1922 AD - 1 / January 

                                                                                                                                       "Pro Anglo Irish Treaty - Anti Treaty"          

1922 January: Sir James Craig the leader of the "Official" Unionists met with Michael Collins in London, where he stated that he would "protect" the Irish Catholics in the 6 Counties that would be "artificially partitioned" by the British Imperial Coalition Government from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province, if Michael Collins would "withdraw" the boycott, and also get those who were previously "kidnapped" released and he also agreed to "revise" the "Boundary Commission," so that each of them could appoint a "representative" for preliminary talks, but they would be the ones to make the final arrangements. 

   At this time Glenshane Pass from Derry in Co. Derry to Belfast in Co. Antrim in the north - east of Ulster was being blocked by "terrorists."

January: The American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic, which had been set up there previously by Eamonn de Valera had by now grown "immensely" and had a staggering total of 700,000 members.

January 3rd:  The Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly reconvened to continue the "Anglo - Irish Treaty Debate" were Eammon de Valera's shares had "dropped" immensely in the eyes of many of his previous followers, as he was against the "Pro - Treaty" group, with his "personal" opposition due mainly to the need to have to take the "Oath of Allegiance" to the German Saxe - Coburg British King and he was also losing favour with those of the determined Irish Republicans, who now also considered that his "Document No 2" was also only a "sell out" to the British Imperial Government, and added to this also was that the fact about his "dispute" with the long time Irish Independence supporter John Devoy from the Clann na Gael / The Ooganization in America over his Cuba statement, was slowly becoming "common knowledge" in Ireland.           ,

January 4th: Sean O Kelly, Liam Mellowes, P. Rutledge, Art O Connor and Sean Moylan who now represented the definitive "Anti - Treaty" group, met with the "Pro - Treaty" group composed of P.J. O Hogan, Joseph Mac Guinness, Michael Hayes and Eoin O Duffy, and except for Liam Mellowes they all agreed that Eamonn de Valera should be "retained" as the Priomh Aire of the 2nd Dail Eireann and that the Irish Provisional Government should be allowed to function "normally" under the auspices of the 2nd Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly. They also agreed that the Irish Republican Army / I.R.A. should be also under the control of the Irish Provisional Government, who should also be the ones to sign the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" and although Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins "agreed" to their conditions, Eamonn de Valera was still "against" any compromise, and he "refused" to accept them, as he wanted his own "No 2 Document" approved instead. To this end, they held a further meeting that night, but the "Anti - Treaty" group by then, had "changed" their position, and decided that they would "not stand" by their original agreement either.   

January 6th: The 2nd Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly met in "Private Session" again, where the "Committee's" report was "denied" discussion, and the staid Cathal Brugha and Michael Collins clashed "personally" during the debate, and Eamonn de Valera then tended his "resignation" again, which was considered by all present to be a personal "stunt" by him to force the issue as a "Red Herring," hoping it would bring about a "new" Dail Eireann Cabinet and he could then introduce his "Document No 2 once again," but eventually the mild - mannered Arthur Griffith was able to talk him out of it, "For the good of Ireland, as they already had enough to deal with sorting out the problems over the "Anglo - Irish Treaty."

January 7th: The final day of the "Anglo - Irish Treaty Debate" was held by the 120 members of the 2nd Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly in the Council Chamber of University College in Dublin, were Michael Collins put forward his own personal view that those in authority in England over the "Centuries" had destroyed the Gaelic way of life in Ireland, but the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" would bring security and freedom to finally remove their "stranglehold" and Cathal Brugha once again attacked Michael Collins "personally," while Eamonn de Valera, once again, did nothing to stop him, and Arthur Griffith was forced to make the comment, "That Michael Collins had "won" the War and he was proud to have his name associated with him." Cathal Brugha's negative "personal" attack on Michael Collins bought in a very sour note to the proceedings, which was already hard enough in the circumstances and "upset" many of those present, who now began to realise there was more to the "Anti - Treaty" stance then they first realised. Sean Mac Eoin, who had always been for a "total" Irish Republic, stated that he voted "For" the "Treaty" as he fully realised the "implications" if they continued on with the "Anglo - Irish War" against the "Military" might of the British Imperial Empire and Joseph Mac Grath also stated that he was in "favour" of it also. Eamonn Duggan wanted it known that he "signed" it under "no" duress, but Peadar O Donnell, Erskine Childers, Harry Boland, Austin Stack and Cathal Brugha were totally "against" it. The Anglo - Irish Treaty Debate was then "closed," and the "vote" was taken, resulting in 64 "For" the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" and 57 "Against" the "Treaty," while the vote of Eoin Mac Neill as the "Chairman" was not required.

