Catholic Ex-Servicemen's Association

The Catholic Ex-Servicemen's Association (CESA) was an apolitical vigilante organisation in Northern Ireland during the early years of the Troubles.[1] It was established in Belfast in 1971, following the introduction of internment, to protect Catholic areas from both Ulster loyalists and British security forces.[2] Its main founder was Phil Curran who, in common with other members, had served in the British military. The CESA was organised on a paramilitary basis and had a small amount of firearms.[1] It was at its most active in 1972 when it claimed that its membership was 8,000.[3]

The CESA maintained barricades and carried out patrols, usually unarmed. Depending on the circumstances, it sometimes co-operated with both the Irish Republican Army and (less often) the British Army.[4] Its attempts to acquire legal firearms because of the service of its members in the British military were stymied by the Protestant government of Northern Ireland and Royal Ulster Constabulary. It often came under attack from the Military Reaction Force.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "The Lost Revolution". google.ie.
  2. ↑ "Newry Memoirs - Catholic Ex-Servicemen’s Mixed Status In Newry Area". newrymemoirs.com.
  3. ↑ "CAIN: Abstracts of Organisations - 'C'". ulst.ac.uk.
  4. ↑ "Yearbook of the European Convention on Human Rights". google.ie.
  5. ↑ "British Army stupidity increased IRA support". republican-news.org.
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