IFI Irish Film Archive

The Great Cork Treaty

Year1922 Duration2m 38s

This newsreel records Michael Collins addresses an audience gathered at the Grand Parade in Cork City, praising the Anglo-Irish Treaty, and receiving an enthusiastic reception. It’s not too long before the crowd is seen surging backwards as several men begin to fire their guns in the crowd. Michael Collins described the Treaty as “the freedom to achieve freedom”. In practice,, the Treaty offered most of the symbols and powers of independence. These included a functioning, if disputed, parliamentary democracy with its own executive, judiciary and written constitution which could be changed by the Oireachtas. Although a Republic was not an option at the time, the Treaty still afforded Ireland more internal independence than it had possessed in over 400 years, and far exceeded the most optimistic goals of the Home Rule movement.

“Our Cameraman was there”. Michael Collins endorses the Anglo-Irish Treaty to an audience gathered at the Grand Parade in Cork City, where he receives an enthusiastic reception. It’s not too long before the crowd is seen surging backwards as several men begin to fire their guns in the crowd. This is the same footage that’s featured in “The Great Cork Treaty” newsreel. Michael Collins described The Treaty as “the freedom to achieve freedom”. In practice, The Treaty offered most of the symbols and powers of independence. These included a functioning, if disputed, parliamentary democracy with its own executive, judiciary and a written constitution which could be changed by the Oireachtas. Although a Republic was not an option at the time, The Treaty still afforded Ireland more internal independence than it had possessed in over 400 years, and far exceeded the most optimistic goals of the Home Rule movement.

43s

Fighting Speech

This now famous piece of footage, shows Michael Collins addressing the Anglo-Irish Treaty to a huge crowd gathered outside College Green, March 1922. Michael Collins described the Treaty as “the freedom to achieve freedom”. In practice, the Treaty offered most of the symbols and powers of independence. These included a functioning, if disputed, parliamentary democracy with its own executive, judiciary and written constitution which could be changed by the Oireachtas. Although a republic was not an option at the time, the Treaty still afforded Ireland more internal independence than it had possessed in over 400 years, and far exceeded the most optimistic goals of the Home Rule movement.

1m 10s

The Outgoing President

In this newsreel the Ministry and members of the Republican Party who opposed the Treaty stand for the camera after contesting the policy of the Free State Party at the elections in 1922. On 14th January 1922 a meeting of the members elected to the House of Commons of Southern Ireland was held at the Mansion House, Dublin. At the meeting the Anglo-Irish Treaty was ratified by the Irish side and a Provisional Government was elected. Michael Collins was appointed its Chairman and the Provisional Government took up office two days later on January 16th 1922 when the British administration handed over Dublin Castle to Collins in person. 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.

1m 25s

The Surrender of Dublin Castle

Dublin Castle was originally built at a defensive fortification during the Norman period. It evolved into a symbol and citadel of British rule for centuries, housing the mechanisms of the British government in Ireland. The Viceroy of Ireland, Lord FitzAlan-Howard the representative of the British crown, resided in the Castle and can be seen in this newsreel getting into a car and exiting the gateway to a jeering crowd. In the courtyard soldiers on parade hold their guns raised ready to fire salute (it is unclear if these are British troops). Michael Collins, the Chairman (Prime Minister) of the Provisional Government of Ireland created under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, accepted control of Dublin Castle. The handover symbolised the end of British rule in Ireland, even though the Irish Free State would remain part of the Commonwealth until 1949.

6m 20s

Dublin Rebellion

In this newsreel British Troops march through the streets of Dublin and stand guard over the ruins of buildings in Dublin’s main thoroughfare, Sackville Street (two years after these events the street would be renamed O’Connell Street after the nationalist leader Daniel O’Connell). The city of Dublin is in ruins and smoke continues to billow from the GPO, the Four Courts and the Metropole Hotel. Civilians stand on piles of rubble and observe the destruction far more closely than they would be allowed to today… This footage was first screened in public on May 6th 1916, just one week after the events of the Easter Rising (April 24th -29th ). The Easter Rising was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week, April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish Republicans to end British rule in Ireland and to establish an independent Irish Republic while the United Kingdom was heavily engaged in the First World War. It was the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798, and the first armed action of the Irish revolutionary period (which would ultimately lead to the creation of the Irish Free State).

1m 07s

Further Pictures of Irish Peace

This newsreel depicts the immediate aftermath of the Anglo-Irish Peace Treaty on December 6th 1921, showing the release of 1,700 internees from Ballykinlar internment camp. In the aftermath of Bloody Sunday, November 21st 1920, the British authorities arrested hundreds of republicans and opened several internment camps throughout Ireland. The first internment camp was this one at Ballykinlar, in Co. Down, while the volume of arrests was so great that additional camps had to be established at Gormanstown, Co. Dublin; Bere Island and Spike Island, Co. Cork; and at the Curragh, in Co. Kildare. Opened in December 1920 Ballykinlar Camp was situated on the Co. Down coast at the mouth of Dundrum Bay, about three miles from Dundrum village between Downpatrick and Newcastle. Over the following year 2,000 men were interned at Ballykinlar.Three days later after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, on December 9th 1921, all Republican prisoners were released from Ballykinlar. Three special trains brought the men to Dublin, from where the internees made their own way to their home Counties. The trains were attacked by loyalist mobs with gunfire, bricks and stones at several locations. The Leinster Leader however on, December 17th 1921, reported on the release of the Ballykinlar and Curragh Camp internees, remarking that the reception in Athy was ‘a very warmhearted one’.