     Although Eamonn de Valera as an M.P. represented East Co. Clare in the north - west of the Munster Province, who had voted 17 to 5 "For" the "Anglo - Irish Treaty," he personally took it upon himself to "disregard" their democratic instructions, and cast his vote to suite his own "personal" outlook, while Frank Drohan from Clonmel on the other hand who also "opposed" the "Anglo -Irish Treaty" had "resigned" before hand, rather than "compromise" his instructions to vote "for" it and Laurence Ginnell who was also "against" the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" did not attend, but sent a telegram instead, but his "postal" vote was not allowed. Robert Barton who had also "previously" voted "For" the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" and had even "signed" it personally himself, was now "against" it due mainly to the "artificial partition" of the 6 Counties in Ireland, but he had allowed his commonsense to overrule his personal feelings as did George Gavin Duffy. To defeat the "Anglo - Irish Treaty," with no other "alternative" to put forward to replace it, would have meant outright "War" against the "might" of the British Imperial Government "again" and this was now a "deciding factor" in everyone's mind.      

     Among the 64 Dail Eireann members who voted "For" the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" / Is Toil were Michael O hAodha, Robert Barton, Piaras Beaslaoi, Earnan de Blaghd, Frank Bulfin, Seamus Burke, Patrick Brennan, Joseph Mac Bride, Daniel Mac Carthy, Christie Byrne, Alastair Mac Caba, Padraig O Caoimh, Dr. Patrick Mac Cartan, Tomas Carter, Michael Collins, Richard Corish, Phillip Cosgrave, William T. Cosgrave, James Crowley, Seamus Derham, James Dolan, Tomas O Donnell, Eoin O Dubhtaigh, Seamus O Dwyer, Sean Mac Garry, George Gavin Duffy, Eamonn Duggan, Sean Mac Eoin, Paul Galligan, Desmond Fitz Gerald, Dr. Mac Ginley, P.J. Mac Goldrick, Joseph Mac Guinness, Joseph Mac Grath, Arthur Griffiths, Sean Hales, Liam Hayes, Dr. Richard Hayes, Sean Hayes, Kevin O Higgins, P.J. Hogan, Peadar Hughes, Tom Kelly, Justin Mac Kenna, Andrew Lavin, Frank Lawless, Sean Liddy, Fionan Lynch, Joseph Lynch, Padraic O Maille, Sean Milroy, Richard Mulcahy, Seamus Murphy, George Nicholls, Lorcan Robbins, Liam de Roistre, Domhnall O Ruairc, William Sears, Michael Staines, Gearoid O Sullivan, Joseph Sweeney, J.J. Walsh, P.J. Ward, Professor Whelehan and Dr. Vincent White.

