Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921

• Irish delegation team:

  • Arthur Griffith
  • Michael Collins
  • Robert Barton
  • Eamonn Duggan
  • George Duffy
• British delegation team:

  • Lloyd George
  • Winston Churchill
  • Austin Chamberlain
  • Lord Birkenhead
• The Irish delegation wanted:

  • A republic independent of Britain
  • No border or partition between the north and south

  The British delegation wanted:

  • to keep Ireland within the British empire
  • to protect the Ulster Unionists
• The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6 December 1921, and its terms were:

  • Ireland would be a dominion within the British empire
  • Ireland would be known as the Irish Free State
  • There would be a governor general to represent the King
  • All TDs would take an oath of allegiance to the British Crown
  • Britain would keep 3 ports in Ireland - Berehaven, Lough Swilly, Cobh
  • A border/partition would be set up between the north and the south
• The signing of the treaty caused a split in the Dail, with some being pro-treaty and some anti-treaty.
• Pro Treaty Arguments (incl. Collins, Griffith):

  • War against Britain couldn't be funded any more
  • The treaty could be built on overtime
  • It was an improvement over Home Rule
  • Immediate peace with Britain was guaranteed
• Anti Treaty Arguments (incl. De Valera, Brugha):

  • The republic they fought for wasn't achieved
  • Better terms could have been achieved
  • Irish TDs shouldn't have to swear an oath to the Crown
  • It left Ireland partitioned
• The Treaty was voted on in the Dail, with 64:57 votes for Pro Treaty and Anti Treaty. De Valera resigned as president and left, along with his supporters. Griffith was elected President of the Dail.