Read some of my other posts in here, it's pretty much broken down.

That whole town -- at least -- lives in fear of the IRA, whom you know through the face of Jimmy.

*edit* But you basically asking for a history of Ireland under the IRA, which is way too complicated for an OKP post:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_organisations_known_as_the_Irish_Republican_Army