Irish Civil War

Towards Civil War

After treaty, TD’s who stayed in Dáíl formed Provisional Gov. to gradually take over power until Dec 6 1922 when Irish Free State officially come into existence

Collins elected chairman

16 Jan 1922: Collins took over power from British administration in Dublin Castle. Over next few months, similar handovers took place at army barracks around country.

IRA post treaty

As well as SF, the IRA were split over over the treaty. The majority opposed the Treaty (Rory O’ Connor and Liam Mellows). Opposition strongest in Munster (Tom Barry, Liam Lynch)

In March, convention held. 200 IRA men attended and rejected treaty and Dáil authority. They were prepped to use force against pro-Treaty Gov.

Hostilities Begin

Apr 14. Rory O’ Connor and IRA men (irregulars) seized Four Courts and other buildings in Dublin

Collins didn’t take action, didn’t want war with his friends

DeV’s anti treaty party

DeV contributed to growing bitterness and hostility between the sides, stating that Irish people will have to “wade through rivers of blood”.

He formed anti-treaty party “Cumann na Poblacht” to campaign against treaty.

Pro-Treaty got most seats in June 1922 election.

Start of Civil War

Collins was now in a strong position to deal with anti-treaty IRA. Two events forced him to act

22 June - anti-treaty IRA assassinated British military leader and Unionist adviser Sir Henry Wilson. Churchill now threatened to intervene.

27 June - Irregulars in the Four Courts kidnapped the pro-Treaty army Deputy Chief of Staff JJ O’ Connell.

Battle of the Four Courts

Collins now ordered the garrison at the Four Courts to surrender. They refused, so on June 28, the Free State army/Regulars shelled the four courts using weapons supplied by Britain.

Results of Battle of FC

Four Courts fell on June 30. Brugha died. Hundreds were imprisoned including Rory O’ Connor and Liam Mellows. Regulars now freed the other occupied buildings. Fighting in Dublin lasted 8 days. 60 killed and 300 wounded.

Munster

Once the Regulars had control of Dublin, they moved onto Munster, which was the stronghold of hard-lined Republicanism. .

The Irregulars had established a boundary line from Waterford to Limerick (The Munster Republic)

The Regulars quickly gained control of the main areas of Limerick, Waterford and Tralee by July

Into Cork

12 August - Free State army now travelled by sea from Dublin to Cork and captured the city. DeV called for peace, but was overridden by Liam Lynch, commander of the Irregular forces.

On the same day, Griffith died of a sudden haemorrhage and Collins succeeded him as president of the Dáil

Post Cork City capture.

The Civil War continued to be fought in the countryside and it become more bitter with guerrilla warfare.

Collins travelled to West Cork to try and open negotiations, but was shot dead by Irregulars at Beál na Bláth on August 22.

“Yerra, they’ll never shoot me in my own county.”

Post assassination

Collin’s assassination marked a turning point in Civil War. Free State government’s power was handed to W.T. Cosgrave and Kevin O’ Higgins. They were determined and ruthless in beating Irregulars.

Irregulars proceedings

Irregulars began a campaign of assassination pro-treaty TD’s. (Sean Hales from Bandon).

Free State introduced strict emergency legislation (The Special Powers Act of 1922). This set up military courts and introduced death penalty (Erskine Childers shot by firing squad).

77 Republican prisoners executed and 13,000 arrested.

Liam Lynch Death

10 April 1923 - Liam Lynch killed in action. He was succeeded by Frank Aiken who immediately ordered a ceasefire.

Impact of Civil War

• 4,000 killed

• Loss of talented men and able leaders (Collins and Brugha)

• Property/Infrastructure Damage (Public Records Office)

• Economy disrupted

• Unionist Gov. in North able to strengthen partition.

• Split Irish Politics (Anti-Treaty - SF (Fianna Fáil)) (Pro-Treaty - Cumann na nGael (Fine Gael))