Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(orig. Ulster) the provisional IRA.

1983		Pion Environment and Planning 59: As one man reported to me, ‘This is just the Brits trying to undermine the Ra [IRA]’.
1994		V. Sayers Distance Between Us 270: But since the Brits came and did the Ra’s recruiting . . . Fools.
2001		K. Sampson Outlaws (ms.) 122: Bernie’s firm is always laying it on thick with us how they’re the RA and that, not to be trifled with.
2015		Guardian 16 May 🌐 Oh we executed quite a number of the Ra. We just didn't bother with the whole tedious show trial and the decade of lawyers milking the death row system.
2020		Twitter 11 Feb. 🌐 Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane defends shouting ‘Up the ‘Ra’ after election.