The originals Irish Republican army we're active in the 20s decades before the provos, revived it iin the 60s, continuity carried on after the good Friday agreement cos they didn't want to give up arms, so called real ira are the most recent and active, but number a few dozens with no broad support among Catholics in Ireland, a distinction must be made between north and south, they have little to no support outside of border counties and parts of Belfast / derry.
The omagh bomb caused such blowback for Republicans, most neutrals don't distinguish between the various factions, that combined with Republicans being riddled with informers and getting busted, ops going wrong, and general pr disasters, the leadership finally abandoned Bombing their way to Irish unity. Bobby sands and the hunger strikers actually hardened attitudes against Republicans, even though they were martyr figures, and folk heroes amongst Sinn Fein supporters. I'd say omagh and the enniskillen bomb during rememberance Sunday was the end of armed struggle. International opinion turned against them big time, especially in the states.