     Among the 57 Dail Eireann members who voted "Against" the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" / Ni Toil were E. Aylward, Count O Beirne, Harry Boland, Cathal Brugha, Domhnall O Buachalla, P.J. Cahill, Mrs. O Callaghan, Frank Carty, Domhnall O Ceallachain, Sean T. O Ceallaigh, Mrs. Clarke, M.P. Colivet, Art O Connor, Erskine Childers, Daniel Corkery, Con Collins, Dr. Crowley, Dr. Cusack, Seamus O Daimhin, Eamonn Dee, Tomas Derrig, Joseph O Dougherty, Joseph Mac Donagh, Tomas Donnachu, Seamus Doyle, Dr. Ada English, Sean Mac Entee, Sean Etchingham, Frank Fahey, Dr. Fearon, S. O Flaherty, Seamus Mac Gearailt, Laurence Ginnell, T. Mac Guire, Tomas Hunter, J.J. O Kelly, David Kent, James Lennon, Sean O Mahoney, Countess Constance Markievicz, Liam Mellowes, P.J. Moloney, Sean Moylan, Charles Murphy, Sean Nolan, Mrs. Pearse, Count Plunkett, Seamus Robinson, Eamonn de Roiste, P.J. Rutledge, Dr. Ryan, Phillip Shanahan, Austin Stack, Professor Stockley, Mary Mac Swiney, Sean Mac Swiney, Brian O hUigin, and Eamonn de Valera.           

January 9th: At the next meeting of the 2nd Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly the staid Cathal Brugha tried hard to get Arthur Griffith to change his mind over the "Anglo - Irish Treaty," but he stood firmly with Michael Collins for whom he had gained great "respect" and Eamonn de Valera then put forward his "resignation again" as the Priomh Aire of the 2nd Dail Eireann, but was re - nominated by Mrs. Clarke and Liam Mellowes for re - election once again as the leader of the Dail / Assembly and was then "defeated" 60 votes to 58 when he together with Liam de Roistre / Roche and Thomas O Donnell "refused" to cast a "vote." Besides this 2 of the "Pro - Treaty" members had also "abstained" from voting, while another 2 of the "Pro - Treaty" members had voted for Eamonn de Valera who informed the meeting that he, "Could not "co - operate" with the "Pro - Treaty" members of the Dail Assembly, but he and his "followers" would be there against any "outside" enemy." Cathal Brugha also stated at this time, "That he would not "hinder nor co - operate" with the "Pro - Treaty" Irish Government."

     Michael Collins then put forward Arthur Griffith to be the new Priomh Aire of the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly as Ireland needed "stable" government to stop "anarchy," and Eamonn de Valera asked him to put forward his policies, and Arthur Griffith replied that he would "retain the same position" until the "elections" and that the "vote" for the introduction of the "Irish Free State" would be put to the population of Ireland to make the final decision and Eamonn de Valera then requested all those who had voted "Against" the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" to meet with him the next day, and left with all of his "Anti - Treaty" group to further "widen the split" amongst the Irish leaders. He was doing the same as he had done in America with the Clann na Gael and the Friends of Irish Freedom, but by creating this "split" among the Irish leaders themselves at this time he was also "splitting the loyalty" of the Irish population, and by these actions he was to ensure that an Irish "Civil War" was to now occur in Ireland until 1923. Eamonn de Valera walked out of the Dail Eireann meeting followed by his "Anti - Treaty" followers, as the election for the Priopmh Aire of the Dail Eireann had begun, and Michael Collins who was now really "upset" with the futility of their antics called out to them."Go on, deserters all, from the Irish Nation in her hour of need, we will stand by her, we will call on the people of Ireland to rally to us."  Eammon Ceannt then replied  with,"Up the Republic" as Robert Barton, who had been of two minds,also left the Dail Eireann meeting to also follow after Eamonn de Valera.  

       With 61 of the DT members still present William T. Cosgrave moved the election of the "new" President for the Dail Eireann be put, and Arthur Griffith was "elected," and Michael Collins became the "Minister for Finance," George Gavin Duffy the "Minister for Foreign Affairs" and Eamonn Duggan the "Minister for Home Affairs." 4 of those who had "signed" the original "Anglo - Irish Treaty" were now "newly" elected to the  Irish Dail Eireann Cabinet with William T. Cosgrave becoming the "Minister for Local Government," Richard Mulcahy the "Minister for Defence" and Kevin O Higgins the "Minister for Economic Affairs." Eamonn de Valera was to return once again, for the afternoon session of the Dail Eireann, were he also stated once again, "That his group would not "stand in the way" of the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly carrying out their duties." Arthur Griffith in reply said, "All I ask of my colleagues against me is not to throw obstacles in our way." Erskine Childers kept "interjecting" until Arthur Griffith, who was a mild mannered man, could not stand him any more and responded with, "I will not reply to any Englishman in this chamber."

