CHAPTER 8 The Anglo-Irish Settlement

CHAPTER 8 The Anglo-Irish Settlement

1. WWI

   • Supported by both Ulster Unionists and the INP
     • In response a Home Rule Act was to be enacted for the end of the year
   • Irish economy prospered and 150,000 Irish men were in active service
     • But the legnth of the war and British govs insesitivity (Ulster volunteer force but not Irish Volunteers had a special division)
       • Result: REVOLUTIONARY NATIONALISM

2. The Easter Rebellion 1916

   • Irish Nationalists - Fundementally the Fenians - had been opposed war and tried to prevent recruitment
     • 1914 the volunteer movement split - those loyal to Redmond (& war) formed 'National Volunteers'
       • Others under Eoin MacNeill formed the 'Irish Volunteers'
         • Despite MacNeill's rejection of a premature uprising a small group of fellow commanders(Clarke, PEARCE, CONNOLLY) planned an uprising for Easter
           • Pearce was looking for a "glorious revolution" whereas Connolly believed that rebellion could be successful if there was support from the Irish masses
             • Arms were obtained from Casement from Germany. The plans were very secret - it was to be carried out under the guise of field manuevres
               • On Easter monday they seized Dublin and declared Ireland a Republic, establishing a provinical government with Pearce as the head
       • Result: Revolutionary Nationalism influenced by Cultural Nationalism
         • Aims: IRISH REPUBLIC
   • Reasons for failure
     • #1 Rebellion was confined to Dublin, where there was little support anyway
     • #2 The Provincial units (under instruction from MacNeill) did not join in the uprising
     • #3 They recieved no outside help, a German Arms ship was intercepted and Casement was arrested
     • #4 The rebels were outnumbered by soliders and armed police
   • Aftermath
     • Pearce surrendered unconditionally; leaving 450 rebels and civillians killed and 2000 injured,
     • It was not a 'national rising' as a minority of a minority group, it was condemned by the Catholic Church, Redmond and moderate Nationalists
     • British Government Response
       • Asquieth handed over problem to army -> Marital Law proclaimed and draconian policy of wholesale arrests made
         • Improsionment and Internment followed by executions - 15 were executed, including Connolly and Casement
           • Eamon De Valera had death sentence commuted to imprisonment
     • The harsness of the British response revitalised Irish Nationalsim
       • Rebels given 'moral credence' - Anti war and Anti British sentiments hardened
     • Under pressure from Ireland and America Lloyd George negotiated a Home Rule solution
       • Exclusion of 6 Protestent counties in Ulster (Redmond led to belive that exclusion was temporary but Carson beleived it to be permenant)
         • Redmond's career distroyed as well as his party thus Constitutional Nationalism effectively dies
         • Sinn Fein's absence came to occupy the dominant force of irish Nationalism formally held by the IPP

