The Irish Revolution 1916-1923


 * Scholars have argued that the period from 1916 - 1923 needs to be seen as a united event
 * This event is called the Irish Revolution
 * It is comprised of 3 events:


 * 1) Easter Rising
 * 2) Anglo-Irish War or Irish War of Independence (politics)
 * 3) Irish Civil War

Lead-up to Conflict

 * Most leaders killed
 * New cadre of young leaders forced to emerged
 * Many involved were collected into Prison Camps in Wales & England
 * This solidifies the radicals

Leadership

 * Among the leaders who emerge:


 * 1) Eamon de Valera -> Surviving commander // Spared because he was American (Irish mother / Spanish father)
 * 2) Michael Collins -> Young, up & coming


 * Eamon was very tall -> "Long Fellow"
 * Michael Collins -> "Big Fellow"
 * Glamorous radical
 * Rode around Dublin on his bicycle resisting capture
 * Became radicalized in London, joined GAA chapter there

Background

 * World War I pressures
 * There was no conscription in Ireland
 * British feared anger and retribution
 * Ulster Unionist saw this as shameful / made Ireland "disloyal"


 * At signing of Armistice: Home Rule bill should go into effect, but doesn't
 * British start stalling for time.


 * Home Rule Bill
 * Despised by Unionists for causing rift with Britain
 * Despised by Sinn Fein for limiting Irish Sovereignty


 * 1918 -> New rules about Electorate
 * All adult men (18 + ) given suffrage
 * Women over 30 as well


 * Consequently Irish electorate DRAMATICALLY expanded
 * Massive amounts of Sinn Fein politicians elected
 * Constance Markevicz (first woman elected to Westminister) was one of the elected


 * Dail Eireann (Doyle Erin -en )
 * Illegal parallel Parliament for governing Irish Republic declared at 1916
 * Had courts / Parliament meetings
 * Eamon de Valera named President -> raises $5 million in USA


 * Government of Ireland 1920 Bill
 * Too little too late from British Government
 * "Irish Council" declared to govern Ireland
 * Two parts -> one in Ulster (6 of 9 counties) one in Dublin

Guerrilla War, Propaganda War

 * Violence usually dated to 1919 with ambushing of British police officers in County Cork
 * IRA forms to oppose arming of Royal Constabulary
 * Lloyd George thinking over chaos of Ireland -> decides to put more military in Ireland
 * Saw Sinn Fein as weak and merely symbolic


 * Decision to opt for military action creates
 * 7500 casualities


 * Geographic terrain -> Guerrilla combat
 * No fixed battles or formal combats
 * This made a war that was disturbing but not pervasive
 * Could be incredibly violent but contained


 * Mythology of Irish War of Independence
 * Films like Michael Collins / Wind That Shakes the Barley
 * Black & Tans -> evil, cruel, oppressive
 * Innocence of Irish people


 * Reprisal cycle
 * Ambush - Reprisal - Counter-Reprisal - Etc.

Propaganda War

 * Royal Irish Constabulary re-inforced with Auxiliary Units
 * Auxiliary Units were unemployed former British Soldiers


 * Irish officials found this problematic
 * Very un-disciplined soldiers
 * Lots of public distrust / anger with Auxiliary Divisions


 * "Crown Forces" - British Forces
 * Army
 * Irish Constabulary
 * Auxiliaries
 * Black & Tans -> Mismatched uniforms / least trained discipline / most unfriendly

Combat

 * Black & Tans become the most popular targets of Ambush
 * Became known for unofficial reprisals
 * Vengeful activity -> burning down
 * Sept 1919 -> Army burns buildings in County Cork


 * Tit for Tat Arson -> Irish burn down Protestant Gentry homes / British burn down Irish farms


 * Martial Law is establish in 1920


 * Belief was that IRA was actually very small group of people
 * IRA very disciplined -> Disappeared into its own group
 * IRA frequently turned on traitors/spies (killed even good friends)


 * IRA enjoyed popular support -> called "Our Boys"


 * IRA did most of the killing -> "Crown Forces" did most of the dying


 * Blurry lines of who was on what side.
 * RIC was mostly Irish
 * Crown Forces remembered fighting with the Irish at WWI
 * Therefore, lots of sympathy and doubt on Crown Forces side


 * Gaelic games made into the actively dangerous activities
 * Seen as a cover-letter for Irish ambushes (became very suspect)
 * IRA forces disappeared into the common people, making common people suspect


 * Cumann na mBan (cooman na man) -> Organization of Irish Women / IRA
 * Women did lots of gun running
 * Irish diaspora contributed network of goods


 * Sexual violence was a much propagandized fear of women used by both sides
 * IRA & Crown Forces would cut off women's hair to shame them for consorting/collaborating

Bloody Sunday

 * Michael Collins organizes (with lengthy intelligence work) the assassination of important British
 * Croke Park massacre / reprisal -> British soldiers roll into park, shot up the stadium killing Irish spectators
 * Creates new

Propaganda Re-dux

 * Foreign journalists picked up by Sinn Fein given strategic tours
 * British government called this "Republican Scenic Railway"
 * Irish Bulletin cataloged reprisals, bad behavior
 * IRA had Director of Publicity to coordinate Irish/Foreign journalistic coverage

Hunger Strikes

 * Hunger striking pioneered by suffragettes
 * Terrance McSweeney -> Lord Mayor of Cork
 * Allegedly connected to IRA
 * His hunger strike called a poetic act of his own body into
 * 74 day Hunger Strike
 * Galvinized public opinion/out cry

Treaty to Civil War

 * In Summer of 1921 -> Public Opinion leaned towards resolution
 * Calls truce -> Lloyd George desires Negotiation
 * Fall of 1921 -> Michael Collins and Irish delegation go to London
 * DeValera doesn't go (for no clear reason)


 * Symbols of Sovereignty become most independently discussed
 * LLoyd George offers Dominion Status (like Canada)
 * Dail Eireannen -> would be in charge of all domestic affairs
 * But would have to pledge allegiance to British Crown


 * George threaten total War otherwise


 * Dail Eireann -> Ratifies the treaty by small (7 vote) majority
 * DeValera & hardcore Anti-Treaty (irreconciliables) deny veracity of the Treaty, leave Dail
 * Catholic church declared support for Treaty / Popular support

Civil War

 * Anti-Treaty forces militarize and arm
 * Take over the Four Courts in Downtown Dublin
 * Free State Soldiers attack Anti-Treaty Forces using British Weaponry
 * Anti-Treaty forces declare Free State illegal, so all of its forces are seen as acceptable targets.

Outcomes

 * New Dominion of Ireland / Political Organization.
 * New problems / divisions


 * Michael Collins killed in Ambush in 1922