January 10th: Arthur Griffith stated that he would remain as the Priomh Aire of the 2nd Dail Eireann, to retain the "Status Quo" as an Irish Republic until the Irish Free State "elections" occurred, and this would then not merge the Irish Republic Dail Eireann with the proposed "Irish Free State Government."

January 11th: Arthur Griffith as the new Priomh Aire of the Dail Eireann sent out notices to the representatives of the 26 Irish Free State Counties to attend a meeting of the Dail Eireann to be held in 3 days time, and at this meeting they were to "ratify" the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" and elect the Irish Free State Provisional Government, while the Irish Volunteers / I.R.A. under their original "Oath" owed their allegiance to the Republic of Ireland that was now represented by the 2nd Dail Eireann, which was still in existence, but under the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" it was not to exist after the "elections" were held, and they would then come under the banner of the Irish Provisional Government who would be taking over in the 26 Counties in the Connacht Province, the Leinster Province, the Munster Province and the 3 Counties rejected from the 9 Counties by the Ascendancy in the Ulster Province for havng too many Irish Catholics in them to gerrymander.             

     The "Anti - Treaty" I.R.A. Volunteers, were to form into a "new" association to be known as the "Irregular IRA," under the leadership of Liam Mellowes, Rory O Connor, Oscar Traynor, Sean Russell and others who were also "against" the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" and with this in mind they now wanted to hold an Irish Volunteer Convention, and they approached Richard Mulcahy the new "Minister of Defence" in the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly who informed them that the new Irish Army would be the army of the "Irish Free State" who would hold the same position in relation to the "Minister" and the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly.

January 12th:  The "political" Sinn Fein Party held their Ard Comhairle with Eamonn de Valera still in as their President who had by now shed himself of any "responsibilities" for the actual government of Ireland, while Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins during the same period had now taken on "more" responsibility to bring about the proposed Irish Free State.

January 14th: The "Anglo - Irish Treaty" was formally "ratified" with the Dail Eireann / Iris Assembly meeting at the Mansion House in Dublin, and set about "electing" the Irish Provisional Government, to be "officially" recognized by the British Imperial Government, to carry out the terms of the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" and they were then elected from the 64 DT members who were "Pro - Treaty" and the 4 Unionists from the Trinity College. (Those to be elected within the next 12 months in the next "General Irish Elections were to form the "official" government of the Irish Free State. None of the "Anti - Treaty" members were present, including Eamonn de Valera or any of his followers, and he was also personally able in the future to "change" the minds of many who at first had thought the "Treaty" terms to be good, and the I.R.A. Volunteers were then also "divided" in their opinions on the "Treaty," and their "attitudes" were to be the most important as they still had no "civil" authority over them. It had already been decided not to complicate the position now held by Arthur Griffith the newly elected Priomh Aire of the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly, who still represented the overall Irish Republic. Because of the necessity for this, Arthur Griffith would not hold any "post" in the Irish Provisional Government who would now maintain the government in the 26 Counties until the elections for the "Irish Free State" were held. Despite this, it was also decided that the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly under Arthur Griffith, would function "side by side" with the new Irish Provisional Government for the purposes of co - operation with the British Imperial Government during the "changeover" period.  

      In the meantime the proposed "Irish Provisional Government" was to be run under the control of Michael Collins, who was now 31 year of age, as its Chairman and Joseph Devlin as their "General Commander" of the Irish Military Forces and the "Minister for Local Government," who was to retain that position until 1923 and also "elected" to the Irish Provisional Government were William T. Cosgrave, Eamonn Duggan, P.J. Hogan, Fionan Lynch, Joseph Mac Grath, Eoin Mac Neill and Kevin O Higgins. Michael Collins who was already in charge of "Finance," now also had the further responsibilities for 14 other Irish Provisional Government Departments, and some of the "members" now held positions in both the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly and the Irish Provisional Government in anticipation of the "Irish Free State" coming into being within 12 months.

