1.+f)+The+Irish+War+of+Independence


 * The Irish War of Independence **

The IRA focussed their attacks on the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), the British police in Ireland. These attacks made the British believe that the IRA was nothing more than a terrorist group. There are a few names given to this war such as the Irish War of Independence, The Anglo-Irish War and The Black and Tan War. The war began in 1919 and ended in 1921 with the Anglo-Irish Peace Treaty. It is difficult to say what the defining moment was for the start of the war but one particular event that occurred on the 21st of January 1919 is said to have been the catalyst. The event happened the same day that the Dail convened. On this day several IRA members went independently to soloheadbeg in County Tipperary and shot two RIC guards. The British took this as an act of war, however, the dail took a long time to acknowedge that they were in state of war with England. It wasn't until April 1921 that the Dail officially acknowledged a state of war with Ireland. Between 1919 and 1921 there was very limited violence. The IRA targeted RIC stations for arms. Many of the smaller RIC stations in rural areas were abondoned with the police moving to larger towns. The British responded through attacks on republican activists and the civilian population. Arthur Griffith estimated that in the first 18 months of the conflict, British forces carried out 38,720 raids on private homes, arrested 4,982 suspects, committed 1,604 armed assaults, carried out 102 indiscriminate shootings and burning in towns and villages, and killed 77 people including women and children. [] Firstly the Lord Mayor of Cork died in a London prison from a hunger strike. Two other IRA members also died from a hunger strike in a Cork prison. On the 21st of November 1920 there were many lives lost. Michael Collins' IRA squad shot 19 men killing 14 of them. People that were among those sots were British police officers, civilians and members of the Cairo gang (a group that leaked information about the IRA to the British). In response to this the British Auxillary unit rolled in a tank during a Gaelic football match and began to shoot into the crowd. 14 civilians were killed and many others wounded. Three IRA members were also killed at Dublin Castle. The British started to lauch reprisal attacks (reprisal attacks are attacks against another soverign state). This event was known as the first Bloody Sunday at Croke Park. A week after this event the IRA of West Cork killed all but one of the 18 man auxillary patrol unit. By December 1920 the British were burning houses and the entire sentre of Cork was burnt out by the British. From the beginning of 1921 to July 1921 1,000 deaths occured. 4,500 IRA personnel were imprisoned. Finally the Dail declared war on Britain in March 1921. The British executed 24 men between November 1920 and June 1921.There were various fights between the IRA and the Black and Tans such as the event that occured on the 25th of May 1921. This day was the biggest loss of lives for the IRA. They burnt down the Customs House in Dublin. The Dublin Brigade of the IRA carried out many attacks in the city in both May and June. By June the IRA was running short of ammunition and men. The impacts of the IRA were significant. Around 400 RIC stations were burned to the ground by the IRA to prevent them being used again by the RIC. Much of the countryside was left in the hands of the IRA. The court systems also collapsed as jurors never attended hearings. Police in the RIC lost faith in the court system and many retired and left the police force. The Dail introduced the Irish Republican Police and these were installed throught majority of the counties. Next the emerging republic had to raise funds. Loans were set up which people funded and the Irish Americans raised money and sent it over. Councils were still collecting taxes but of course the Sinn Fein refused to pass these on. The reality of an Irish Republic was real. They were governing themselves by the 1920's. View the video below: media type="custom" key="20077810"
 * The violence worsenses in the 1920's**
 * The peak of the Violence**
 * The impacts**