Loyalism in Development

THE IRISH CIVIL WAR

In December 1920 Britain passed the fourth Home Rule Bill, formally titled the Government of Ireland Act. This legislation divided Ireland into two constituent parts: Southern Ireland (26 counties) and Northern Ireland (six counties). Both regions would be self-governing dominions of Great Britain, London retaining control of significant policy areas like defence, currency, foreign affairs and trade. Partition was a both a compromise and an expediency. It was intended to implement Home Rule without inciting well-armed Loyalist paramilitary groups in Ulster. Michael Collins was aware that the settlement created with the Anglo-Irish Treaty was ultimately unsatisfactory but as the highest-ranking commander of the IRA he was also aware that a return to war would have disastrous consequences for a spent force, desperately short on men, arms, and energy. Once viewed as the man who brought the war to the British, he returned to Ireland with many denouncing him as a traitor who had sold out the Republic. After the establishment of a Provisional Government, a general election was held in June 1922. Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin won a majority 58 seats and anti-Treaty Sinn Féin won 35 seats. The republican movement was clearly split. Following the ratification of the Treaty by the Dublin parliament, and its electoral endorsement in June, pro-Treaty supporters began to build the Provisional Government. Demonstrating his continued support for the treaty, Michael Collins became the provisional commander of the Irish National Forces (Free State Army). After the election, the IRA split roughly fifty-fifty. Those who supported the treaty were subsumed into the Free State Army, and those opposed stayed with the IRA.

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