7. Irish Civil War 1922-1925
The Irish War for Independence was brutal and violent. Fought from 1919 to 1921, it pitted Irish Republican Army (IRA) against British forces. To end the war, the Anglo-Irish Treaty made Ireland a British dominion like Canada and Australia. For the men and women who fought for independence, the Treaty became a catalyst for a personal and devastating split of the IRA. The Irish Free State supported the treaty. Their leader, Michael Collins, stated that Ireland needed “freedom to achieve freedom.” Those that rejected the Treaty followed Eamon de Valera and formed the Anti-Treaty Army as defenders of the Republic declared in 1916.
Guerilla warfare was the hallmark of the Irish Civil War. Fought from 1922-1923, both sides used ambushes, sabotage, raids, and petty warfare to achieve their goals. In an ironic twist, the Irish Free State was supported by the British and benefited from increased supplies and weapons.
The Anti-Treaty forces had to rely upon the Irish citizenry for support, which was difficult due to the inability to agree upon a centralized chain of command. Irish Free State forces grew while the Anti-Treaty forces were relegated to the countryside. Cornered, the Anti-Treaty forces set fire to homes of Free State senators, which resulted in the implementation of martial law across Ireland.
In November 1922, after months of bloody ambushes and assassinations, the Irish Free State sanctioned the execution of Anti-Treaty prisoners. In response, Anti-Treaty forces assassinated an Irish Free State member of parliament. As support from the citizenry dwindled, the Anti-Treaty forces destroyed their weapons and went home. The war was over by the summer of 1923; however, no treaty was ever signed. The ideological split that led to civil war remained intact for decades. Thousands were killed and thousands of fatigued citizens emigrated.