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Political Developments 1919-23

The Anglo-Irish War/War of Independence Background

• Sinn Fein was able to represent the will of the Irish majority due to the clear result of the 1918 General election in Ireland and the election gave Sinn Fein legitimacy.
• Sinn Fein MPs did not take their seats in the House of Commons, refusing to recognize the authority of the United Kingdom Parliament over Ireland.
• Sinn Fein summoned all MPs to Dublin on 21 January 1919, constituting themselves as the Parliament of the Irish Republic (Dail Eireann).
• 27 MPs arrived, while 34 were in prison or elsewhere; 26 Unionist and 6 IPP MPs refused to attend.
• The Dail issued a Declaration of Independence, demanding English withdrawal and establishing a Provisional Government with de Valera as President.
• The British Government released all Irish political prisoners in March, strengthening Sinn Fein.
• The Irish Provisional Government soon made its authority effective over much of Ireland, establishing its own courts of law (Dail Courts) and replacing the Royal Mail, and collected taxes.

Failure of the Paris Peace Conference at Versailles

• Sinn Fein believed Woodrow Wilson would support its claim for Irish independence, as he made a speech for "national self-determination."
• Sinn Fein representatives attended the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 but their claims were ignored.
• Woodrow Wilson saw British Prime Minister Lloyd George as an ally in the post-war world.
• Failure to gain support from Woodrow Wilson and other world leaders increased hardliners' influence in the party.

The IRA

• The new government depended on the Irish Republican Army(IRA) which the Irish Volunteers were coming to be named as.
• Cathal Brugha led the IRA but struggled to control IRA units across the country..
• Some IRA members looked to Michael Collins, president of the IRB and director of operations in the IRA.
• Brugha resented Collins' influence over the IRA, which had civil war consequences. By 1919, the British Government and the Irish Provisional Government both demanded allegiance from in Ireland..
• The British Government authority rested upon law and established treaty rights.
• The Irish Provisional Government represented the will of the Irish people.

War Begins

• The Soloheadbeg ambush in County Tipperary on 21 January 1921, is commonly cited as the start of the War of Independence where Two RIC officers were transporting explosives to a quarry when a Volunteer unit led by Dan Breen and Sean Treacy ambushed and killed them..
• Volunteer GHQ was alarmed by the unsanctioned attack; local clergy also condemned it for fear of turning public opinion against the separatist movement, because the 2 constables were Catholic.
• Russell Rees marks this event as the start of a war for Irish independence for Sinn Fein and the IRA..
• The Government proclaimed Tipperary an area under Martial Law, ultimately benefiting the IV, and the wrong way to deal with small group of Volunteer extremists.
• By the end of January, physical force elements of the Irish Volunteers seized the initiative when An t Óglach declared that a 'state of war now existed between Ireland and British, and that every Volunteer is entitled morally and legally...to use all legitimate methods of warfare against the soldiers and policemen of the English usurper, and to slay them if necessary'.
• The political mainstream was worried about a campaign directed against the RIC for fear of turning the local population against the movement.
• By mid-1919, local IV units, especially in Tipp, Cork, and Clare operated independently of the GHQ with random attacks on RIC barracks/personnel were of initially infrequent basis.
• This radical element played a vital part in developing their battle into a full War of Independence
• 18 RIC officers died during 1919, and hundreds of barracks were destroyed, causing the RIC to become an under strength and demoralised force
• 2 more policemen died in August in County Clare.
• The authorities placed the whole county under military rule, which was a futile actvity .
• Any public sympathy evaporated due to military rule which was seen as coercive, and fairs/markets were disrupted but Volunteers activity was not curbed. Lack of police/military trust & cooperation emerged.
• Authorities had a lack of intelligence and measures affected/infuriated the public, which suited the IV/IRA even though the Volunteer attacks despite their anti-British sympathies. Initial British intelligence suffered, however IV intelligence was good.
• This success was for Michael Collins, director of operations who infiltrated Dublin Castle where at least G Men or 4 high ranking detectivesassisted him including Eamonn Broy, James Kavanagh, Patrick McNamara and David Nelligan. Irish public also withheld information.
• Irish Volunteers intimidated their people to ensure cooperation.
• In Dublin, Collins put young assassins together in elite squads. This helped disturb British intelligence
• Volunteers increased attacks on police in the second half of 1919. - RIC abandoned it's outlying barracks from pressure from the local volunteer units
• New recruits came with better pay, but the RIC was still demoralized and under-strength. Campaign to isolate the police had a huge impact; 400 barracks were destroyed by the start of 1920
• The British handled things badly and exploited the IV's early difficulties when Catholic RIC officers died. Their Martial Law tactics backfired, failing locate the Volunteers.
• They did not have a united policy and LG was not in control of the Government (the cabinet was controlled by conservatives), so the approach was random.
• A new Home Rule scheme in October 1919 saw LG and BL attempt to solve Irish problem, both thought this would appease the Irish.
• Their half-hearted attempts to combine repression with conciliation only allowed extremists dominate the war in Sinn Fein afterwards . De Valera influence was small due to being held in jail near Lincoln until mid 1919
• After escaping from jail in Feb 1919 he went to lobby in the USA. Absent from June 1919 – Dec 1920. Political guru, and without him the movement was without the leader and shrewd, and his time allowed Collins to direct Volunteers/ Sinn Fein making it a more violent tinge. Dail struggled to convert to alternate to government
• Sinn Fein needed $. In the Third Dail ( 10th-12th April) Minister of Finance, Collins was given responsibility for raising £500 000 ( half coming from the USA).
• British suppressing Sinn Fein meetings in September 1919 made it difficult to undermine British rule. This Also increased the Irish sense of oppression and made a settlement less likely as it strengthened PF Men, in turn becoming clear the political wing of Sinn Fein become not relevant in pursuit to Irish independence.
• Volunteers were felt did not accept Dail legitimacy and to counter, Brugha, the defence minister, meant every Volunteer signed with the Dail by the end of 1919 The Volunteers/IRB direct Ireland nationalist policy. Guerrilla war now operated round Ireland (mainly the south west).
• Brugha very was jealous as Collins seemed the character
• IRB/ Volunteers intelligence was larger than to that the Crown who demoralized the REC was well paid.

