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The Irish War of Independence (War of Independence 1919 - 1921 (Eamonn…
The Irish War of Independence
1918 General Election
Sinn Féin led by Eamonn De Valera and Michael Collins, promised republic
Home Rule Party won 6 seats and Sinn Féin won 76
nationalists voted Sinn Féin, they set up Dáil immediately in Mansion House in Dublin
Dáil declared illegal, Sinn Féin and military wing IRA said they would defend, IRA members were IRB
War of Independence 1919 - 1921
began January 1919, Tipperary IRA led by Dan Breen and Sean Treacy attacked RIC, Soloheadbeg
many IRA took part in Rising, proud of sacrifice, learnt, used a fighting tactic called guerrilla
IRA organised into flying columns, 40 - 80 men, lived in countryside lived off of local people for food
Eamonn DeValera was leader, spent most of war in Lincoln Jail or America
Cathal Brugha was officially in charge, real organiser was Michael Collins
Collins, Clonakilty 1890, South Cork constituent,emigrated to London in 1909, IRB, 1916 Rising, prison Wales, trained soldiers, released December 1916
elected 1918, refused seat in Westminster, Dáil, Minister for Finance, went on run to avoid arrest, Dublin 1919 - 1921, organised squad, 12 assassins to kill spies
IRA aim, kill RIC, successful, 1920, RIC in main towns, British sent over vets from WW! to fight IRA, called Black and Tans
Black and Tans wore light khaki trousers and dark green tunic which appeared black at a distance
Black and Tans supported by Auxiliaries, Lord Mayor of Cork, Toman MacCurtain murdered by RIC, successor Terence MacSwiney died in English jail on a hunger strike
Tans burned centre of Cork, Liam Mellowes, Breen, MacEoin and Tom Barry continued to fight, Toms flying column, 17 dead Auxiliaries, Kilmichael, Michael Collins most wanted man
Bloody Sunday
most violent day of conflict, Sunday 21st November 1920
Squad killed 12 British spies and two Auxiliaries at different addresses in Dublin
same day as Gaelic match between Tip and Dublin, in Croke, Tans fired into the crowds, 14 killed, Michael Hoga, Tip player, Hogan stand
Dick McKee and Peadar Clancy leading members of IRA and one civilian captured and killed in Dublin castle
30 died on Bloody Sunday
The Truce
IRA very successful in War of Independence, 1919 - 1921 never more than 2000 active members fighting the British
war was tough, de Valera and Collins knew IRA could not win, only end was by negotiating an agreement
King George V concerned about brutal activities of Black and Tans, June 1921 made a speech calling for an end
David Lloyd George, British PM interested in ending war as it was unpopular, 11 July 1921 truce was called, IRA stopped attacks and British kept troops in barracks
The Treaty Negotiation
October 1921, delegation, went to London to negotiate, wanted full Irish republic, knew British wouldn't agree
Irish delefation made up of Michael Collins, Arthur Griffith and Robert Barton
de Valera not part of delegation as he was Sinn Féin president, gave delegation full power to negotiate
British team was David Lloyd George, Winston Churchill and Austen Chamberlain, determined not to give Ireland full republic
Irish demands were, totally independent Irish republic and end of Government Act 1920
British unwilling to accept demands, offered partial independence, Irish didn't consider this, had fought for a republic
British promise a Boundary Commission, look at partition, Tyrone and Fermanagh not mainly protestant
Irish delegation under pressure, Lloyd George, threatened immediate and terrible war, signed treaty as they couldn't fight a war
Anglo-Irish Treaty
6th December 1921
Free Irish State, own flag, army and currency
remain part of British Empire, TD's must swear an oath of allegiance
six counties partitioned until boundary commission report
governor general in Ireland, kings rep, overrule any decision made by Dáil
keep control of treaty ports, Lough Swilly Donegal, Berehaven and Cobh in Cork
Reaction to the Treaty
divided by treaty, most relieved, agreed with Collins about Treaty being unsatisfactory but was a stepping stone
Collins didn't like treaty, didn't want to settle, leading IRA aware that IRA was unable to fight war, argued that Treaty gave Ireland the freedom to achieve total freedom
oath was just words, partition would end with report, Collins argued the treaty was the best deal possible at that moment in time, it could be slowly taken apart
IRA who fought against the treaty, Cathal Brugha, de Valera, Breen and Tom Barry, IRA split into pro-treaty and anti-treaty
debated treaty in December 1921, January 1922 voted, 64 pro-Treaty to 57 votes, de Valera and anti-treaty walked out
Civil War
Nobody wanted a civil war, fought hard for republic, treaty was voted for and pro-treaty felt it should be accepted, Collins, Griffith with Richard Mulcahy, WT Cosgrave and Kevin O'Higgins
de Valera, Liam Lynch and Mrs Kathleen Clarke wife of 1916 leader saw treaty as betrayal, resisted it, anti-treaty became Irregulars, group led by Rory O'Connor took over the Four Courts
collins and Griffith against force, pro-treaty joined Free State Army, 28 June 1922, Collins no other option, ordered the attack on the irregulars, beginning of brief but bloody civil war
Irregular support in Dublin and Munster, Munster nicknamed Munster Republic, population tired of war and supported provisional government
May 1923 War ended for the Free State but not before Collins and Griffiths death
Griffith Stroke, 12 August 1922, Collins shot dead, at Béal na mBláth West Cork ten days later,
Liam Lynch death de Valera convinced Frank Aiken to call halt, period of peace, Sinn Féin members made a new party called Cumann na nGaedheal, led by Cosgroave and Kevin O'Higgins