1922 AD - 1 / January 

1922 January: James Craig the leader of the "Official" Unionists met 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 in the Ulster Province, if Michael Collins would withdraw the boycott, and also get those who were previously kidnapped released. 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 there and had a staggering total of 700,000 members.

January 3rd:  The 2nd Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly reconvened to continue the  Anglo - Irish Treaty Debate were Eammon de Valera's shares had dropped 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. 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 facts about his dispute with John Devoy from the Clann na Gael 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 Anti - Treaty group, met with the Pro - Treaty group 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 President 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. They also agreed that the Irish Republican Army / I.R.A. should be under the control of the Irish Provisional Government, who should also be the ones to sign the Anglo - Irish Treaty. 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, and the Committee's report was denied discussion, and Cathal Brugha and Michael Collins clashed personally during the debate, and Eamonn de Valera then tended his resignation, which was considered by all 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." Eventually 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 Treaty would bring security and freedom to finally remove their stranglehold. 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 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 Treaty Debate was then closed, and the vote was taken, resulting in 64 For the Treaty and 57 Against the Treaty, while the vote of Eoin Mac Neill the Chairman was not required.

     Although Eamonn de Valera represented East Co. Clare in the north - west of the Munster Province, who had voted 17 to 5 in favour of the 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 Treaty had resigned before hand, rather than compromise his instructions to vote for it. Laurence Ginnell who was also against the 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 Treaty and had even signed it personally himself, was now against it due mainly to the artificial partition of 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 with 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 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 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 Cathal Brugha tried hard to get Arthur Griffith to change his mind over the Treaty, but he stood firmly with Michael Collins for whom he had gained great respect. Eamonn de Valera then put forward his resignation as the President 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, but that 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 Government."

     Michael Collins then put forward Arthur Griffith to be the new President of Dail Eireann 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 people of Ireland to make the final decision. Eamonn de Valera then requested all those who voted against the 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 at this time he was splitting the loyalty of the Irish population and by these actions he was to ensure that an Irish Civil War was to 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 President of the Dail Eireann was begun, and Michael Collins who was now upset with 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 was of two minds, left the Dail meeting to also follow after Eamonn de Valera.  

       With 61 of the members still present William T. Cosgrave moved the election of the new President for the Dail Eireann be put and Arthur Griffith was elected President, 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. William T. Cosgrave became the Minister for Local Government, Richard Mulcahy the Minister for Defence and Kevin O Higgins the Minister for Economic Affairs. Eamonn de Valera returned once again, for the afternoon session of the Dail Eireann, were he 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 man of mild nature, 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 President of the 2nd Dail Eireann, which would 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 Irish Free State Government.

January 11th: Arthur Griffith as the new President of the Dail Eireann sent out notices to the representatives of the 26 Irish Free Counties to attend a meeting of 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. The Irish Volunteers / I.R.A. under their original Oath owed their allegiance to the Republic of Ireland represented by the 2nd Dail Eireann, which was still in existence, but under the Treaty 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 by the Ascendancy in the Ulster Province.             

     The anti - Treaty I.R.A. Volunteers, who were to form into the new association to be known as the Irregular IRA, under Liam Mellowes, Rory O Connor, Oscar Traynor, Sean Russell and others who were against the Treaty now wanted to hold an Irish Volunteer Convention, and with this in mind they approached Richard Mulcahy the new Minister of Defence in the 2nd Dail Eireann 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.

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.

January 14th: The Anglo - Irish Treaty was formally ratified, with the 2nd Dail Eireann 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 Treaty and they were then elected from the 64 members who were Pro - Treaty and the 4 Unionists from 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 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 President of the Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly, who still represented the overall Irish Republic. Because of the necessity for this, he 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 2nd Dail Eireann 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.  

      The 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. 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 2nd 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 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 ferocity and the homes of numerous innocent civilians in Ireland destroyed. All this had been carried out with usual 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. The Irish in doing this 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 had learnt 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). It 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 the 6 Counties would be very short lived and Ireland would soon be once again United as 32 Counties. 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 Irish Free State, which would then see the end of the 2nd Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly followed by an Irish Parliament of the Irish Free State. 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 2nd 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 Union Jack was soon replaced by the Tricolour of Ireland and they also began replacing the British Imperial Government troops who were now pulling out. The Irish Police Force to be known now as An Garda Siochana / Civic Guards was also set up at this time.     

     The "Official" Unionists in control in the 6 artificially partitioned Counties from the 9 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 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 the internal troubles, which were only 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 2nd 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. It was set down to be held on February 5th, but as this was prior to the British Imperial Government 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. 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 R.I.C Police, carried out by those among the anti - Treaty I.R.A. members, which bought no honour to anyone 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 the better. 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 artificially partitioned Counties, dissected off for the Conservative Ascendancy, from the 9 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 in America was still under the leadership of John Devoy who was 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. (They were to give their allegiance to the anti - Treaty I.R.A. Irregulars when they later on broke away from the 2nd Dail Eireann / Irish Assembly and the Irish Provisional Government.)

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