Truce ~ Treaty
1921-1922
Anyone following this "extracts" history of
1922 period will know that we are working from reports as published
in our local Carlow newspaper.
The copies of the Nationalist and Leinster
Times that we have found in the PPP date from January 1922 to
January 1923.
Because it can be still be regarded as
controversial I have skipped details relating to the treaty
negotiations of 1921 which were a prelude to the signing of the
Anglo / Irish Treaty of December 1921.
There are dozens of sources for research
dealing with this period. I hope this effort will encourage others
to study them. One of the benefits of publishing the data to the
Carlow List in this fashion is that any Lister may question any
item, and if anyone feels I am being biased please pull me up. I do
have opinions on the people and events of the period but I will do
my best to keep them to myself.
As most of the reported incidents occurred
during the Truce I feel it is necessary to give a little background
on same, we can then resume the Nationalist reports from March 1922.
The main terms of the Truce between the
Irish and British governments came into effect at noon on Monday,
July 11th 1921.
On behalf of the British Military it was
agreed:
- No further movements for military purposes of
Military Troops, Royal Irish Constabulary, Auxiliary
Police or munitions.
- No provocative display of Forces, armed or unarmed.
- No pursuit of Irish officers or men or war material
or stores.
- No secret agents, noting descriptions or movements,
and no interference with the movements of Irish persons,
military or civil, and no attempts to discover the
haunts or habits of Irishmen.
- No pursuit or observance of lines of communication
or connection.
- No Curfew restrictions.
- On behalf of the Irish Republican Army it was
agreed:
- Attacks on Crown Forces and civilians to cease.
- No provocative displays of Forces, armed or unarmed.
- No interference with Government or private property.
- And to discountenance and prevent any action likely
to cause disturbance of the peace which might
necessitate military interference.
- President de Valera issued a proclamation; "During
the period of the truce each individual soldier and
citizen must regard himself as a custodian of the
nation's honour" he ordered that they "should hold
themselves ready for mobilisation if force was resumed
against our nation"
- The men of the Irish Republican Army were free to
return to their homes.
A few hours before the Truce came into force
the following was reported by the Officer Commanding, H. Company,
Cork No. 1 Brigade, Irish Republican Army. "At 8pm we held up four
British soldiers and searched them, but found no arms. We took them
to a field in our area where they were executed before 9pm.”
The above is a true and
accurate transcript of the original document.
- Transcribed by M. Purcell c2010.
- Old newspapers in the PPP.
Military Service Pensions Collections
- Carlow
Brigade -
The Document (108 pages) includes a lot of names of
persons involved in Activities in Carlow during 1920 and 1921
Website Link:
http://mspcsearch.militaryarchives.ie/docs/files//PDF_Membership/7/A67%20Carlow%20Brigade.pdf