1918 AD - 1 / January to June.

1918 February 1st: Dr. Patrick Mac Cartan, was put forward as representing the "political" Sinn Fein Party, which was now also known as the Irish Republican Party, and his nomination was defeated at the bye - election held in South Armagh in the south - east of the Ulster Province.

     Edward Carson, the leader of the Ascendancy "Offiicial Unionists" in the Ulster Province proposed to David Lloyd - George, the British Coalition Prime Minister, that they should set up a Federation that would include England, Scotland and the 6 Counties, to be "artificially partitioned" from Ireland, to retain the Ascendancy, in the Ulster Province, as the other 3 Counties that were not required by them in the Ulster Province, because they had too many Catholics in them together with the remaining 23 Counties were according to the British Coalition Government "officially"now in the rest of Ireland while John Redmond, the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party now wanted no part of  this arrangement as what it really meant was the "artificial partition" ofthe whole of Ireland.

March: There was still a movement in England to bring in "Conscription" in Ireland, and the Irish Catholic Bishops warned the British Imperial Coalition Government against trying to implement it, but that same evening David Lloyd - George the British Prime Minister, announced in the British House of Commons that Ireland would no longer be excluded and the reaction in Ireland was immediate, with the Irish Parliamentary Party in a state of total shock and the Irish population as a whole, were ready to come out against it, and despite all of the previous notice, the "political" Sinn Fein Party was the only organization that was really prepared to take on the challenge. Laurence O Neill who was the Lord Mayor of Dublin, called a meeting at the Mansion House, were he invited all interested parties to attend to discuss the issue.

March 6th: John Redmond, the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, died as a very broken hearted man, and Joseph Devlin declined to take over his position as the Chairman of the Irish Parliamentary Party, so John Dillon instead became their leader in the Westminster House of Commons, and he too warned David Lloyd - George against his intention of introducing Conscription into Ireland, while Cathal Brugha / John Burgess had already travelled to England with the intention of killing members in the British Parliament if they introduced Conscription in to Ireland.

March 22nd: John Redmond's son, Captain Redmond from the Irish Parliamentary Party won his father's vacant seat in the bye - election for Co. Waterford in the south - east of the Munster Province, defeating Dr. Vincent White from the "political" Sinn Fein Party / Irish Republican Party.           

April 2nd: Sean Milroy, standing for the "political" Sinn Fein Party, was also defeated in the bye - election for the east of Co. Tyrone in Central Ulster, which was the territory of Bishop Logue, where the Orangemen and the Hibernians showed they could combine if it suited their common interest.

April 3rd: Michael Collins, was arrested and imprisoned for 3 months for making a "seditious speech," and he was put in prison in Co. Sligo in the north - west of the Connacht Province, where the Dublin Castle authorities still had no idea who they now had in one of their prisons.

April 18th: The meeting held to discuss the ramifications of the British Imperial Coalition Government' s "Conscription" in Ireland, that had been organized by Laurence O Neill the Mayor of Dublin, took place at the Mansion House, were the Irish Parliamentary Party was now represented by their new leader, John Dillon, and Timothy Healy and the old Labour stalwart, William O Brien were also present and they were now open to recognizing the viewpoints of other political Irish Parties, and Eamonn de Valera and other "political" Sinn Fein Party leaders, together with the Irish Labour Party was also in attendance, and they all came to the same conclusion that the British Government's Conscription would be resisted by all means possible. The Catholic Bishops, were holding their own meeting at the same time elsewhere, and a deputation was sent from this new Irish political group to meet with them to discuss the ramifications, and they then issued a joint statement, that they were all in agreement that the British Government's Conscription would be resisted by all means possible. The Irish National Defence Fund was now set up to countermand the British Imperial Government's efforts to suppress support against their intended Conscription in Ireland, with the British Government once again finally, "uniting," all the Irish factions in Ireland in a common cause, which had brought up the old tried and true proposition, "To persecute is to unite any opposition."

April 26th: The Irish Volunteers, now under Eamonn De Valera then issued their own public statement, that they would resist the British Imperial Government's Conscription, by force if it was necessary.

