The Treaty debate - a close-run thing

The crowd in the street outside knew the result before the TDs inside the building.

This was no whim, no idle gesture. The final tally showed what forces and passions had come into play. It showed how nothing could be taken for granted. Perhaps because he saw how many of the best front-line fighters were against the Treaty already, Michael Collins knew that a majority for the Treaty at the cabinet table did not guarantee a similar majority in the Dáil.

The military wireless network, that instantly linked every army unit across the island, was over budget and behind schedule, but it was finally complete that December. "It would be ridiculous to think that we could send five men to complete a treaty without the right of ratification by this assembly. That is the only thing that matters. Therefore it is agreed that this Treaty is simply an agreement and that it is not binding until the Dáil ratifies it."

British Prime Minister Lloyd George had offered the Boundary Commission as a way of agreeing the territory of the new entity in the northeast of the island – in a way that would render a separate Northern Ireland unviable. Lloyd George intended the Irish negotiators to see it like that, and they did. The horrified reaction of unionist leaders to the proposed commission only confirmed their belief.

He picked up on a remark by Cathal Brugha, that the Dáil was prepared for war, if it came. As a plain soldier, he felt it important to read into the record the facts. Tipperary IRA officer Dan Breen: 'I would never have handled a gun or fired a shot... to obtain this Treaty'. Credit: National Library of Ireland

Griffith claimed that neither side had bound their hands by signing the Treaty, both had to answer to their respective parliaments.De Valera pressed back on the issue of the powers of the delegates. In particular, he returned to the exchanges during the chaotic cabinet meeting of 3 December in Dublin, at which, de Valera reminded Griffith, he had undertaken not to sign without referring back to Dublin.

Excellent piece by Mr. McElhatton describing the crisis of conscience felt by all elected representative, both pro and anti treaty. Overriding impression I have is how badly the whole episode - incl. London negotiations - was handled by Dev

1914-18 war, 1916 Easter rising, 1918-1919 Spanish flue, 1919-21 war of independence, 1922-1923 the civil war. We think we having it bad.

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