Belfast celebrates as the Northern Ireland parliament is opened.
Unionists swept to power in Northern Ireland. The following month, on 7 June 1921, the Northern Ireland parliament was opened in Belfast City Hall by King George V. In his opening speech the King declared that he hoped his ‘coming to Ireland … may prove to be the first step towards an end of strife among her people’. The King’s speech provided Lloyd George with the opportunity to approach de Valera to begin peace talks. Secret communications had already been taking place since de Valera’s return from the USA, but now it could be publicly acknowledged that talks were under way.
The Truce
Lloyd George was eager to come to terms. Southern
Ireland was
supposed to open its Home Rule parliament by 28 June, but following the May election, and the events of the previous years, that was not going to happen. And if the June deadline passed without agreement, then the British government would have to impose direct control over Southern Ireland, which would only lead to further violence and public outrage.
Black and Tans socialise with Dubliners during the truce.
When King George V appealed for peace at the opening of the Northern Ireland parliament, Lloyd George immediately offered to hold talks with Sinn Féin and the Northern Unionist government about finding a solution to the Irish crisis. De Valera insisted that, before talks could take place, the British must call a truce. Lloyd George agreed. A truce was called on 11 July 1921, ending all official hostilities between the IRA and crown forces.
THE PURSUIT OF SOVEREIGNTY AND THE IMPACT OF PARTITION, 1912–1949 149
