Irish War of Independence

1918 United Kingdom general election (Ireland) map - winning party vote share by constituency

R.I.C. and military leaving Limerick (18442632000)

West Connemara Flying Column 1922

Daniel Breen police notice

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Active service Unite of the Dublin Brigade

Irish War of Independence

The Irish War of Independence (1919–1921), also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla conflict between the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the military wing of the Sinn Féin political party, and British forces. The war was a part of the wider Irish revolutionary period, which sought to end British rule in Ireland and establish an independent Irish Republic.

Background

The roots of the conflict can be traced back to the 19th century, with the rise of Irish nationalism and the demand for home rule. The Easter Rising of 1916, although a military failure, significantly boosted Irish nationalist sentiment. The subsequent execution of the rising's leaders by British authorities further galvanized Irish support for independence.

In the 1918 general election, Sinn Féin won a landslide victory in Ireland, securing 73 out of 105 Irish seats in the British Parliament. However, instead of taking their seats, Sinn Féin members formed the Dáil Éireann, a separate Irish parliament, and declared Irish independence in January 1919.

The War

The war began on January 21, 1919, with the ambush and killing of two Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) officers at Soloheadbeg by IRA members, an event often cited as the beginning of the conflict. The IRA, under leaders such as Michael Collins and Richard Mulcahy, conducted a guerrilla warfare campaign against the British forces, which included the RIC and the British Army. The British government responded by deploying the Black and Tans and the Auxiliary Division, units composed of World War I veterans, to suppress the insurgency. These forces became notorious for their brutality and were responsible for numerous atrocities against the civilian population.

The conflict was characterized by ambushes, assassinations, and reprisals. One of the most significant events was Bloody Sunday (1920), when, in November 1920, IRA operatives assassinated British intelligence officers in Dublin, leading to the killing of civilians by British forces at a Gaelic football match at Croke Park on the same day.

Truce and Treaty

A truce was agreed upon in July 1921, leading to negotiations between the British government and representatives of the Irish Republic. The negotiations resulted in the Anglo-Irish Treaty in December 1921, which ended the war but led to the partition of Ireland. The treaty established the Irish Free State as a self-governing dominion within the British Empire but with the partition of Northern Ireland, which remained part of the United Kingdom.

The treaty was met with opposition within the IRA and Sinn Féin, leading to the Irish Civil War (1922–1923) between pro-treaty and anti-treaty forces.

Aftermath

The Irish War of Independence had a profound impact on Ireland and the British Empire. It led to the establishment of the Irish Free State and set a precedent for other colonial territories seeking independence. The conflict and its aftermath also deepened the divisions within Irish society, some of which remain to this day.