Transcript FROM TREATY TO CIVIL WAR

FROM TREATY TO
CIVIL WAR
Leaving Cert History
Negotiations July to October
1921.
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By agreeing to talk, both
sides would have to
compromise.
DLG’s coalition
government meant he
was answerable to
Conservatives.
Dev was answerable to
pacifists like Griffith and
hardliners like Brugha.
July 1921 Dev meets DLG in London
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DLG offered Dominion
Status for the 26 counties
only with exceptions:
GB could move troops into
Ireland at times of war
No interference with trade
with GB.
Dev rejected these, talks
ended, and he went home.
However by letter and
telegram they agreed to
form delegations.
The Irish Delegation
Dev said he would not go
because:
 He could control militants at
home
 Delegates had to refer to
him so they would not sign
anything under pressure.
Some say:
 Others to take the blame
 If he signed he had to
support it.
The Irish Delegation
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Militants like Brugha and Stack refused to go so they
were never going to accept compromise.
Dev tried to balance between hardliner and moderate.
Collins went very reluctantly.
Griffith was the leader.
Robert Barton was a strict republican as was Childers
who was to be secretary.
George Gavan Duffy and Eamonn Duggan were lawyers.
The Dáil voted them as ‘plenipotentiaries’ (could sign on
their behalf)
Dev instructed them to offer ‘external association’ instead
of partition.
The Irish Delegation
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‘External Association’ meant
that we would leave the
Empire and become a
republic.
Then we would make an
alliance with the Empire and
the king would be the head
of that alliance.
This was rejected as
unionists already had their
parliament and the whole
idea was too convoluted to
explain to the British people.
The British Delegation
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The Liberals were
represented by DLG and
Winston Churchill.
The Conservatives by
Lord Birkenhead and
Austin Chamberlain.
Their brief was to protect
Ulster’s position and
keep Ireland in the
Empire.
Negotiations October to
December. Case Study
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An Uneven Match
Leadership and experience
Location of the talks (London)
Imbalance of power. Big army in Ireland and IRA in trouble.
Millions had already died for the Empire.
Early on it became clear that sovereignty and partition would be
the stumbling blocks.
There were tensions between Griffith and Childers who was
pushing for a republic even though Childers was only the
secretary.
From then on Griffith and Collins met privately with DLG. The
others broke into sub-committees to discuss various issues.
Partition
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DLG promised to make Craig accept an all-Ireland parliament in
return for a letter from Griffith agreeing to the Crown as the
head of an association of states of the Commonwealth.
DLG promised to resign if he could not deliver.
Craig would not even meet him but if DLG resigned, a
Conservative would take over.
His secretary, Tom Jones suggested a Boundary Commission.
When they reported back to Dublin, the Cabinet agreed to the
Boundary Commission.
At least it would bring many nationalists into the South.
DLG managed to persuade Collins that the Boundary
Commission would leave Ulster so it could not survive
economically.
Partition seemed to be resolved for the moment.
Sovereignty
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Irish unhappy with Dominion Status. They argued that GB
would not interfere in Canada as it was too big and too far
away.
DLG proposed an Irish Free State with the same independence
as Canada. If Ireland’s independence was reduced, so would
Canada’s and they would not allow this.
DLG set a deadline. The NI parliament was to open on the 6th
December. Agreement or war within 3 days?
He changed the oath to make it similar to Dev’s suggested one.
In Canada MPs had to swear ‘true faith and allegience’ to the
king.
TDs would have to swear allegiance to their own constitution
and to be faithful to the king.
Other Terms
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Governer General would represent the
Queen.
Queenstown, Berehaven and Lough
Swilly. (Treaty Ports) still in British
hands.
Special treatment for any religion
banned.
Why did Collins accept?
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IRA could not defeat
British army but if the
British army left it
would be difficult for
them to return.
He knew that the
independence of the
other dominions was
increasing rapidly.
Dividing over the Treaty December
1921 to January 1922
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It had taken from July to December to reach agreement.
‘truceleers’ were men who joined the IRA after the truce
to get the glory.
They were often difficult to control.
Some IRA commanders robbed banks, forced people
from their homes and even murdered them as ‘spies’ or
‘traitors’. Some just because they were protestant.
People feared lawlessness and were glad when the treaty
appeared.
However dedicated republicans were not.
The Public Debate 19th
December to 7th January
The Case Against
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Hardliners like Brugha, Stack and the 6 women
made it clear they would not accept the Treaty
even if the Dail passed it. They preferred war.
These TDs argued:
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Good men had died for a republic.
All TDs had taken an oath to the republic.
Moderates like Childers wanted a renegotiation
but not war. Their arguments against:
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Canada bigger and farther away
Impossible to remain neutral with the ports.
The Case For.
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A war this time would have no element of surprise.
Leaders were well known. Spy network was exposed.
The British would have the support of people at home and
could be more ruthless.
Free state could be a “Stepping-stone” to a Republic.
The other Dominions would protect our independence or
their own would be at risk
Far better than Home Rule
Popular support was behind the treaty and this may have
changed some TDs mind when they went home for
Christmas.
Civil War June1922 to May 1923
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Collins took Dublin Castle in January.
The British had until December 1922 to leave.
They did.
The Provisional Government was headed by
Griffith and Collins.
They had to set up an army, police force,
judiciary and civil service.
A constitution was also needed.
The biggest problem was anti-treaty IRA
Anti-treaty IRA
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Headquarters staff in Dublin supported Collins
and Mulcahy.
Most country commanders were against.
Many IRA would settle for a Republic only.
The British didn’t help by leaving barracks to
local commanders.
March, the Army Convention, led by Mellows
and O Connor rejected the Dail.
April they seized the Four Courts.
The North
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IRA violence continued during the truce to
resist partition.
Sectarian violence against Catholics
increased.
Collins met Craig several times but Craig was
either unwilling or unable to stop it.
Collins arranged with anti-treaty IRA to send
arms to the north.
He hoped this would help prevent the split.
DeValera’s Tatics.
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Set up a new party to
oppose the Treaty.
Talked about ‘wading
through Irish blood’.
Collins and Dev
made a pact to form
a coalition
government after the
elections in July.
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The British View
Churchill demanded an end to the Four
Courts occupation.
They insisted on no change to the
reference to the king and the oath.
Collins called off the pact wit irregulars.
Election June 1922
58 for 35 against the Treaty.
War Starts
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Sir Henry Wilson, military advisor to Craig’s government, was
killed by IRA.
Churchill ordered General Macready to attack the Four Courts.
The anti-treaty soldiers captured JJ O Connell, Deputy chief-ofstaff of the Free State army.
The Civil war was on in earnest.
Fighting in Dublin lasted a week. Brugha was killed. Mellows
and O Connor jailed.
By the end of July every town in Munster was taken.
12 August Griffith died
22 August Beál na mBláth
Cosgrave’s government
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W T Cosgrave took over.
Dail gave his government special powers. Carrying
firearms a capital offence.
The Civil war became a bitter war of atrocities.
TD Sean Hales was killed.
Mellows, O Connor and 2 others killed in revenge.
Childers executed along with 70 others. It worked.
April 1923 Liam Lynch killed and the new leader, Frank
Aiken agreed to a ceasefire.