Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army

Several people are reported to have served as Chief of Staff of the Irish Republican Army 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)

Image	Name	Assumed position	Left position	Source
	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)

Image	Name	Assumed position	Left position	Source
	Liam Lynch '	26 March 1922	18 June 1922
	Joe McKelvey	18 June 1922	30 June 1922
	Liam Lynch '	30 June 1922	10 April 1923
	Frank Aiken	20 April 1923	12 November 1925
	Andrew Cooney	12 November 1925	July 1926
	Maurice Twomey	1926 1927	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	1941	27 November 1941
	Seán Harrington	Aft. November 1941	10 February 1942
	Seán McCool	10 February 1942	14 August 1942
	Eoin McNamee	March 1942	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 '	November 1948	6 July 1957
	Richard Burke	January 1957	May 1957
	Tony Magan '	May 1957	6 July 1957
	Seán Cronin	July 1957 11 November 1957	October 1958
	John Joe McGirl	October 1958	24 October 1958
	Ruairí Ó Brádaigh	24 October 1958	Late May 1959
	Seán Cronin	Late May 1959	June 1960
	Ruairí Ó Brádaigh	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)

Image	Name	Assumed position	Left position	Source
	Seán Mac Stíofáin	December 1969	19 November 1972
	Joe Cahill	November 1972	March 1973
	Seamus Twomey	March 1973	June 1973
	Éamonn O'Doherty	June 1973	June/July 1974
	Seamus Twomey	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
	Sean “Spike” Murray	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 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