Ireland's Independence: 1880-1923 by Oonagh Walsh

Author:Oonagh Walsh [Walsh, Oonagh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, General, Europe, Ireland
ISBN: 9781134553679
Google: DFR66dZcpogC
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2003-09-02T22:35:19+00:00

CHAPTER FIVE

The Treaty and its consequences, December 1921

The Treaty agreed between the British government and the representatives of Da' il E' ireann in December 1921 marks a momentous development in modern Irish history. After the intense struggle, political and military, which had taken place in the previous three years, and the lengthy build-up to insurrection from the early years of the century, the claims of the Irish to independence were finally taken seriously. However, although the British government implicitly recognised both the Da' il and its claims by offering to negotiate a peace settlement, this did not mean that the Irish had won an unambiguous victory. There was the issue of the six north-eastern counties, which had governmental assurances over their continued existence within the United Kingdom. There was also the dangerously fragmented nature of Irish government. Although each individual was committed to breaking the link with Britain, they differed greatly in terms of the extent to which they were prepared to compromise. There were tensions between key figures which were accommodated easily enough in the context of Irish opposition to Britain, but were potentially far more disruptive once the country was faced with governing itself. Finally, when Lloyd George offered to negotiate with the Irish, the key word was 'negotiate'. He was not admitting defeat, or surrendering, yet the astonishment in Ireland that the government was willing to discuss terms created an understandable sense of victory, which made the idea of a compromise on the question of a Republic impossible.

Having said that, the invitation to discuss the situation did represent a remarkable victory for the Irish. With a tiny guerrilla army, poorly equipped, they had finally forced a world power to take their demands seriously. It is therefore worth considering the reasons for Britain's decision to negotiate with the Irish. One of the most important was the damage which the increasingly vicious campaign in Ireland was having on the British reputation abroad. In particular, opinion in America was turning decidedly against the policy of official as well as unofficial reprisals, even among those politicians who had no association with Ireland. Of course, the Irish-American community and their leaders had long been critical of British policy, a feeling strengthened by the frequent propaganda trips taken by Irish leaders throughout the United States. Women in particular were active in this area, and figures such as Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, Constance Markievicz, Muriel MacSwiney and many others undertook nationwide lecture tours, describing the impact of British policy on Irish civilians. American support was crucial for Britain in the post-war years, yet the Irish situation was in danger of alienating it. Within Britain itself, there was a desire to resolve the apparently intractable Irish problem, and to enter properly a period of peace. The war-weariness in the country demanded some manner of settlement, for although the Irish conflict did not disrupt life in the manner of the Great War, it still represented a drain on resources, and continued a sense of conflict which many felt should have ended in 1918.

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