The Irish Civil War began in Dublin, June 1922 between the anti-treaty and the pro-treaty parties. The treaty they were either for or against was the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The anti-treaty party opposed Michael Collins because he was one of the authors of the Treaty. They thought him a traitor for allowing Ireland to stay under the British Commonwealth. The pro-treaty party supported Collins because without him the Treaty would not have been written, and Ireland would not have gained any independence. Although the Ireland was still apart of the British Empire, the Treaty allowed for a self-governing Irish Free State. These two facts split the IRA and other Irish nationalists into the pro- and anti-treaty parties.
The Irish Civil War began with the Battle of Dublin. The anti-treaty activists attacked and occupied the Four Courts complex in Dublin, where members of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State were, on June 28, 1922. Battles in the streets occurred for eight days. But the Provisional Government had British support, and resorted to shelling the anti-treaty radicals into submission. This Battle ended on July 5, 1922, but the War had erupted.
The War lasted for nearly a year. The Provisional Government became the Free State Army with Michael Collins as the commanding General. The Free State Army won with the British support they had, but Ireland remained divided for generations. It ended on May 24, 1923, but General Collins was not alive to see it. He was in the County of Cork, his county of birth as well as the stronghold of the anti-treaty militants, seeking peace when he was shot dead on August 22, 1922 by men who had once fought along side him. (See Assassination)
The Irish Civil War began with the Battle of Dublin. The anti-treaty activists attacked and occupied the Four Courts complex in Dublin, where members of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State were, on June 28, 1922. Battles in the streets occurred for eight days. But the Provisional Government had British support, and resorted to shelling the anti-treaty radicals into submission. This Battle ended on July 5, 1922, but the War had erupted.
The War lasted for nearly a year. The Provisional Government became the Free State Army with Michael Collins as the commanding General. The Free State Army won with the British support they had, but Ireland remained divided for generations. It ended on May 24, 1923, but General Collins was not alive to see it. He was in the County of Cork, his county of birth as well as the stronghold of the anti-treaty militants, seeking peace when he was shot dead on August 22, 1922 by men who had once fought along side him. (See Assassination)