May:  An Irish Convention was this month held in America, and Diarmait Lynch, who had been previously deported by the British Imperial Government from out of Ireland, was elected there as the National Secretary of the "Friends for Irish Freedom."

May 11th: The British Imperial Government appointed Lord French to take over their British Military forces in Ireland.

May 15th: Michael Collins had already penetrated the "G" Division of the Dublin Castle's Metropolitan Police, which was in reality a British Imperial Government political spy operation carried out against everyone in Ireland.

May 16th: John Dillon, the new leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, led the parliamentary members in a withdrawal from the British House of Commons at Westminster, when they passed their Conscription Act / Military Service Bill for Ireland as he had joined in with the Irish Labour Party, the "political" Sinn Fein Party and the Catholic hierarchy, in drawing up the anti - Conscription Pledges signed by thousands at the Sunday Masses, and also the Irish Labour Party called a one day strike throughout Ireland except in Belfast in the north - east of the Ulster Province, to protest against Conscription being introduced in Ireland.

May: The Irish Parliamentary Party had by now well and truly run it's political race in the eyes of the majority of the people of Ireland, and because of this they were not able to stand a candidate against Dr. Patrick Mac Cartan who was once again representing the "political" Sinn Fein Party and he was able to win the seat for the north of Co. Offaly / North King's Co. bye - election in the mid - west of Southern Leinster, as the tide was now turning, due to the continuing obstinate and negative actions again of the British Imperial Coalition Government in England.

May: Eamonn de Valera, who was now also the President of the "political" Sinn Fein Party, wanted to use only "passive resistance" against the coercion of the British Imperial Government, and together with John Dillon the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party they appeared on the same platform at Ballaghadereen, against the introduction of the British Government's Conscription Act being carried out in Ireland while David Lloyd - George the Prime Minister of the British Coalition Government, then released the results of his own Irish Convention, but no one showed any interest, as it was considered to be just further English window dressing.  

May 17th: Joseph Cavanagh / Kavanagh, a detective in the Dublin Castle's "G" Division was made aware of the British Coalition Government's intention to try and arrest all of the members of the "political" Sinn Fein Party, and this fact was passed onto Michael Collins, who had Joseph O Reilly warn as many of the "political" Sinn Fein Party members as he could while at the meeting of the "political" Sinn Fein Party executive that night Michael Collins also notified all of the members present, including Eammon de Valera, of all of the names of the Irish members who were to be taken into custody by the British Imperial Government's Dublin Castle Military forces and they decided to let the event take place. They then set up a group under Cathal Brugha / Charles Burgess to carry on if they were to be arrested, as they considered the adverse publicity, which would once again backfire on the British Imperial Government would also ensure Irish and World wide sympathy for the imprisoned members of the "political" Sinn Fein Party. They also felt Arthur Griffith, who would be representing the "political" Sinn Fein Party at the coming Co. Cavan election in the south of the Ulster Province, could also benefit from these further stup and negative actions, once again being carried out by the British Imperial Government, and to try and get him out of the way for the coming General Elections, Eammon de Valera the President of the "political" Sinn Fein Party was also picked up by the British Government's Military forces on his way home to Greystones by rail, and he was then taken to Dun Laoghaire / Kingstown were he was imprisoned on a British Imperial Government Naval ship.

May 18th: The British Imperial Coalition Government Cabinet, who were now desperate over the growing popularity of the "political" Sinn Fein Party in Ireland, were once again still not willing to face up to the political reality, and they frantically introduced a "German Plot" to try and save their face, which was also done to suite their propaganda purposes for consumption in America and once again, in further stupidity they had General French their appointed British Military Commander - in - Chief in Ireland to also begin arresting many more of the members of the "political" Sinn Fein Party.       

