# Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army

Several people are reported to have served as Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army (Irish: Ceann Foirne Óglaigh na hÉireann) in the organisations bearing that name. Due to the clandestine nature of these organisations, this list is not definitive.

## Chiefs of Staff of the Irish Republican Army (1917–1922)

| Name | Assumed position | Left position |
| Cathal Brugha | 27 October 1917 | 23 March 1918 |
| Richard Mulcahy | 23 March 1918 | 15 January 1922 |
| Eoin O'Duffy | 15 January 1922 | July 1922 |
From this point on, this lineage diverts to Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces
a. $^^$ Chairman of the Resident Executive

## Chiefs of Staff of the (anti-Treaty) Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)

| Name | Assumed position | Left position |
| Liam Lynch (1st time) | 26 March 1922 | 18 June 1922 |
| Joe McKelvey | 18 June 1922 | 30 June 1922 |
| Liam Lynch (2nd time) | 30 June 1922 | 10 April 1923 |
| Frank Aiken | 20 April 1923 | 12 November 1925 |
| Andrew Cooney | 12 November 1925 | July 1926 |
| Maurice (Moss) Twomey | 1926 (acting) 1927 (official) | June 1936 |
| Seán MacBride | June 1936 | 1937 |
| Tom Barry | 1937 | 1937 |
| Mick Fitzpatrick | 1937 | 1938 |
| Seán Russell | 1938 | April 1939 |
| Stephen Hayes | April 1939 | 30 June 1941 |
| Pearse Kelly (aka Paul Kelso) | 1941 | 27 November 1941 |
| Seán Harrington | Aft. November 1941 | 10 February 1942 |
| Seán McCool | 10 February 1942 | 14 August 1942 |
| Eoin McNamee | c. March 1942 | c. May 1942 |
| Hugh McAteer | 19 July 1942 | 12 October 1942 |
| Charlie Kerins | October 1942 | 16 June 1944 |
| Position vacant for some months | 16 June 1944 | 1944 |
| Harry White | 1944 | 1945 |
| Patrick Fleming | 1 March 1945 | 1947? |
| Willie McGuinness | 1947 | 1948? |
| Tony Magan (1st time) | November 1948 | 6 July 1957 |
| Richard Burke | January 1957 | May 1957 |
| Tony Magan (2nd time) | May 1957 | 6 July 1957 |
| Seán Cronin (1st time) | July 1957 (acting) 11 November 1957 (official) | October 1958 |
| John Joe McGirl | October 1958 | 24 October 1958 |
| Ruairí Ó Brádaigh (1st time) | 24 October 1958 | Late May 1959 |
| Seán Cronin (2nd time) | Late May 1959 | June 1960 |
| Ruairí Ó Brádaigh (2nd time) | Summer 1960 | 7 September 1962 |
| Cathal Goulding | 7 September 1962 | December 1969 |
At an IRA General Army Convention held at Knockvicar House in Boyle, County Roscommon in December 1969, the IRA split into two factions, the majority Official IRA and the minority Provisional IRA.

## Chiefs of Staff of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (1969–2005)

| Name | Assumed position | Left position |
| Seán Mac Stíofáin | December 1969 | 19 November 1972 |
| Joe Cahill | November 1972 | March 1973 |
| Seamus Twomey (1st time) | March 1973 | June 1973 |
| Éamonn O'Doherty | June 1973 | June/July 1974 |
| Seamus Twomey (2nd time) | June/July 1974 | December 1977 |
| Gerry Adams | 3 December 1977 | 18 February 1978 |
| Martin McGuinness | 1978 | Autumn 1982 |
| Ivor Bell | Autumn 1982 | September 1983 |
| Kevin McKenna | September 1983 | October 1997 |
| Thomas "Slab" Murphy | October 1997 | 1998 |
| Brian Keenan | 1998 | 2002 or May 2008 |
| Unnamed Belfast Resident | May 2008 (?) | Incumbent |
a. $^^$ Some noted Irish and British historians, including Ed Moloney, author of A Secret History of the IRA, have claimed that Gerry Adams has been part of the IRA leadership. Adams has always denied IRA membership, let alone being chief of staff.
b. $^^$ Although he admitted in his lifetime to IRA membership, he denied ever being Chief of Staff

## Chiefs of Staff of the Official Irish Republican Army (1969–present)

| Image | Name | Assumed Position | Left Position | Source |
| | Cathal Goulding | December 1969 | Summer 1976 | |
| | Sean Garland | Summer 1976 | | |
a. $^^$ Hanley and Millar (2010) wrote: Goulding was "replaced by Garland after an Army Council vote in summer 1976. Long dismissive of the IRA's titles and formal military structure, Garland was reluctant to adopt the title of Chief of Staff; but he was now undoubtedly in charge".

## Chiefs of Staff of the Continuity Irish Republican Army (1986–present)

| Image | Name | Assumed Position | Left Position | Source |
| | Dáithí Ó Conaill | 1986 | 1991 | |

## Chiefs of Staff of the Real Irish Republican Army (1997–present)

| Image | Name | Assumed Position | Left Position | Source |
| | Michael McKevitt | 1998 | 2002 | |
| | Aidan O'Driscoll | | | |