IFI Irish Film Archive
Introduction: The Civil War 1922 with Lar Joye
Duration2m 47s
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The Irreconcilable Mr. De Valera
This footage shot on March 1922 shows Éamon de Valera standing on a podium giving an animatedly irate speech to a large gathering of people on Sackville street in Dublin (O’Connell Street). In this speech he said if the Treaty was accepted, it might be necessary to “wade through Irish blood” to achieve Irish freedom. Many of de Valera’s enemies stated this would encourage Civil War. The Irish Civil War started on June 28th that year and ended May 1923 when the pro-treaty Free State forces beat the anti-Treaty IRA. The Treaty, which would replace the Republic as a dominion of the British Commonwealth, was signed on December 6th. De Valera was not happy with the signing of it as he had stipulated that regardless of the outcome, that delegates should not be pressured into any agreements and should return to consult with the cabinet and him, their President. After the Treaty was narrowly ratified, de Valera and a large majority of Sinn Féin T.D.s left Dáil Éireann and Arthur Griffith was elected President.
Historic Pictures
This newsreel shows pictures of the elected representatives of Southern Ireland who approved the Anglo -Irish Treaty alongside members of the provisional government. Figures include Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith in the front row. The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in London on December 6th 1921 and Dáil Éireann voted to approve the treaty on January 7th 1922, following a lengthly debate. The vote was 64 in favour, 57 against, with the Ceann Comhairle (Dáil Éireann chairperson) and three others not voting. The Sinn Féin party split into opposing sides in the aftermath of the Treaty vote, which led to the Irish Civil War from June 1922 to May 1923.
The Irreconcilable Mr. De Valera
This footage shot on March 1922 shows Éamon de Valera standing on a podium giving an animatedly irate speech to a large gathering of people on Sackville street in Dublin (O’Connell Street). In this speech he said if the Treaty was accepted, it might be necessary to “wade through Irish blood” to achieve Irish freedom. Many of de Valera’s enemies stated this would encourage Civil War. The Irish Civil War started on June 28th that year and ended May 1923 when the pro-treaty Free State forces beat the anti-Treaty IRA. The Treaty, which would replace the Republic as a dominion of the British Commonwealth, was signed on December 6th. De Valera was not happy with the signing of it as he had stipulated that regardless of the outcome the delegates should not be pressured into any agreements and should return to consult with the cabinet and him, their President. After the Treaty was narrowly ratified, de Valera and a large majority of Sinn Féin T.D.s left Dáil Éireann and Arthur Griffith was elected President.
Wexford Treaty Meeting
On April 8th 1922, Michael Collins visited Wexford Town where he made a speech at St. Peter’s Square to a large crowd. In this newsreel, we see some disruption caused by the anti-Treaty IRA. Train tracks were tampered with and in some cases lines were torn up. This was done to stop people from travelling to see Michael Collins and indicates the unrest in the country at the time as a result of the recent political developments. In his speech in Wexford Collins stated “No good can come of a division among ourselves, from civil war, from mutiny…”