May 19th:  By now General French, on behalf of the British Imperial Coalition Government, had not only arrested Eamonn de Valera the President of the "political" Sinn Fein Party, but also Arthur Griffith / Art O Griofa their Vice - President, together with 72 other "political" Sinn Fein Party members, including William T. Cosgrave, Dr. Brian Cusack, Joseph Mac Guinness, Dr. Richard Hayes, Sean Milroy, Countess Constance Markievicz and Count Plunkett who were all placed on board a British Government Naval gunboat standing by at Dun Laoghaire near Dublin, from where they were then taken away out of Ireland altogether, to be interred in prisons once again in England at Usk and Gloucester. Maude Gonne, the wife of the previously executed John Mac Bride (Both were the parents of Sean mac Bride,) and Tomas Derrig were also among those arrested and imprisoned and the British Government, due to their usual lack of common sense, had once again unwittingly and definetly expanded the profile of the "political" Sinn Fein Party now for the whole World to see, which gave out clear signals of recognition that they were now the "democratic political force" to be reckoned with in Irish politics. Michael Collins, decided it was now time to turn his attention to the Irish Volunteers, who had been basically left intact, and they continued on with their drilling exercises, during which many of them were also arrested and charged by the British Imperial Government Court Martials and imprisoned.

May 27th: Ernest O Malley, the Irish Independence fighter, and future anti - Treaty IRA activist managed to escape from the Dublin Castle's R.I.C. police custody.

     Cathal Brugha / Charles Burgess, due to all of these mainstream arrests by the British Imperial Government was now in charge of the Irish Republic, and he personally wanted to concentrate on the Irish Conscription debate, and Richard Mulcahy was appointed the Deputy Chief of Staff, and subsequently took over much of the responsibilities that Cathal Brugha had previously had in the Irish Volunteers while previously, Cathal Brugha had desperately wanted to bring the Irish Volunteers under the control of the elected Dail Eireann  / Irish Assembly / Irish Republic but Michael Collins would not agree to an Irish Volunteer Convention to bring this about, as he had considered that to hold a Convention would only openly play into the British Government's hands. (Because of his refusal to bring this about the staid Cathal Brugha had been upset with him, and because of his general attitude he was never to really get over it. Among the Irish Volunteer officers were, M.W.O Reilly who was their Director of Training, Michael Staines who was their Director of Equipment, Diarmuid O Hegarty / Ua hEigceartaigh who was their Director of Communications, and Richard Mac Kee / Mac Aoidh was to be their overall Dublin Brigade Commander, who was to play a big part in the forming of the successful Flying Columns under Michael Collins later on.    

     The arrests of the 73 members of the "political" Sinn Fein Party by the British Imperial Coalition Government, was intended to leave them totally leaderless, but along with Michael Collins, Richard Mac Kee, and Harry Boland who was their acting - Secretary, they were well organized, while Harry Boland and Tom Kelly who were also assisted by Michael Collins, ran what was left of the "political" Sinn Fein Party and John A. Murphy of the Clann na Gael / The Organization in America, ensured the collection of 60,000 pounds on behalf of the Irish National Aid Association for the dependents of those who were imprisoned or effected by the continual British Imperial Government's oppression, and by now had also joined forces with the Irish Volunteer Dependents Fund. They decided to stay independent of any "political" activity, to ensure the continuation of the good work they were carrying out for the oppressed general population in Ireland, and because of this they would now have to let the services of Michael Collins go as their Secretary due to his association with the various Irish Republican elements.   

June: John Dillon, the new leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party had wanted the "political" Sinn Fein Party to let the Lord Mayor of Dublin stand for the seat  in the east of Co. Cavan in the south of the Ulster Province, to represent both the Irish Parliamentary Party and the "political" Sinn Fein Party, but Eamonn de Valera the President of the "political" Sinn Fein Party had said no and Arthur Griffith the Vice President of the "political" Sinn Fein Party was now put up for the seat instead, and won it although he was still imprisoned in a jail in England, which also gave his success much greater emphasis.

June 3rd: The British Government's Dublin Castle (The Devil's 1/2 Acre), authorities which were now under the control of Lord French, called for 50,000 Irish men to join the British Imperial Army by October 15th, as he continued on with his suppression of all things Irish, including the "political" Sinn Fein Party, their Sinn Fein Clubs, the Irish Volunteers, the Cuman na mBan, and even the Gaelic League. 

June 6th: The "political" Sinn Fein Party members who were stillheld as prisoners in Lincoln Jail in England, were finally allowed to write to their relatives, and Eamonn de Valera the President of the "political" Sinn Fein Party was able to inform Dublin that he and 12 others were now being held by the British Coalition Government in Lincoln Prison.

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