^[2]

References

↑ Tim Pat Coogan, The IRA
↑ CAIN

Military offices
Preceded by Charlie McGlade	Officer Commanding the Belfast Battalion of the Irish Republican Army 1940	Succeeded by Liam Rice
Preceded by Rory Maguire	Officer Commanding the Belfast Battalion of the Irish Republican Army 1943	Succeeded by Seamus Burns
Preceded by Frank McKearney	Officer Commanding the Belfast Battalion of the Irish Republican Army 1950 – 1956	Succeeded by Paddy Doyle
Media offices
Preceded by New position	Editor of Republican News 1970	Succeeded by Proinsias MacAirt

Provisional Irish Republican Army

General

Organisation

Attacks

Insurgency, 1969–1977	Battle of St Matthew's 1970 RUC booby-trap bombing Scottish soldiers' killings Balmoral showroom bombing Abercorn bombing Donegall St bombing Battle at Springmartin Bloody Friday Claudy bombing Coleraine bombings M62 coach bombing Guildford pub bombings Brook's Club Bomb Attack British Airways bombing attempt Birmingham pub bombings Bayardo Bar attack Caterham Arms pub bombing London Hilton bombing Green Park Tube Station Bombing Scott's (restaurant) bombing Walton's Restaurant bombing Drummuckavall ambush Balcombe Street siege Kingsmill massacre

Long War, 1977–1988	Jonesboro Gazelle downing La Mon restaurant bombing Warrenpoint ambush Dunmurry train explosion Lough Foyle attacks Hyde Park and Regent's Park bombings Harrods bombing Woolwich barracks Brighton hotel bombing Ballygawley Land Mine Attack Newry mortar attack Ballygawley attack JHQ Rheindahlen bombing (Germany)

Peace Process, 1988–1998	Corporals killings Lisburn van bombing 1988 Netherlands Attacks Ballygawley bus bombing Jonesborough ambush Deal barracks bombing Derryard attack Derrygorry Gazelle downing RFA Fort Victoria bombing Proxy bombings Downing St mortar attack Mullacreevie ambush Glenanne barracks bombing Teebane bombing Cloghoge attack 1992 Manchester bombing South Armagh sniper campaign Warrington bomb attacks Cullaville occupation Bishopsgate bombing Battle of Newry Road Shankill Road bombing Crossmaglen Lynx downing Drumcree conflict Docklands bombing 1996 Manchester bombing Osnabrück mortar attack Thiepval barracks bombing Coalisland attack July 1997 riots

Chiefs of Staff

Seán Mac Stíofáin (1969–72)
Joe Cahill (1972–73)
Seamus Twomey (1973)
Éamonn O'Doherty (1973–74)
Seamus Twomey (1974–77)
Gerry Adams (1977–78)
Martin McGuinness (1978–82)
Ivor Bell (1982–83)
Kevin McKenna (1983–97)
Thomas "Slab" Murphy (1997–2005)

Personalities
(Volunteers)

Espionage &
Supergrasses

Denis Donaldson
Freddie Scappaticci (allegedly "Stakeknife")
Martin McGartland
Raymond Gilmour
Kevin Fulton
Joseph Fenton
Eamon Collins

Associates

Derivatives

Prominent killings

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