1920 - The War Reached its Peak

• The war bloody in 1920. In this stage, the Volunteer were acting on by a name... the IRA, in which Barracks and Police patrols got attack.
• By 1920, the REC became all but down...and officers went on in savage revenge attack which was lead with death of colleagues by the British.
• Thomas MacCurtain Lord Mayor/IrA got death for denouncing the attacks. A vicious cycle.
• Rec reprisals gained to the media increased supporting IRA making locals under move control campaign. MacCaurtain's funeral aided the IRA
• March of 1920, government realized REC required help. More pressure was placed as the IRA rose up. New recruits were going through town
• British were reluctant to send large troops . There were a combination of police and military attire were sent in shortly getting name 'Black and Tans'. They were ex soldiers totally not suited.
• over 7000 officers by peak disliked by locals due brutality which lead to another force: Auxiliaries. These were ex police often more barbaric.
• Role now deepened so much that it had large numbers of reinforcements. So auxiliaries would get in tat 4
• From april, August 1920 the Limerick , Miltown Mabay and Knocklong officers terrorized. Often attacks were ill disclipined with civillain attacks as seen in Balbrigann in september .
• A policeman was shot in the town to which black and tans brought the town through terror and death , with homes being burned. This made the intl reach a new low and strengthened the backing of the IRA.
• After the terence MacSwiney in the Jail he got some death push
• decline health was brought him in for daily comments both with the British. after death with fab time the army was a day for throughout contry . even labor took the issue with parliment
• things came in nov of 1920 .

Bloody Sunday 1920

• squad collins 11 British sent to Ireland with death. intelligence it had been found were closng on members of the British. Cairo Gang . Agents went through Hotels.Dublin horfiied as most act took place, . sympathy had gone .Aux crashed a gaelie games in Park searching and fired killing of 12 many which had Ulster was the beginning of end brutal of phase with sides actions
• After , reveng was not avoidable
• on dec. Aux razing major parts
• and day called 11 with priest British Govt policy
• tense with broke
• GOC refused responsibility for which tension made lack of fail
• attacks criminal . small war

Government Act

• Fedup,the action allowed IRA. lead arrest
• Public anger, auxiliare were been suspicion
• After the Government Act,

Dail trys to assert legitimacy

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The Final Phase - The End of War

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