1981 in the Irish Republican Army

Events

• January 8 - Two people are injured and extensive building damage occurs in a bomb explosion northwest of the Uxbridge Airforce Base in London, England (a building is later evacuated and gasoline barrels are removed after the discovery of more explosives). The Provisional IRA later claims responsibility for the bombing.
• January 10 - Two police officers are injured in isolated incidents in Belfast.
• January 15 - In the first case of soldiers being tried for criminal activity in Northern Ireland, soldiers Sgt. John Byrne, Staff Sgt. Stanley Hathaway, Iain Chestnut, and Capt. Andrew Snowball are sentenced to imprisonment for the murder of IRA members Michael Nann and Andrew Murray.
• January 16 - Bernadette Devlin McAliskey, a former member of Parliament, and her husband are seriously wounded after being confronted by three unidentified gunman in their farmhouse in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. The three are soon arrested following the assault.
• January 16 - Ivan Toombs, a 42 year old part-time Major in the Ulster Defense Regiment, is killed by two men at his off-duty place of work, Warrenpoint customs office in County Down, Northern Ireland. Toombs' murder would mark the first IRA-related death of the year.
• January 20 - One soldier is killed and another wounded by an IRA sniper at a security gate between Derry and the Bogside.
• January 20 - A statement issued by the IRA claims a recently found body near South Armagh, Northern Ireland was a police informant.
• January 21......
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