In June 1922, civil war broke out in Ireland against centuries of British control. This nationalist uprising was just one of many in Ireland and throughout the world against colonial rule. However, this war also turned the Irish against each other. To find out more, Speak Up contacted Dr. Martin O’Donoghue, a professor of modern British and Irish history at the University of Sheffield. As he explained, for these Irish republicans, the agreed-upon Free State (significant self-government but with Ireland remaining within the United Kingdom in exchange for peace) was a compromise and a betrayal.
Dr. Martin O’Donoghue (Irish accent): By 1921, there were peace talks between the Irish and British. Britain, though obviously the holder of a big empire and superior militarily, wanted to come to some terms with the Irish forces, because there had been a bitter guerrilla war, and British atrocities in Ireland were being reported around the world. So ultimately, when the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in December 1921, the Irish leaders accepted a Free State for Ireland, a dominion within the British Commonwealth of Nations, or the British Empire. This was not a republic, but it gave Ireland a good degree of autonomy. The treaty was passednarrowly. It was passed by seven votes. But it created a lot of bitterness. Many nationalists felt it was a bretayal to the Republic. Many nationalists resentedswearing an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. For those who supported, they said it was the best deal that could be got. Those who oppose it, they walk out of parliament, and from there on in really the scene is set for a civil war, I guess, although nothing, of course, in history is inevitable.
NO COMPROMISE
It was these divisions between prominent Irish nationalists that led to civil war in Ireland, as O’Donoghue explains.
Dr. Martin O’Donoghue: Éamon de Valera, he’s the most prominent opponent of the treaty politically. And he gives a lot of speeches condemning the treaty, and he gives some pretty inflammatory speeches. So, the treaty passes in January 1922, and by April 1922, Rory O’Connor, who is opposed to the treaty, and other old IRA forces, occupy the Four Courts in Dublin. Then in June 1922, there is pressure placed on the leaders of the treaty team, Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith, to take action against these forces that are occupying the Four Courts, and by June 1922, they do so. And that’s often seen as — in the popular mind — the beginning of the Civil War, where republicans face fire from their former comrades.
VICTIMS OF WAR
One consequence of the war was the loss of two iconic Irish leaders.
Dr. Martin O’Donoghue: The War of Independence itself had been a guerrilla war. Obviously the Irish forces were never militarily superior in terms of numbers or artillery to the British forces. In the late summer, early autumn of 1922, the Free State actually loses its two most prominent leaders: Michael Collins, who’s killed at an ambush at Béal na Bláth in his native County Cork, and Arthur Griffith, who dies of a brain haemorrhage.
END OF EMPIRE
Although Britain was struggling to justify the continuance of its empire, it was still a dominant power and would have acted ruthlessly had it felt threatened.
Dr. Martin O’Donoghue: The British government had a lot of problems at that time, obviously,after the First World War. It had a lot of problems throughout the Empire, and certainly the fact that British forces [were] burning towns and cities in Ireland, like Cork, for example, was creating a lot of bad publicity for Britain and the British Empire around the world, particularly in the United States. In some ways, it’s difficult to see how the republican forces could have won given they were facing superior forces.
THAT INFAMOUS BORDER
Anti-treaty sentiment didn’t, of course, end with the Irish Civil War. O’Donoghue spoke more about its long-term repercussions.
Dr. Martin O’Donoghue: There were issues of ongoing inter-communal tensions, which really reached a higher pitch after the Northern Ireland civil rights campaign of the 1960s; the long war of The Troubles from the late 60s up until 1998. Happily, we’ve peace since the 1998 agreement in Northern Ireland. So, there’s a lot of talk that the voters in Northern Ireland actually didn’t vote for Brexit, even though in the entire United Kingdom voters did. So, there is talk about a border poll in Northern Ireland. There’s talk of independence for Scotland.