The Civil War in Ireland was caused by divisions over the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. Supporters saw it as a step toward independence, while opponents viewed it as a betrayal of the Irish Republic. This caused a split in the IRA and Irish political parties. As British forces withdrew, both sides occupied their barracks, heightening tensions. Anti-treaty forces occupied the Four Courts in Dublin, refusing to recognize the provisional government. Fighting broke out after the assassination of Sir Henry Wilson and the provisional government's bombardment of the Four Courts, officially starting the Civil War between pro-treaty and anti-treaty forces.

1. The Civil War

2. Title: The Civil War
Keywords:
• Pro-treaty
• Anti-treaty
• Rory O’Connor
• Liam Lynch
• Four Courts
• Richard Mulcahy
• Kevin O’Higgins
• Munster Republic
• The ‘Irregulars’

3. Causes of
the Civil
war
The Treaty
The Split of the IRA
Failure of the Collins/De
Valera pact
Assassination of Sir
Henry Wilson
Weakness of
provisional
government
Actions of
the anti-
treaty IRA

4. Civil war documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl66ixAXm_A

5. The Treaty
• The main cause of the Civil War
• Those opposed believed it was a betrayal of the republic
• Those supporting argued that it was a “stepping stone
to freedom” or “the freedom to achieve freedom”.
• Split the Dáil cabinet - Collins, Griffith, Barton and
Cosgrave in favour - DeValera, Brugha and Stack against
• The Dáil had voted 64 votes to 57 votes in favour
• DeValera resigned as President of the Dáil

6. • Mulcahy wanted the IRA to form the basis of national
army for the Free State
• IRA commanders disagreed Treaty
• Opposition was particularly strong in Munster
• An IRA Army Convention in March 1922 rejected the
authority of the Dáil
• This causes a split in the IRA
The split in the IRA

7. Divisions
• The divisions between the Pro-Treaty and Anti-Treaty sides
grew greater and often friends and families were divided.
• As the British withdrew from their barracks, different
groups of Pro-Treaty and Anti-Treaty IRA members
competed to occupy them.
The Anti-Treaty IRA
became known as
Republicans
or
The Irregulars
The Pro-Treaty IRA
became known as
The Free State Army
or
The Regulars

8. Weakness of provisional government
• It was only temporary, not permanent
• There was to be a 12-month period of gradual transfer
of power from British
• The provisional government had no constitution or
status and the Dáil government was still in existence
• This added to the impression of confusion and chaos of
who was actually in charge
• The Free State government finally came into existence
on 6th December 1922

9. The Slide to Civil War
• A group of Republicans or Irregulars took over the Four
Courts in Dublin
• They issued a declaration refusing to recognise the
Provisional Government.
• They declared the Four Courts to be the headquarters of
the Republican government.
• Collins was reluctant to take direct action against them
• The new government was to be put under pressure by the
British to deal with the anti-treaty forces

10. Actions of the anti-treaty IRA
• The anti-treaty IRA made it clear that they had no
intention of losing the initiative.
• They disputed the takeover of RIC and British army
barracks by attacking the barracks.
• In April 1922 under the leadership of Rory O’Connor,
they seized the Four Courts and other strongholds in
Dublin
• The anti-treaty forces were able to get considerable
supplies of arms from RIC and British barracks.

11. 1922 Election
• Supporters and opponents of the treaty agreed to a pact
to not run against each other in the election
• All candidates to stand as Sinn Féin candidates with the
aim of forming a coalition government in which the anti-
treaty members would get positions on the National
Executive.
• Collins rejected the pact just before the election.
• In the June 1922 election the pro-treaty side won 58
seats to the anti-treaty 36 seats.
• Some argue an election earlier in the year would have
calmed the situation down
• The election showed a majority in favour of the Treaty
and this strengthened the government’s legitimacy

12. • The out break of hostilities came with the assassination
of Sir Henry Wilson in London
• Wilson was blamed for attacks on Catholics in the North.
• The British government informed Collins that they could
no longer tolerate the situation in the Four Courts
• The British believed that the commanders in the Four
Courts had ordered the assassination
• Collins took the decision to attack the Four Courts on
28th June.
• The immediate effect was to polarise the conflict and the
Civil war had begun.
Assassination of Sir Henry Wilson