The Making of Two Irelands

A Brief History of Northern Ireland, 1919-1999

I. The Anglo-Irish War (21 Jan 1919 - 11 July 1921)

General election of Dec 1918: Sinn Fein 73, Irish Parliamentary Party 6, Unionists 26

Dail Eireann

Michael Collins and the IRA campaign against the Royal Irish Constabulary

Restoration of Order in Ireland Act

Black and Tans

the Auxiliaries

barley

black



escalation of violence (Nov 1920)

Bloody Sunday

Kilmichael Ambush

David Lloyd George

Government of Ireland Act

partition

two home rule parliaments

Ulster: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Tyrone

elections in Ulster on 24 May 1921 (Empire Day)

nationalist response: stepped up campaign against the British

death toll (as of mid 1921): 405 police, 150 military, c. 750 IRA and civilians

truce (July 1921)

treaty negotiations

the Anglo-Irish Treaty [link]

implemented the Govt of Ireland Act

created the Irish Free State and gave it Dominion status

required an oath of allegiance

collins


II. The Civil War (1922-1923)

Dail debate (Jan 1922)

nationalists split:

pro-Treaty (the Government)
under Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins
[Michael Collins Center]

anti-Treaty (the Irregulars) under de Valera

Goverment attack on Irregulars' HQ (Four Courts)

ceasefire in Apr 1923; IRA disarmed in May

 

> The Wind That Shakes the Barley


III. Imperial finale

colonial nationalism and decolonization

partition as exit strategy