Goulding was born in Dublin in 1922 from a family with strong IRA links, and was interned by the Irish Government during World War II for his membership of the group.

He was involved in the revival of the organisation after 1945, and in 1953 was jailed for eight years in Britain for an arms raid on a school in England.

Bloody feud

Goulding, a committed Marxist, was the IRA's commander in 1969 when the paramilitary group split.

His organisation was unwilling to launch insurrection in British-ruled Northern Ireland in the late 1960s, and after a bloody feud younger Catholic militants such as Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness broke away to form the Provisional IRA and Sinn Fein.

Ceasefire

Goulding remained in charge of the Official arm of the organisation through its ceasefire in 1972, becoming a stern critic of the Provisionals' tactics.

After its ceasefire, the Official IRA was involved in feuds with other anti-British militant gangs such as the Irish National Liberation Army, after that small but violent group shot dead an Official IRA member in February 1975.

Today, the Official IRA is affiliated with the Workers' Party.