The Civil War Flashcards
How did Ireland slide towards civil war ?
Following the Anglo irish treaty there was a 12 month transition period to 6th December 1922
During the transition period the British would hand over to a provisional government( Collins was lead)
January March Griffiths and Collins a) Took over rdubli castle b) Set up Irish police force and army c) wrote a constitution d) Called elections for June 1922
The British army withdrew from barracks around the country, left arms to local IRA commanders who were often anti-treaty
When this was clear they gave them to the free state army
March: The IRA called a conference to discuss the treaty. When he realised most IRA men were anti-treaty the minister of defence Richard Mulcahy banned it as undemocratic
Meeting went ahead and rejected the treaty
April: Extreme republicans led by Rory o connor occupied the four courts but Collins left them alone
What happend during the June 1922 elections?
May: To isolate extremists Collins made a pact with de valera to fight the elections jointly
He drew up a free state constitution which did not mention king or the oath
June: Before the election, the British rejected the constitution as a breach of the treaty, forced Collins to put back the king and oath
The election results were decisive, 58 Pro- treaty , 35 Anti-treaty and 35 others mostly pro
How did the civil war start?
The election results gave Collins a mandate to attack IRA in the four courts
22 June: Gerald Wilson an ardent unionist was assassinated in London, British blamed the four courts garrison and ordered Collins against them
The IRA in the four courts kidnapped one of Collins men
On 27th June 1922 Collins ordered free state army to attack the four courts
What were the main events of the civil war ?
June 1922: Free state army attacked buildings held by the IRA. Driven from the city within one week and cathal Brugha was killed
July August: Munster was a republican stronghold. In July Collins launched a two pronged attack by air and sea
August 1922 - May 1923: A savage guerilla war developed with many atrocities on both sides
12 August 1922- Griffith died of a stroke
22 August 1922 - Collins killed in ambush
After their deaths WT Cosgrave became president of the free state
The IRA assassinated pro-treaty TDs and killed protestants in Cork and border areas
Cosgrave government executed anyone with guns, Erskine childers + Rory o connor among 77 executed
De Valera joined as an ordinary soldier, in October 1922 he set up the “Republican Government” but he failed to control the IRA
IRA commander Liam Lynch refused to recognise they had been beaten or to call a ceasefire- he was killed in April 1923
Frank Aiken agreed to ceasefire in May 1923, guns were not surrendered but kept for another day
1000 republicans in jail. De Valera arrested during election speech in August 1923
All released unconditionally in August 1924
