The Irish Civil War broke out in 1922 after the...
History376 views·Updated 29 Jul 2026·2 pagesHigher History Essay on Ireland and Britain: Irish Civil War Causes
K
Katie @katiekeenan8
1
of 2
Background and the Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6th December 1921, officially ending the war between Ireland and Britain. However, this treaty became the spark that ignited a devastating civil war amongst the Irish themselves.
The treaty was a mixed bag of wins and losses for Ireland. On the positive side, it offered an alternative to continuing an unwinnable war against Britain and was seen as the best compromise available at the time. However, the downsides were significant - Ireland had to maintain dominion status within the British Commonwealth, meaning they were still tied to Britain rather than being truly independent.
Perhaps most controversially, Irish representatives had to swear an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. For people who had just fought a war for independence, pledging loyalty to the very monarchy they'd been fighting against felt like betrayal. This requirement alone was enough to split the Republican movement down the middle.
Key Point: The treaty created a fundamental divide between those who saw it as a stepping stone to full independence and those who viewed it as a betrayal of everything they'd fought for.
The Republican Party fractured completely over this issue. Michael Collins signed the treaty because he believed it could lead to full independence later, but Éamon de Valera rejected it, arguing it wasn't what so many had died for during the struggle.
2
of 2
Key Figures in the Civil War
Michael Collins found himself in an impossible position after signing the treaty. He'd been pressured to sign under the threat of renewed war with Britain, viewing it as necessary to uphold democracy and benefit all Irish people. However, his decision to shell the Four Courts in Dublin (where anti-treaty forces had taken position) marked the beginning of violent civil conflict.
Collins genuinely didn't want the war to continue and felt the treaty was the only realistic option available. Yet many former comrades now saw him as a traitor to those who had died fighting for complete independence. The man who had been a hero of the independence struggle was now ordering attacks on fellow Irishmen.
Éamon de Valera played a complex and somewhat contradictory role in the conflict. He felt he should have been consulted before the treaty was signed and publicly stated he wanted peace, not war. However, his actions told a different story - he allowed military leaders like Liam Lynch to use guerrilla tactics against pro-treaty forces.
Key Point: The British government's refusal to grant complete independence created the conditions for civil war, but then left the Irish to fight it out amongst themselves.
The British government cleverly avoided direct involvement in the civil war. Rather than dealing with anti-treaty forces themselves, they forced Collins and the provisional Irish government to handle the situation. This meant Irish people were fighting Irish people over a treaty that Britain had imposed, while Britain stayed safely on the sidelines.
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History376 views·Updated 29 Jul 2026·2 pagesHigher History Essay on Ireland and Britain: Irish Civil War Causes
K
Katie @katiekeenan8
The Irish Civil War broke out in 1922 after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which ended the war with Britain but left Ireland deeply divided. This wasn't the full independence many Irish Republicans had fought for, creating a bitter...
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of 2
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Background and the Anglo-Irish Treaty
The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6th December 1921, officially ending the war between Ireland and Britain. However, this treaty became the spark that ignited a devastating civil war amongst the Irish themselves.
The treaty was a mixed bag of wins and losses for Ireland. On the positive side, it offered an alternative to continuing an unwinnable war against Britain and was seen as the best compromise available at the time. However, the downsides were significant - Ireland had to maintain dominion status within the British Commonwealth, meaning they were still tied to Britain rather than being truly independent.
Perhaps most controversially, Irish representatives had to swear an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. For people who had just fought a war for independence, pledging loyalty to the very monarchy they'd been fighting against felt like betrayal. This requirement alone was enough to split the Republican movement down the middle.
Key Point: The treaty created a fundamental divide between those who saw it as a stepping stone to full independence and those who viewed it as a betrayal of everything they'd fought for.
The Republican Party fractured completely over this issue. Michael Collins signed the treaty because he believed it could lead to full independence later, but Éamon de Valera rejected it, arguing it wasn't what so many had died for during the struggle.
2
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Key Figures in the Civil War
Michael Collins found himself in an impossible position after signing the treaty. He'd been pressured to sign under the threat of renewed war with Britain, viewing it as necessary to uphold democracy and benefit all Irish people. However, his decision to shell the Four Courts in Dublin (where anti-treaty forces had taken position) marked the beginning of violent civil conflict.
Collins genuinely didn't want the war to continue and felt the treaty was the only realistic option available. Yet many former comrades now saw him as a traitor to those who had died fighting for complete independence. The man who had been a hero of the independence struggle was now ordering attacks on fellow Irishmen.
Éamon de Valera played a complex and somewhat contradictory role in the conflict. He felt he should have been consulted before the treaty was signed and publicly stated he wanted peace, not war. However, his actions told a different story - he allowed military leaders like Liam Lynch to use guerrilla tactics against pro-treaty forces.
Key Point: The British government's refusal to grant complete independence created the conditions for civil war, but then left the Irish to fight it out amongst themselves.
The British government cleverly avoided direct involvement in the civil war. Rather than dealing with anti-treaty forces themselves, they forced Collins and the provisional Irish government to handle the situation. This meant Irish people were fighting Irish people over a treaty that Britain had imposed, while Britain stayed safely on the sidelines.
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