     It had been 750 years since the "oppression" of England had begun, and it was also the British Imperial Military Forces who had fired the "first" shots in the previous "Anglo - Irish War," when on July 26th.,1914 their "occupation" forces, in the form of the King's Own Scottish Borderers had killed 2 innocent Irishmen and an Irishwoman and wounded 30 others in the crowd by the River Liffey. John Redmond, the leader of the redundant Irish Parliamentary Party then had previously made a statement that, "The people of Ireland, who had sent 200,000 men to fight and die for England, would live to reap the rewards from the British Imperial Government." These rewards as usual had seen Irishmen in Ireland once again "killed" in front of their wives and children, their towns "burned" and "looted," and innocent Irish people "executed" with an unchecked Imperial ferocity and the homes of numerous innocent civilians in Ireland "destroyed" and all of this had been carried out with the usual Imperial English "stupidity, insensitivity and bigotry." This time in Irish History it had been the ordinary people in Ireland, the "Mere Irish / Bog Irish" who had started out with "no" arms and no "Landed Gentry" to represent them, that had  succeeded in "driving out" the British Imperial Government by the use of "common sense," "determination" and "guerrilla warfare" and in doing this they had shown the way for many "other" Countries still under the "domination" of the British Imperial Empire to do the same, which they eventually were to do, for those in authority in England were to continue to "learn nothing" from their "oppressive" treatment of the people of Ireland and its final repercussions.        

January 16th: The Irish Provisional Government, now under the control of Michael Collins as its Chairman, received their "political powers" from the British Imperial Government 's Viceroy, Viscount Fitz Alan of Derwent, who was now the British Imperial Government's appointed representative at their headquarters in the Dublin Castle (The Devil's 1/2 acre) that had been the centre of Irish "oppression" in Ireland for so many "Centuries," and it was now given over into Irish hands, and Ireland was now given British "Dominion" status in the British Imperial Empire.

     By this time also, the administration of the "Official" Unionist Government in the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province wasn't going "too good," and their "relations" were bad, and it was expected that their government over these 6 Counties would be very "short lived" and Ireland would soon be once again "united" as the 32 Counties it really was as they had already been forced to introduce a "Special Class "B" Constabulary", made up of non - Catholics from their "Official" Unionist Volunteer Force / U.V.F to "restore order" there to be generically known as the "B" Specials."

     It was now up to the Irish Provisional Government to introduce their own "Constitution" and conduct their own General Elections within a year for the proposed Irish Free State, which would then see the end of the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly followed by an Irish Parliament of the Irish Free State and Michael Collins was now once again "totally" occupied, as he began to set up the Irish Provisional Government headquarters in Dublin City Hall, while Patrick O Driscoll, his brother - in - law, acted as the reporter for the Dail Eireann. Richard Mulcahy the "Minister for Defence" was left to set up of the Irish Free State Regular Army with J.J." Ginger" O Connell, who had been the prior "Director of Training" of the Irish Volunteers who became the "Commander in Chief" of the Irish Regular Army / I.R.A. They  set up their headquarters / G.H.Q. at the Beggar's Bush barracks under Patrick Daly, were the "Immoral Union" Jack was soon replaced by the "Tricolour of Ireland" and they also began replacing the British Imperial Government Forces who were now "pulling out" and the Irish Police Force to be known now as "An Garda Siochana" / Civic Guards was also set up at this time.

     Wales had been initially "invaded and overrun" and "vandalized" and the symbol of its Red St. George was forcibly taken from them and also its recognition of its "aristocratic rights" and any chance of "democracy" under the brutality of the English King, Edward 1st, Scotland had been "invaded" and also lost its symbol of its Blue St. Andrew due to an "Immoral Union" that was forced upon it under the Ascendancy's English Queen Anne, where outright "bribery" allowed only 220 Ascendancy aristocrats the right to "vote," and Ireland had been continually "terrorized" and lost the White symbol of Ireland and St. Patrick under another immense "Immoral Union" where unbelievable "bribery" involving 12,000 pounds for "votes" and "Peerages" were given individually to those few Ascendancy aristocrats who were the only ones "allowed a vote" under the Ascendancy's then English King, German George 111 who also continued to deny the majority in their own Country, the Irish Catholics "Emancipation."   

