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After two years of guerrilla warfare the 26 southern counties of Ireland gained their independence from the United Kingdom through the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921. The inner-Irish dispute about this treaty directly led to the Irish Civil War.

 

Video

 

 

Overview

  • Date: 21 Jan 1919 – 11 Jul 1921
  • Location: Ireland
  • Start: IRA kills two members of the Royal Irish Constabulary in County Tipperary
  • End: Ceasefire & then Anglo-Irish Treaty

 

Parties & Persons Involved

  • Republic of Ireland
    • Michael Collins (1890- 1922)
    • Eamon de Valera (1882 - 1975)
  • United Kingdom

 

Background

  • Easter Rising in 1916:
    • The first attempt to found an Irish republic fails
    • A substantial number of Irish support a violent solution to gain independence
    • The internment camps in England & Wales become “Universities of Revolution“
  • Sinn Fein wins 73 of 105 Irish seats in the 1918 general election
  • 21 Jan 1919: The elected Sinn Fein members convene in Dublin, form the 1st Dail Eireann & declare the independence of Ireland

 

History

Outbreak & Spreading of the Violence

  • 1917 – 1919: Republicans repeatedly attack the police & army
  • 21 Jan 1919: The First Dail declares the independence of Ireland
  • The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is established with the purpose to actively fight the British administration
  • 21 Jan 1919: An independent IRA group kills 2 policemen to provoke a war (Soloheadbeg Ambush)
  • From 1919: The IRA ambushes mainly the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), imitating the Guerrilla warfare of the Boers
  • The RIC withdraws from rural areas
  • The Republicans take control outside the cites

 

British Reaction

  • From 1920: British forces start unofficial measures of retaliation, i.e. burning down of houses & businesses
  • From Jan & Jul 1920: Reinforcing the RIC with paramilitary units - Black and Tans & Auxiliary Division
  • Black and Tans & Auxiliaries initially show a lack of discipline & resort to brutal actions
  • From Jan 1920: Intensifying the secret service operations, i.e. Cairo Gang
  • 11 Nov 1920: Das House of Commons passes the Government of Ireland Act which divides Ireland in north & south & gives both parts home rule

 

Escalation of Violence

  • 21 Nov 1920: Bloody Sunday – Collin’s “Squad“ kills 14 secret service offices & wounds 5
  • Auxiliaries retaliate by killing 14 civilians & wounding 65 during a Gaelic Football match
  • 28 Nov 1920: Die IRA ambushes a patrol & kills 17 Auxiliaries
  • 10 Dec 1920 & 05 Jan 1921: Munster & the Counties Kilkenny & Wexford are placed under martial law
  • Jan 1921: Retaliation is officially authorised & British forces burn down republican houses
  • Dec 1920 – Jul 1921: The violence escalates (70% of the war’s casualties)

 

Ceasefire & Negoctiations

  • 25 May 1921: Several 100 IRA men occupy Custom House in Dublin – Goal: Show that the British cannot control Ireland
  • British security end the occupation of Custom House by killing 5 & capturing more than 80 rebels
  • Jul 1921: The IRA runs short on weapons & ammunition so that the leaderships expects a collapse within days/weeks
  • Until Jul 1921: The British public & the opposition criticises the hard measures in Ireland & pressures the government
  • 11 Jul 1921: Ceasefire
  • Negotiations start in London & result in the Anglo-Irish Treaty (06 Dec)

 

Consequences & Impact

  • 06 Dec 1921: Signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty
    • Ireland is a Free State within the British Empire
    • Self-government of the Irish Free State
    • The English monarch remains head of state
    • Northern Ireland has the right to leave the Free State
  • 08 Dec 1922: Northern Ireland leaves the Free State & remains part of the United Kingdom
  • July 1921 – June 1922: Michael Collins (head of the Free State) orders the IRA to conduct Guerrilla operation in Northern Ireland
  • The Anglo-Irish Treaty deeply divides the republicans & the IRA which directly leads into the Irish Civil War (1922 – 1923)