The First Dail

• Sinn Fein (the party in power at the time) came together and formed a government in the Mansion House, on 21 January 1919. Only 27 TDs were present due to the rest being in jail or abroad. At the first meeting, a Declaration of Independence was issued, stating that they would establish an Irish republic and to put the declaration in place.

  Sinn Fein changed Ireland to gain control by:

  • Gaining control of the local government
  • Founded Sinn Fein courts to deal with people's court cases/crimes
  • Organised loans to run the new Dail, Collins raised £300k from the public.
• The Dail was declared illegal by Britain in 1919, who passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920 to put a Home Rule parliament in Ulster and Dublin. Sinn Fein rejected this and continuously demanded independence.