Today in Irish History - July 11 1921 - the Truce

[Mpande]

Today 90 years ago exactly was the last day of the Irish War of Independence. Article on it here.

http://www.theirishstory.com/2011/07...3-the-truce-2/

Some IRA units got their last attacks in before the imminent truce, as did loyalists in Belfast.

The rather sad irony is that a deal - offering Dominion status -ie roughly the same as the Treaty, had been on the table since December 1920. So the 1,000 dead between January-July 1921 essentially died in vain.

[C. Flower]

Today 90 years ago exactly was the last day of the Irish War of Independence. Article on it here.

http://www.theirishstory.com/2011/07...3-the-truce-2/

Some IRA units got their last attacks in before the imminent truce, as did loyalists in Belfast.

The rather sad ironoy is that a deal - offering Dominion status -ie roughly the same as the Treaty, had been on teh table since December 1920. So the 1,000 dead between January-July 1921 essentially died in vain.

Thanks for posting that. So that's why today is the "National Day of Comemmoration" - RTE managed to report it without mentioning the War of Independence...

"In view of the conversations now being entered into by our Government with the Government of Great Britain, and in pursuance of mutual conversations, active operations by our forces will be suspended as from noon, Monday, 11 July."

O’Malley wrote later that he was ‘bewildered’ by the order. The first senior IRA officers had heard of the Truce was this, ‘bald message’. Nevertheless, he had orders typed out and sent to the five IRA Brigades under his command across Munster.[1]

...

The bones of a peace deal had been on the table since the previous December – a British offer of Dominion status for an Irish state on the same territory asSouthern Ireland– the Home Rule entity outlined in he Government of Ireland Act of 1920.

[Mpande]

Thanks for posting that. So that's why today is the "National Day of Comemmoration" - RTE managed to report it without mentioning the War of Independence...

Just learned today that the National Day of Commemoration only goes back to 1986. Which is kind of odd.

The fact is that the state and its organs (RTE for instance) are actually quite embarrassed by the state's insurrectionary origins. Hence the downplaying of the origins of the day.

And the other sore point is that the truce was not, of course the end of armed conflict in Ireland, there was another round - even less palatable - between nationalists in 1922-23.

[C. Flower]

Just learned today that the National Day of Commemoration only goes back to 1986. Which is kind of odd.

The fact is that the state and its organs (RTE for instance) are actually quite embarrassed by the state's insurrectionary origins. Hence the downplaying of the origins of the day.

And the other sore point is that the truce was not, of course the end of armed conflict in Ireland, there was another round - even less palatable - between nationalists in 1922-23.

Had a long debate here once on why there was not more celebration of Independence. It turned out that the people who really care about it don't think we've got it, so don't want to celebrate. And, as you said, the establishment like to draw a veil on the way that new state's are very often born.

[Sam Lord]

Had a long debate here once on why there was not more celebration of Independence. It turned out that the people who really care about it don't think we've got it, so don't want to celebrate. And, as you said, the establishment like to draw a veil on the way that new state's are very often born.

I'm not sure why the date of the truce should be used to mark anything. Nothing was agreed at that stage. A Treaty still had to be negotiated, approved by the Dail etc.

[C. Flower]

I'm not sure why the date of the truce should be used to mark anything. Nothing was agreed at that stage. A Treaty still had to be negotiated, approved by the Dail etc.

Is there any date to do with the settlement with the British you feel worth a celebration, even a half-hearted one ?

[Sam Lord]

Is there any date to do with the settlement with the British you feel worth a celebration, even a half-hearted one ?

When the country is free I will celebrate..

[C. Flower]

When the country is free I will celebrate..

I think I'll save myself (and that dusty bottle of Smithwicks in the back of the cupboard) for the final victory of the World Revolution.

[Sam Lord]

I think I'll save myself (and that dusty bottle of Smithwicks in the back of the cupboard) for the final victory of the World Revolution.

I'm not sure that you will see all that.

But I'm finally beginning to believe that I will be celebrating in my lifetime. And I'm not a young man.

Not long now to the 100th anniversary of 1916. A good time to have another real go .... in Connolly's memory if nothing else.

[truth.ie]

Hand on heart, I have never even heard of this "National Day of Commemoration".
I have an Ireland calender in front of me, and it seems they haven't either.
July 11th is marked as ""Feest van de flaamse". A Belgian holiday.
No mention of any "National Day of Commemoration". Grand name for nothing.
Tomorrow the 12th, is marked for Public Holiday of course.

[truth.ie]

I'm not sure that you will see all that.

But I'm finally beginning to believe that I will be celebrating in my lifetime. And I'm not a young man.

Not long now to the 100th anniversary of 1916. A good time to have another real go .... in Connolly's memory if nothing else.

That was the only consolation I gave myself during the recent Queen visit.
The fact that in 1912, bigger crowds lined the route of the royal visit, and that 4 years later, they got their comeuppance.

[truth.ie]

Today 90 years ago exactly was the last day of the Irish War of Independence. Article on it here.

http://www.theirishstory.com/2011/07...3-the-truce-2/

Some IRA units got their last attacks in before the imminent truce, as did loyalists in Belfast.

The rather sad irony is that a deal - offering Dominion status -ie roughly the same as the Treaty, had been on the table since December 1920. So the 1,000 dead between January-July 1921 essentially died in vain.

Not sure if loyalists paid any heed to the Truce to be honest, nor did many of the Northern Brigades.
In fact the O.C of Derry City IRA was shot dead by a Loyalist sniper as he shimmied up a street light to pull down a Union Jack not long after the Truce.

[Sidewinder]

The embarrassed silence over this supposed "National Day Of Commemoration"; the complete lack of any sense of civic responsibility and loyalty to the State among ordinary people; the parochial clientelist gombeen political structures; the dreadful, underfunded, disorganised public services; the rampant State Capture by a whole parade of vested interests; the utter swamp of petty corruption and playground politics....

It all adds up to a shambling monstrosity, a bastard deformed pseudo-State that was never intended to actually survive.

Looks like the orthodox Republicans were right about this all along. The gombeen statelet must be destroyed.

[Dr. FIVE]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rysCiO7pPKo"]End of the Ice Age - Father Ted - YouTube[/ame]

[Jolly Red Giant]

The Truce marked the opening of a massive strike wave by workers all over the country.