What is a "Micro-Group"?

We often hear the term "Micro-Group" being used by the media, Constitutional Nationalists and other Anti - Republican elements to describe Irish Republican groups.

Obviously the term is used to try and belittle Irish Republicans.

What exactly constitutes a "Micro-Group"?
What defines a "Micro-Group"?

Here are 3 of the main reasons our opponents would use,

• Anti-Republicans say that "Micro - Groups" have no mandate.
• They say that "Micro - Groups" do not have the support of the majority of the Irish people.
• They say that "Micro - Groups" have few members.

In regards to the argument that they have no mandate, didn't Gerry Adams himself state that,

"The IRA needs no political mandate, it derives it's mandate from the presence of the British in the 6 counties".

The British presence is still here so in my opinion the same goes for anti-treaty Republicans, they also derive their mandate from the presence of the British.

Now in regards to the argument about not having the support of the majority of the Irish people, Republican groups have NEVER had the support of the majority of the Irish people. The majority of Irish people did not support the Easter rising of 1916, does that mean they were wrong? does that mean they should not have had the rising? In fact when the British were marching the rebels through Dublin, the people threw rotting vegetables at them and spat upon them.

The border campaign from 1956-1962 did not have the support of the majority of the Irish people either, in fact that is one of the reasons why the campaign was called off. Where they wrong to have the campaign ?

The PIRA campaign from 1969 until their surrender in recent years did not have the support of the majority of the Irish people. Were those volunteers wrong too?

The 3rd example is when they say that "micro-groups" have few members, This is a simple one to answer because i just have to quote James Connolly's last statement,

"Believing that the British Government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland. The presence in any one generation of even a respectable minority of Irishmen ready to die to affirm that truth makes that Government for ever an usurpation, and a crime against human progress"

It's quite obvious that those who try to degrade and slander anti-treaty Republicans are fearful of their potential.