The Resurrection of Ireland : The Sinn Féin Party, 1916–1923

Between 1916 and 1923 Ireland experienced a political, as well as a military revolution. This book examines how, after the Easter Rising of 1916, radical revolutionaries formed a precarious coalition with (relatively) moderate politicians, and offers a sustained analysis of the political organisation of Irish republicanism during a crucial period. The new Sinn Féin party routed its enemies, co-operated uneasily with the underground Irish government, which it had helped to create, and achieved most of its objectives before disintegrating in 1922. Its rapid collapse should not distract from its achievements - in particular its role in 'democratising' the Irish revolution. Its successors have dominated the political life of independent Ireland. The book studies in detail the party's membership and ideology, and also its often tense relationship with the Irish Republican Army. A final chapter examines the fluctuating careers of the later Sinn Féin parties throughout the rest of the twentieth century. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 CONTENTS......Page 9 ILLUSTRATIONS......Page 10 FIGURES AND TABLES......Page 12 PREFACE......Page 13 NOTE ON THE TEXT......Page 16 ABBREVIATIONS......Page 17 PROLOUGE: BEFORE THE EASTER RISING......Page 21 1 IRISH NATIONALISTS: POLITICIANS AND REBELS......Page 23 Home rulers and their enemies......Page 25 The IRB and the Volunteers......Page 31 Arthur Griffith......Page 36 The first Sinn Féin......Page 40 North Leitrim......Page 45 Decline......Page 50 Conspirators......Page 54 THE IRISH REVOLUTION, 1916–1923......Page 61 Insurrection......Page 63 Executions and arrests......Page 69 The death of home rule......Page 76 The Irish Nation League......Page 82 Prisoners and their comforters......Page 84 Sinn Féin without Griffith......Page 88 West Cork......Page 93 Transition......Page 95 North Roscommon......Page 97 Uneasy allies......Page 105 The Plunkett convention......Page 110 Expansion......Page 113 South Longford......Page 116 The Liberty League......Page 123 East Clare and Kilkenny......Page 126 The by-elections......Page 133 The October convention......Page 136 Three defeats......Page 142 Conscription......Page 148 ‘To die on their own doorstep’......Page 153 The Church and the pledge......Page 158 The ‘German plot’......Page 162 East Cavan......Page 166 Preparations......Page 169 Opponents......Page 176 Triumph......Page 182 Theory......Page 189 Practice......Page 193 Money......Page 197 Headquarters......Page 200 Members......Page 203 Volunteers......Page 213 The clergy......Page 218 Women......Page 221 Roots and branches......Page 224 6 POLICY: BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES......Page 234 Abstractions......Page 235 The past......Page 240 Unionists and others......Page 243 Language......Page 253 The republic......Page 260 Violence......Page 267 The peace conference......Page 270 Class conflict......Page 272 Propaganda......Page 279 7 WAR AND REPRESSION 1919–1921......Page 286 Skirmishes......Page 287 After Soloheadbeg......Page 291 Soldiers and politicians......Page 297 Suppression......Page 304 Escalation......Page 311 The truce......Page 317 The first Dáil......Page 324 Republican courts......Page 330 Subordination......Page 338 The 1920 local elections......Page 343 Administration......Page 349 The ‘Partition Act’......Page 352 The 1921 elections......Page 356 Revival......Page 361 Manoeuvres......Page 366 Purists and pragmatists......Page 370 Divisions......Page 380 The republican reaction......Page 383 The February ard-fheis......Page 390 The army split......Page 394 The spring campaign......Page 398 10 THE PACT ELECTION AND THE CIVIL WAR, 1922–1923......Page 406 The Collins–de Valera pact......Page 407 The summer campaign......Page 411 The people’s vote......Page 419 Civil war......Page 431 Closing time......Page 437 Cumann na nGaedheal......Page 440 The republican party......Page 442 EPILOGUE: AFTER THE CIVIL WAR......Page 451 11 IRISH REPUBLICANS: FUNDAMENTALISTS AND COMPROMISERS......Page 453 The third Sinn Féin......Page 455 De Valera’s departure......Page 460 On the periphery......Page 463 The lure of politics......Page 470 The ballot paper and the armalite......Page 474 Continuities and contrasts......Page 481 BELFAST......Page 486 DUBLIN......Page 487 NATIONAL ARCHIVES, DUBLIN......Page 489 DUBLIN......Page 490 Contemporaneous published writings......Page 491 Other printed primary sources......Page 492 Newspapers and periodicals......Page 493 Guides, bibliographies and works of reference......Page 495 Books, articles and dissertations......Page 496 Interviews......Page 510 INDEX......Page 511 Between 1916 and 1923 Ireland experienced a political as well as a military revolution. This book examines how, after the Easter Rising of 1916, radical revolutionaries formed a precarious coalition with (relatively) moderate politicians, offering a sustained analysis of the political organisation of Irish republicanism during a crucial period. The new Sinn FEin party routed its enemies, co-operated uneasily with the underground Irish government which it had helped to create, and achieved most of its objectives before disintegrating in 1922. Its rapid collapse should not distract from its achievements - in particular its role in 'democratising' the Irish revolution. Its successors have dominated the political life of independent Ireland. The book studies in some detail the party's membership and ideology, and also its often tense relationship with the Irish Republican Army. A final chapter examines the fluctuating careers of the later Sinn FEin parties throughout the rest of the twentieth century. Between 1916 And 1923 Ireland Experienced A Political As Well As A Military Revolution. This Book Examines How, After The Easter Rising Of 1916, Radical Revolutionaries Formed A Precarious Coalition With (relatively) Moderate Politicians, And Analyses The Political Organization Of Irish Republicanism During A Crucial Period.--jacket. Irish Nationalists : Politicians And Rebels -- Rebellion And Hibernation, 1916 -- Organizers And Converts, 1917 -- Reverses And Victory, 1918 -- The Party : Structures And Members -- Policy : Beliefs And Attitudes -- War And Repression, 1919-1921 -- Ministers And Bureaucrats, 1919-1921 -- The Treaty And The Split, 1921-1922 -- The Pact Election And The Civil War, 1922-1923. Michael Laffan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 466-490) And Index. Between 1916 and 1923 Ireland experienced a political as well as a military revolution. This book examines how--after the Easter Rising of 1916--radical revolutionaries formed a precarious coalition with (relatively) moderate politicians. The new Sinn F?in party routed its enemies, cooperated uneasily with the underground Irish government, and achieved most of its objectives before disintegrating in 1922. Its rapid collapse should not distract from its achievements--in particular its role in "democratizing" the Irish revolution--while its successors since have dominated the political life of independent Ireland. This book offers an analysis of the political organisation of Irish republicanism after the Easter Rising of 1916, studying the triumphant but short-lived Sinn Féin party which vanquished its enemy, co-operated uneasily with its military ally, and 'democratised' the anti-British campaign. Its successors have dominated the politics of independent Ireland Between 1916-1923, Ireland experienced both political and military revolution. This book examines how, after the Easter Rising of 1916, radical revolutionaries formed a precarious coalition with (relatively) moderate politicians On 16 June 1904, as Leopold Bloom walked the streets of Dublin, he paused to browse in a bookshop at Merchant's Arch.