3. Sinn Fein

   • Founded by Arthur Griffith as a militant but non-violent organisation became commited to Irish Republic
     • Gained Influence after the Easter Rising because of the creation of martyrs, spread of revolutionary ideas and Unionist veto on Home Rule
   • Won two by-election seats usually Redmondite
     • Under pressure from America England released prisioners which provided new revolutionary recruits for Sinn Fein
       • Llyod George called an Irish Convention in July 1917 to create and Irish Settlement but his real focus was on winning the war
         • Went on till May 1918 but was afailure as Sinn Fein boycotted the convention and the Ulster Unionists remained firm
           • The IPP failed and popularity declined
   • In July 1917 de Valera is elected MP for East Clare whcih extended and strengthened support and organsiation
     • In October 1917 de Valera was elected President and Head of the Irish volunteers
       • This combined the leadership of both the political and militant wings of the Irish Revolutionary movement
   • Conscription Crisis
     • As a result of the heavy casualties in WWI Britain contemplated introducing Irish conscription. The Act was pushed through despite warnings
       • Dillion (leader of IPP) walked out of Westminster and went to Dublin, where they formed an alliance with Sinn Fein
         • Together they organsied a nationwide campaign against conscription - one day strike and support from Catholic Church
           • Government gave way but the damage had already been done to the Union
   • 1918 General Election
     • Radicalisation of opinion in Southern Ireland helped the Republican cause
     • in April 1918 Grifith returned to East Cavan by an overwhelming majority
       • Authorities responded by arresting Republican leaders (with the excuse of their involvment in a 'German plot'
         • This antagonised public opinion and helped Sinn Fein demonstrated in the general election in December 1918
           • Sinn Fein virtually destroyed the IPP - Sinn Fein (73 seats), IPP (6 seats), Unionists (26 seats)
   • The Dail Eireann
     • As a result of the 1918 election Sinn Fein could claim the will of the Irish people
       • Their MPs did not take their seats in Westminster
         • Instead they returned to Sublin on 21st January 1919 to consttute themeselves as the parliament of the Irish Republic
           • The Dail issued a declaration of Independence, demanding English withdrawal from Ireland and a provincial government was set up under de Valera
             • British government released prisoners but the Dail has already established its own courts and collected taxes
             • The Dail was backed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) - formally the Irish volunteers - under Michael Collins
               • Michael Collins organised an intelligence system and held domestic posts in the Irish provincial government
               • Deadlock
                 • British govenment demanded allegiance based on mandate and established treaty rights
                 • Irish Provincial goverment rested on the mood of Irish people in establishing a nationhood
                 • In 1919 two policemen were killed by the IRA in County Tipperary. This was seen as the opening shots of war for Irish independence.
                   • Meanwhile the British government was working on a new constituional initiative

4. The Anglo-Irish Treaty

   • It became clar that neither side would win the war - IRA were short of men and materials. England not prepared for an war with Catholic Ireland
     • Lloyd George aware of the unpopularity of war in Ireland, espicially towards the methods persued by the Black-and-Tans
       • Also understood that the IRA and Sinn Feins were a formidable group whos demands for independence were backed up by the majority of Irish people
   • In 1920 Lloyd George ateempted to bring peace but early moves failed - this was however a phychological victory for Sinn Fein
     • Partition had cleared the way for the treaty - following Sinn Fein's refusual to attend parliament noone was governing Southern Ireland
       • King George V appealled to Irish peace - de Valera and Collins faced peace more as a result of the hard military facts
         • The republican leaders also acknowledged that Lloyd George was considering 'dominion status' which for a British priminister was good
           • Truce agreed on 11th July 1921
   • Th treaty discussion was legnthy and comlicated. 'Dominion Satus' meant full control of domestic affairs, membership of British Empire and alliegence
     • Hardline Republican's of the Dail Eireann did not want the oath of alliegence but de Valera was willing to comprimise and sent a delegation to London
   • The Irish Delegation led by Griffith and Collins, de Valera remained in Dublin causing confusion and tension amognst leaders
     • On the one hand the delegates were plenipotentiaries and on the other they had to submit draft treaties to de Valera
       • This played into the hands of the experienced British side - Lloyd George, Churchill, Austin Chamberlin and Birkenhead
     • Three main discussions taking place
       • #1 British security and defence (settled easily, three naval bases in Ireland was agreed)
       • #2 Ulster (Irish leaders did not want partition but they weren't prepared to challenge the new state - N. Ireland given right to opt out of treaty)
         • Lloyd George persuaded the Irish delegates to accept the idea of a Boundry Commission (pure bluff)
       • #3 The powers of the new state (argument was symbolic as opposed to political, agreed to 'Dominion status' but oath of alliegence was watered down)
       • Lloyd George gives the Republicans an ultimatum - unless Sinn Fein representatives accepted the treaty there would be war in three days (Mon 5th Dec)
         • Fearful of the consequences of rejection the delegates signed the treaty on 6th December 1921. Lloyd George was probably bluffing
   • Results of the Treaty
     • In Britain the treaty was popular and it passed through parliament comfortably
     • In Ireland it brought not unity but dicord and conflict. Irish cabinant was divided on whether to accept.
       • Collins belived these were the best terms. De Valera opposed it and resigned as President, replaced by Griffith
         • The Dail accepted it narrowly - 64 votes to 57 on 7th Jan 1922
     • The terms of the Treaty were carried out immediately - provincial gov handed over to Collins, British Army withdraws handing over to IRA
     • Elections in June 1922 gave Collins and the pro-treaty group a convincing majority
       • Despite this the anti-treaty faction continued the 'troubles' which were bloodier than the Anglo-Irish war
         • Violence spread to N Ireland and some Conservatives regretted accepting the treaty however in the Spring of 1923 the rebels accepted the new regime
   • The Constitution for the Irish Free State
     • By the end of 1922 the Irish government (headed by William Cosgrove following deaths of Griffiths and Collins) promulgated a formal Constituion
       • Appouved by Dail and British government. N Irleand exercised its right to opt out
         • Irish free state and N Ireland established
   • Assessment of the Treaty
     • Flaws and Ambiguities
       • The constitutional settlement was the product of no definite plan
       • It rested on no clear cut principles
       • It did not conform to the origional ideals of any of the participants
     • However it ended the Anglo-Irish War and inaugurated Ireland giving them some peace and stablity
       • There was a greater degree of liberty than envisioned by O'Connell, Parnell or Redmond and offered the opportunity for peaceful unity
         • British safety was not comprimised
     • All that remained of the Act of Union was the symbolic office of Governer-General and membership of the British Empire
   • Long-term results
     • Eventually the Treaty whcih rejected the sovereignty of the irish Free State were rejected by the Irish Prime Minister de Valera
     • In 1949 following announcment of neutrality during WWII, Eire cut the last remaining ties with Britain and Commonwealth and became a free state
     • Clement Attlee accepted irelands status as a republic but passed the Ireland Act - which protected N Ireland