     The "Official" Unionists in control in the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province, which were previously set up for the continuation of the Conservative Ascendancy there, but still under the overall control of the British Imperial Government, were given the power to "opt out" of the Irish Free State, with the River Bann to be the proposed border in collusion with the British Imperial Government who had by now divided the 32 Counties of the whole of Ireland.           

      Liam Mellowes, Rory O Connor, Oscar Traynor, Sean Russell and O Donovan who were previously I.R.A. Volunteer members, who were against the "Anglo - Irish Treaty" now stated their "allegiance" was only to the Irish Republic, and they all joined forces to bring about internal "troubles," which were only destined to lead on to "Civil War" in Ireland, bringing further great "distress" to the overall Irish population.   

January 18th: As the I.R.A. Volunteers had not held a Convention since 1918, they were still not "officially" under the control of the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly so a meeting was held with Richard Mulcahy, the "Minister of Defence" of the Irish Provisional Government and the General Headquarters Staff to discuss the holding of an immediate I.R.A. Volunteer Convention, so that the Executive of the I.R.A. could gain "official control" over the I.R.A. Volunteers and it was set down to be held on February 5th, but as this was prior to the British Imperial Government Military Forces leaving, any sign of a "split" in the I.R.A. ranks would "stop" there departure, and they would then not hand over their barracks to a non - Treaty body. Liam Lynch proposed that they "postpone" the "Convention" for another 2 months, but Rory O Connor was "upset" by this delay and he said that he would call his own I.R.A. Convention and also that he was not concerned with any undertakings given by Eamonn de Valera and Ernest O Malley then came out and stated publicly, that he would not be taking any "orders" from Richard Mulcahy the new "Minister of Defence" in the Irish Provisional Government, and random "raids" then began to occur on the remaining British Imperial Military Forces and the Dublin Castle's R.I.C police, carried out by those who were now among the "Anti - Treaty" I.R.A. members, which bought no honour to anyone who was involved.

January 21st: Ernest O Malley completely "ignored the orders" from the Irish Provisional Government's G.H.Q., and Seamus Robinson carried out an "attack" on the The Nationalist, which was a "Pro - Treaty" newspaper, while many other similar disturbing incidents occurred throughout the Country also, and Arthur Griffith, by now, was of the opinion that if there was going to be a "Civil War" in Ireland, the sooner it came about the better and Cathal Brugha and Liam Mellowes were now also travelling around Ireland reminding all the I.R.A. Volunteer commanders to maintain a total Irish Republican stance, for the return of nothing less than all of the 32 Counties of Ireland, from the British Imperial Government meaning also the 6 Counties "artificially partitioned" off for the Conservative Ascendancy, from the 9 Counties in the Ulster Province. 

January 21st - 22nd: Winston Churchill who was the British Imperial Government's Colonial Secretary had meetings with Michael Collins and stated after the meetings that, "Arthur Griffith, Michael Collins, Richard Mulcahy and Kevin O Higgins were men who were realists, they feared God, they loved their Country and they "kept their word."            

      The Clann Na Gael / The Organization in America was still under the leadership of John Devoy who was also "Pro - Treaty," but it too was now "split" also, into "Pro - Treaty" and "Anti -Treaty" factions there, and the "Anti - Treaty" group "reorganized" themselves under Joseph Mac Garritty there, who was originally from Carrickmore in Co. Tyrone in Central Southern Ulster, while there other leader Luke Dillon was originally from Co. Sligo in the north - west of the Connacht Province and they were to give their allegiance to the "Anti - Treaty" I.R.A. Irregulars when they were "later on" to go it alone and were to break away from the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly and the Irish Provisional Government.  

                 Home Page                                                                                                                              Return to Celtic Heritage                                                                           On to 1922 AD - 2 / February to March