Rossport and the Last Arsenal
Archived: 26 September 2026
In 2005, Ireland’s transformation exposed tensions between peace, prosperity and accountability. The Provisional IRA ended its armed campaign and decommissioned its entire arsenal, although Northern Ireland’s devolved institutions remained suspended amid distrust following the Northern Bank robbery and Robert McCartney’s murder. In the Republic, the new Health Service Executive, citizenship rules and Disability Act reflected institutional and demographic change. Celtic Tiger growth, construction and immigration reshaped society, while the Irish Ferries dispute highlighted labour standards. Imprisonment of the Rossport Five crystallised opposition to the Corrib gas project. Cork’s cultural year and Irish’s EU recognition affirmed cultural confidence and European standing.
