The Irish Revolution, 1916-1923

The Irish Revolution, 1916—1923

This Seminar Studies volume is a concise study of the Irish revolution of 1916 to 1923, during which Ireland changed from a unified island that was an integral part of the United Kingdom to an island divided into an effectively independent 26-county Free State and a devolved government in Northern Ireland which remained within the UK.

Marie Coleman covers the key events from the Easter Rising to the Irish Civil War and incorporates the most recent historiography on the subject. The book treats key themes such as labour, gender, sectarianism, the nature of revolutionary violence and the social background and motivation of revolutionaries.

Irish Revolution
includes a document section that will introduce students to the principal primary sources relating to the events and themes covered in the text and further reading sections, all of which makes this the ideal introduction to the subject.

Marie Coleman
is a Lecturer in the School of History and Anthropology at the Queen's University of Belfast. She teaches on aspects of Irish history and the Irish revolution at second- and third-year undergraduate level, and is the author of two books,
The Irish Sweep: A History of the Irish Hospitals Sweepstake, 1930–1987
(2009) and
County Longford and the Irish Revolution, 1910–1923
(2003).

Introduction to the series

History is narrative constructed by historians from traces left by the past. Historical enquiry is often driven by contemporary issues and, in consequence, historical narratives are constantly reconsidered, reconstructed and reshaped. The fact that different historians have different perspectives on issues means that there is also often controversy and no universally agreed version of past events. Seminar Studies was designed to bridge the gap between current research and debate, and the broad, popular general surveys that often date rapidly.

The volumes in the series are written by historians who are not only familiar with the latest research and current debates concerning their topic, but who have themselves contributed to our understanding of the subject. The books are intended to provide the reader with a clear introduction to a major topic in history. They provide both a narrative of events and a critical analysis of contemporary interpretations. They include the kinds of tools generally omitted from specialist monographs: a chronology of events, a glossary of terms and brief biographies of ‘who's who'. They also include bibliographical essays in order to guide students to the literature on various aspects of the subject. Students and teachers alike will find that the selection of documents will stimulate discussion and offer insight into the raw materials used by historians in their attempt to understand the past.

Clive Emsley and Gordon Martel

Series Editors

The Irish Revolution, 1916—1923

Marie Coleman

For Aoife and Niamh Martin

First published 2014

by Routledge

2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN

and by Routledge

711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

© 2014 Marie Coleman

The right of Marie Coleman to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

A catalog record for this book has been requested

ISBN: 978-0-415-73687-9 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-1-408-27910-6 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-1-315-81341-7 (ebk)

Typeset in 10/13.5pt ITC Berkeley

by Graphicraft Limited, Hong Kong

Abbreviations

AARIR
  American Association for the Recognition of the Irish Republic

BMH
  Bureau of Military History

CBS
  Christian Brothers school

CID
  Criminal Investigation Department

DMP
  Dublin Metropolitan Police

FOIF
  Friends of Irish Freedom

GHQ
  General Headquarters

GPO
  General Post Office

ICA
  Irish Citizen Army

IPP
  Irish Parliamentary Party

IRA
  Irish Republican Army

IRB
  Irish Republican Brotherhood

ITGWU
  Irish Transport and General Workers Union

IVF
  Irish Volunteer Force

LGB
  Local Government Board

MP
  Member of Parliament

PRSTV
  Proportional representation (by single transferable vote)

RIC
  Royal Irish Constabulary

RUC
  Royal Ulster Constabulary

ROIA
  Restoration of Order in Ireland Act