The partition of Ireland 1920-21 7 the Irish civil war 1921-1923

Who criticised the violence of the Auxiliaries?

• The US govt

• Archbishop of Canterbury

• The Lab party & various newspapers

• His Asquithian opponents in the (now divided) Lib party

How did the coalition govt use policy to try to end the civil war in the face of foreign & domestic challenges, and did it work?

The Government of Ireland Act 1920

• Failed to end the civil war & instead consolidated Ulster Unionism → began the process of partition

• Offered a home rule parliament to the 6 counties of Ulster & 1 to the other 26 counties of Ireland

How did Ulster Unionism (led by Craig) & Irish republicans react to their new assembly & why was this strange?

They dominated & quickly executed the Catholic minority in 2 of the 6 counties of Ulster

Irish Republicans used their parliament as a 2nd Dail

→ Unionists got IHR (strangely) - it was dead in the other 26 counties

At the end of 1919, how did the British authorities increase the amount of coercion used & what did this continue to do to the reputation of Britain?

• The RIC was militarised

• The civil govt in Ireland = ended & replaced y outright militarisation

→ continued to damage the rep of Britain & rattle the unity of the coalition govt

Why were negotiations difficult when both parties to the war = ready to talk in London?

Sinn Fein = divided

• De Valera wanted a united, independent Ireland

• Collins agreed to compromise w/ govt

Who was Collins?

The commander of the IRA representing the Dail in London

Why did Collins & Sinn Fein agree to sign the Irish Treaty of 1921 although De Valera did not want compromise?

DLG threatened to withdraw terms & return to military repression if Collins didn’t sign

What was the Irish Treaty of 1921?

• Ulster remained connected to the Union through the 1920 Government of Ireland Act

• The other 26 states became a Dominion - the Irish Free State (IFS)

• A boundary commission = set up to work it the borders w/Ulster (caused later probs)

• The IFS had a self-governing political system

  • Had immense political powers (Britain remained in charge of its foreign policy & kept naval bases & a Lord Lieutenant in Ireland

What was created in May 1922?

A border between the 6 counties of Ulster (NI) & the remaining 26 counties (IFS)

• Ulster remained part of GB

• IFS had a tenuous connection w/ Westminster - practically an independent state

Why did an Irish civil war erupt following the Irish Treaty of 1921?

It was seen as betrayal by a section of the IRA & De Valera

• The demand for a full Republic made in Dublin in 1916 had not been achieved

• The treaty involved an oath of faithfulness to the British crown

What happened as part of the Irish civil war?

War erupted between De Valera & 1 section of the IRA against the IFS govt & another section of the IRA led by Collins (which was now the official army of the IFS)

• Collins = killed

• De Valera (after fleeing to the US for a few years) accepted the treaty & dominated Ireland for decades

  • Changed the treaty over the inter-war years to complete Irelann’s independence

How did NI immediately develop into a mini-state of Protestant Ulster Unionism?

He authorities of Ulster viewed the Catholic minority as an ‘enemy within’ (potential/actual members of the IRA dedicated to the reunification of Ireland)

The Catholic minority = excluded:

• Excluded rom NI politics

• Experienced discrimination in jobs & housing

  • Any protest = met w/ the force of the Royal Ulster Constabulary

What did republicans remain committed to and what did the view the partition as?

Emailed committed to reunification & viewed the partition as ‘unfinished business’