Ivor Bell - IRA Career

IRA Career

Bell was involved with the Irish Republican Army during the 1956-1962 campaign, but left over the decision to call a cease-fire. He rejoined the republican movement in 1970, and become the commander of the Kashmir Road based B Company of the Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade.

During Gerry Adams' initial leadership of the republican movement he took much of his direction from Brendan Hughes and Bell. At this time Bell was Adams' adjutant in the Second Battalion of the Belfast Brigade and Hughes was the commander of the D Coy. Adams looked to Bell for political strategy and to Hughes for the opinion of the "rank and file" volunteers.

In 1972, Bell, now Belfast Brigade adjutant, along with Seamus Twomey, Martin McGuinness, and Gerry Adams were flown to London by the Royal Air Force for secret ceasefire talks with British ministers.

Adams and Bell were skeptical about the proposed cease-fire and they did not trust the British Government. The truce soon broke down, followed by twenty deaths over three days.