The fighting continued to worsen until a truce was negotiated between the Irish Republic and the British. The truce went into effect on July 11, 1921. The truce was negotiated so that political solutions could begin to be negotiated. An Irish Delegation led by Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith was sent to Britain in December 1921. The negotiations were concluded with the Irish delegation signing the treaty. The treaty disestablished the Irish Republic that was formed in 1919, yet it created a new Irish Free State. This new free state would consist of twenty six of the thirty two Irish Counties. The Irish free state had much more independence than the home rule act of 1912 would have given the Irish people. The Republican government would still have to swear allegience to the crown as a member of the British Empire. The British also retained three naval bases along the coast of Ireland. |
Many people in the IRA disagreed with the treaty. For many republicans and nationalists, it was viewed as a step backwards. They believed that this was dishonoring the Martyrs of 1916. That the IRA should not rest until the Irish people live under their own government. Others saw this as step towards freedom. They saw the treaty as getting a foot in the door of liberty and independence. This divide over the Anglo-Irish Treaty led to the bloody conflict known as the Irish Civil War. |