1. Explain the following terms: (a) TDs (b) Dáil Éireann (c) IRA
2. Why did de Valera travel to the USA? 3. What reforms did the Irish Dáil make? 4. What event marked the beginning of the Irish War of Independence? 5. Who was in charge of the IRA?
The IRA
Michael Collins was Director of Intelligence for the Volunteers. He organised a wide network of spies throughout Ireland. He used information from these spies to arrange for attacks throughout Ireland against the police force, the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). Instead of fighting the British army in open warfare, Collins used guerrilla (this is the Spanish word for ‘little war’) warfare. This involved small numbers of volunteers planting bombs and carrying out ambushes and killings. They did not wear uniforms so it was easy for them to mingle and blend in with the population after any attack. These groups of guerrilla fighters were known as flying columns due to the speed of their attacks. Collins knew that many rebellions had been defeated due to British informants (people who told the British the plans for the rebellions). To avoid this, Collins organised a small group of assassins called The Squad. They killed anyone who was thought to be a British spy or informant.
British forces
In early 1920, the British government decided to deal with the increasing number of attacks by Collins’s flying columns. A large number of ex-soldiers from World War I in Britain were unemployed so the British government sent them to Ireland. They did not have proper uniforms, but used khaki (a colour also known as ‘tan’) uniforms mixed with RIC jackets which were black and green. For this reason they became known as the Black and Tans. Later, the British government also sent ex-army officers who were known as Auxiliaries. By the end of 1920 there were over 40,000 men in the British army and police force in Ireland.
Fig 15.29 Very few clear photos of Michael Collins were available at this time so he was able to travel around Dublin on his bicycle under the noses of the British security forces who were anxiously trying to find him.
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Fig 15.30 A group of Black and Tans guarding a street in Dublin after a shooting. 421