5. The Government of Ireland Act 1920

   • The general election in Britainled to an overwhelming victory for Lloyd George's govenerment with the Irish question still needing addressing
     • Involvement in the war had led to a new emphasis on national self-determination (Treaty of Versailles)
       • Home Rule was now strong prospect - as long as it recognised Ulster's rights and Irleand remained within the Empire
   • Terms of the Act
     • Establishement of two separate Parliaments for Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland
     • Election to the parliaments decided by proportional representation
     • Powers similar to the 1914 Home Rule Act (no control over foreign policy, defence, external trade, customs or police)
     • Supremacy of UK parliament to justify intervention in Northern Ireland
   • Ulster Unionist argument accepted (6 counties with Protestant majority)
     • Both parts of Ieland represented at Westminster with Council for both to deal with common problems
       • Ulster Unionists supported the Act in light of the IRA's violence throughout Ireland
   • Accepted by the North (James Craig became Prime Minister)
     • Failed in the South
       • Sinn Fein relected without contest and the boycotted the new parliament. Ulster Unionists ironically became commited Home Ruler's
         • In the South the political revolution meant that Home Rule was no longer a viable option for Nationalists
           • The Act was 'essentially constructed to solve the Irish problem as it stood in 1914 not in 1920'

6. The Anglo-Irish War

   • At the same time as the Government of Ireland Act Westminster was trying to cope with the IRA violent campaign (aimed at police and British soldiers)
     • Sinn Fein and the IRA beleived their legitimacy on behalf of an existing Irish Republic
   • British Government had little idea what was going on in Ireland and so for a long time they refused to recognise the existence of war
     • Under pressure from Conservative backbenchers - Sinn Fein and IRA was outlawed, the Dail was considered illegal, special powers of arrest introduced
       • To maintain law and order the government relied on the police (who were short staffed and demoralised by attacks against them 176 policemen killed)
         • Recrutiment strengthened by the recruitment of toush ex-soldiers, 'Black-and-Tans,' who were ill-diciplined and semi-military
   • In 1920 the IRA campaign became more widespread, more calculated and more brutal, they attacked civillians
     • The Black-andTans responded similarly and were condoned by the British government, this was condemned by British opinion
       • British realised they were at war and committed troops on a wider scale and introduced martial law in south - Geurilla Warfare
   • Bloody Sunday
     • 21st November 1920 in Dublin. IRA killed 11 English civillians (believed to be British intelligence)
       • Black-and-Tans respond by killing players on a sports ground, leaving behind 12 dead and 60 injured. In December much of Cork was burned