IRELAND’S DECADE OF commemorations continues this year as the country remembers 1921, the final year of fighting in the War of Independence.
The year of 1920 saw some of the most intense fighting and violence throughout the period. Much of what was planned to be commemorated last year was forced to be cancelled due to Covid-19 but some incidents were remembered.
Bloody Sunday in Croke Park and the Kilmichael Ambush of the following week were two which were remembered at both a local and national level.
The year of 1921 saw the continued cycle of attacks and reprisals throughout the country but as the year wore on the likelihood of a cessation grew.
Discussion around the commemorations this year is likely to lead to some difficult questions, particularly in the latter part of the year as Ireland remembers the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
To help you get in the mindset for the year, here is a non-exhaustive timeline of some of the events likely to be remembered and spoken about this year.
1 January 1921: Following the sacking of Cork the previous month, the military governor in Cork orders the burning of six houses in Midleton, Co Cork. It follows the killing of three policemen a number of days previous.
20 January 1921: A major ambush took place in Glenwood, Co Clare when six policemen were shot dead by members of the East Clare Brigade IRA.
2 February: The Longford Column of the IRA, under Sean MacEoin, ambushes two lorries carrying Auxiliaries at Clonfin, leaving four dead.
10 February: A raid on Paul Farrell’s flat on South Frederick Street fails in its target of capturing Richard Mulcahy, Chief of Staff of the IRA.
15 February: Six civilians are killed when an IRA ambush of a British troop train at Upton Station in Cork goes badly.
20 February: Twelve members of the Flying Column of the Fourth Battalion, First Cork Brigade were killed in an ambush near Clonmult. It was the greatest loss of life suffered by the volunteers in a single engagement during the War of Independence.
14 March: Six IRA men are hung in Mountjoy Jail; Thomas Bryan, Patrick Doyle, Frank Flood and Bernard Ryan. Flood was a friend of Kevin Barry and the pair are the youngest Volunteers to be executed during the War of Independence.
19 March: In terms of the numbers involved, the Crossbarry Ambush is one of the largest encounters of the War of Independence, making the front page of the New York Times the following day. The IRA claims over 30 thirty British are killed while official British figures say 10 were killed along with six IRA men.
21 March: The Headford Ambush in Kerry sees an IRA attack on a British troop train near Killarney. Two IRA men, three civilians and an unconfirmed number of British troops are killed.
21 April: An unofficial intermediary from the British government, Lord Derby, arrives in Dublin and meets with President of Dáil Éireann Eamon de Valera.
3 May: The Tourmakeady Ambush by the flying column of the South Mayo Brigade of the IRA, four RIC men are killed along with one IRA man.
19 May: In the town of Kilmeena, an ambush went badly for the West Mayo Brigade and a counter-attack from the British sees six Volunteers killed.
25: May: A large scale occupation of the Customs House in Dublin sees the building in flames and leads an estimated six IRA men being killed and dozens captured.
2 June: Two weeks after the failed attack in Kilmeena, the West Mayo Brigade led by Michael Kilroy win a significant victory at Carrowkennedy between Lennane and Westport. Seven members of an RIC patrol are killed.
22 June: King George V delivers a speech at the formal opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland and appeals for peace.
24 June: Prime Minister David Lloyd George invites De Valera to London to discuss a settlement.
24 June: The IRA bomb a troop train in Armagh. Four soldiers and two civilians are killed. 80 horses are also killed.
9 July: A truce is called between British and Irish forces, coming into effect as of noon on 11 July.
10 July: Four British soldiers and five IRA men are killed in a gun battle at Castlemaine, Co. Kerry. It is the last major engagements of the War of Independence.
11 July: Truce comes into effect at noon. It’s estimated that since the Easter Rising, about 2,000 people have been killed in the conflict, including 550 IRA volunteers, 410 RIC members and over 700 civilians.
14 September: Dáil meets and approves the delegation that are to attend the peace conference with the British side. De Valera announces he will not go and his decision is supported by Cathal Brugha, Austin Stack and Robert Barton and opposed by Arthur Griffith, Michael Collins and Willam Cosgrave.
11 October: Negotiations between the Irish and British governments begin in London, with the delegation of Irish plenipotentiaries led by Griffith.
Talks last for almost two months and include tense communications back and forth between the Irish negotiators in London and the rest of the government in Dublin.
6 December: The Anglo-Irish Treaty is signed but still needs to be ratified by the elected representatives of both Britain and Ireland.
14 December: The Dáil begins debate on the Treaty, which continues into the new year.
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