Partition, the Free State & Civil War

What is this unit about?

The partition of Ireland by the Govt of Ireland Act (1920) The establishment of the Northern Ireland The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 and reactions to it The creation of the Free State The Civil War

Key Questions
How was Ireland partitioned
Why did the Anglo-Irish Treaty prove to be so controversial

The Irish Convention April 1917 July 1918

Nationalists led by JR Southern Unionists by Viscount Middleton Northern Unionists by H. T. Barrie

SUs agreed to idea of Irish self-government.. NUs did not!

March 1918 JR dies & Germans launch major offensive which raises spectre of conscription Convention breaks-up with no solutions

Government of Ireland Act 1920

Oct 1919 DLG sets up Cabinet Cmte headed by Walter Long to consider Irish Question

Dec 1919, DLG presents findings to Parliament 1. A 6 county Northern Ireland with its own executive and parliament 2. A separate 26 county Southern Ireland with same

 UU reaction was mixed Those in Donegal and Monaghan felt deserted Election for both parliaments were planned for spring 1921 Both parliaments were to be linked by a Council of Ireland to ensure partition was temporary

 Ulster administration set-up under Sir Ernest Clark (Under-Secretary for Ulster Affairs)

May 1921 NI elections: Unionists 40 seats SF 6 & IP 6

James Craig becomes PM and prioritises consolidating new state and defeating IRA Creates infamous Ulster Special Constabulary from UVF to work alongside RIC (RUC)

The Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921

Opening of NI parliament (June 1921) weakened SF claim to speak for all Ireland Allowed DLG govt to adopt softer attitude King George Vs speech asking for conciliation extended the olive branch 24th June DLG wrote to Dev

11th July Truce followed by uneasy standoff 12th July SF delegation of Dev, AG, EC & Austin Stack leaves for London

DLG & Dev held several 1-2-1 talks which highlighted 2 main differences 1. DLG would only concede to Dominion status and no definitive end to Partition 2. Dev claimed sovereign independence for a Republic

 The talks failed and were followed by a series of letters through the summer of 1921 After 12 letters Dev hinted that SF would agree to new talks However, DLG remained adamant that the Republic would not be recognised

Who were SFs negotiators?

Dev did not go
Debate over his reasons still abounds today His rivalry with, and jealousy of, Mick over who was the chief had grown

 Mick did go, on 11th October 1921,along with: AG (Chairman) Robert Barton (Minister for Economic Affairs) George Gavan Duffy TD Eamon Duggan TD

With secretarial assistance from: Finian Lynch Diarmuid OHegarty John Chartres EC

Problems
That Dev stayed in Dublin gave him greater control over public opinion Delegation was supposed to pass all major decisions back to the Cabinet in Dublin Telegraph was the only reliable form of communication So any substantive discussions had to be face-toface, which meant travelling back

 However, delegates had Plenipotentiary status which confers the power to make decisions

The British Delegation

Led by DLG (with Private Secretary Tom Jones) AC, WC & Lord Birkenhead Very experienced team put heavy pressure on Irish over sovereignty and allegiance to the crown

Sovereignty
Dev insisted on external association, i.e. Remaining in the Commonwealth as a Republic Brits were never going to allow this Under pressure from Brits Mick & AG accepted the phrase free partnership with the other States associated within the British Commonwealth

Irish interpreted this as Ireland remaining outside the Commonwealth The Brits did not

Ulster
Irish hoped DLG would pressure JC to accept an all-Ireland parliament Originally intended to withdraw if not

22nd Nov, Irish Memorandum reasserts Irish demands including external association
But divisions growing amongst Irish

EC critical of failure to mention Republic

Stand-off
Brits adamant they could not accept a treaty with no symbolic role for the crown Irish Cabinet considered Brit proposals in Dublin on 3rd December Mick and AC were instructed to: 1. Stick with external association 2. Reject any oath to the crown 3. Not to sign treaty without Cabinet approval

Reality on the ground

5th Dec DLG concedes to Boundary Commission to reconsider Northern borders Mick hints at closer association with the Empire (AG had consented to this with DLG in Nov) That afternoon DLG informed Irish that if treaty was not signed it is war, and war within three days... We must have your answer by ten pm tonight. You can have until then, but no longer, to decide whether you will give peace or war to your country

 Mick knew that the IRA would be unable to fight a full-scale war against a sizeable British army But was DLG bluffing? British public opinion was strongly against a new war Unable to confer with Dublin, the Irish signed the Treaty at 2:30am on Dec 6th 1921 Lord Birkenhead commented to Mick that he had just signed his political death warrant Mick replied, I have just signed my actual death warrant

The Details
Establishment of an Irish Free State with full Dominion status within the Commonwealth In reality, full legislative independence to make laws Boundary Commission

Oath of Allegiance to crown

3 British Naval bases in Ireland

Irish Reaction
Irish Cabinet accepted it by 4 votes to 3

Dail passes it by 64 to 57
Dev forced a vote of no confidence in his own presidency..... He lost by 2 votes

He resigned and Free State Govt set up with AG as Chairman

 Both sides attempted to reconcile difference over coming months Mick put in charge of writing new Free State Constitution..... Attempted reconciliation by writing Crown out of it British refused to accept and initiative failed May 1922 Dev & Mick agree electoral pact for upcoming General Election so that SF will retain power By June it had unravelled and 78% of votes were in favour of pro-Treaty candidates

Irish Civil War June 1922 May 1923

Sporadic clashes between Irregulars and new National Army Mick attempted to re-unite Army and continued to arm Northern IRA April 22 Irregulars seized the four Courts in Dublin Free State delays reaction due to sectarian violence in North

 Craig-Collins Pacts of Jan & March 1922 attempted to defuse Northern situation, but eventually failed

22nd June retired Field Marshall & unionist Sir Henry Wilson killed in London by IRA
Brits threatens military action unless FS deals with Irregulars National Army, under Minister of Defence Richard Mulcahy, attacks Four Courts

 National Army better equipped and supported by population and RC church Drive Irregulars west through summer of 1922 resulting in bitter guerrilla war AG had retired as Chairman of PG due to ill health, nut died 12th Aug 1922

 Mick now Chairman of PG and C-in-C of National Army Travelled to Cork in attempt to open truce negotiations

Killed unintentionally during ambush at Bal na mBlth on 22nd August 1921 He was 31 years old

How was Civil War Won?

In response to Micks death the PG under William Cosgrave intensified its tactics 24th Nov, EC captured and executed December pro-Treaty TD Sean Hales assassinated 4 leading Irregulars executed: Rory OConnor, Liam Mellowes, Dick Barrett & Joe McKelvey

In total 77 leading Irregulars executed

 March 1923 9 Irregulars in Co. Kerry tied to a land mine and blown-up. One survived Estimated 153 summary execution of Irregulars during war With death of Liam Lynch in April the last if the diehards was gone Frank Aiken, IRA Chief of Staff, ordered all volunteer to dump arms on 24th May 1923

The Civil War had killed 5000 people

The bitterness and hatred would last for decades