A Free State soldier is overpowered by an Irregular
This photo was taken during the Civil War. It shows an Irregular (a Free State term for Anti-Treaty) soldier in plain clothes capturing a Free State Soldier in uniform . The photo was used by the Anti-Treaty side for propaganda purposes and was probably staged.
Permanent Collection
Watch a clip from an RTE documentary about the Irish Civil War:
Newsletter published by the Anti-Treaty forces at the start of the Civil War
The Anti-Treaty War News includes a report dated 29th of June: “The attack on the Four Courts… is a complete failure…Despite continuous heavy gun and rifle fire, the defences of the Four Courts are intact.”
In fact, shelling by the Free State Army, which began on the 28th of June and precipitated outright Civil War, brought about the surrender of the Anti-Treaty’s Dublin headquarters by midday on the 1st of July. Quite apart from the damage to one of Dublin’s finest buildings, the incident also saw the destruction of hundreds of years of Irish historical records.
Permanent Collection
Fianna Fáil had a tangled birth in the Civil War and first took power in 1932
Sinn Féin split into pro-and Anti-Treaty factions, with de Valera leading the Anti-Treaty faction. Anti-treaty Sinn Féin boycotted the Dáil for several years after the end of the Civil War until a faction around Éamon de Valera split and created Fianna Fáil. They first came to power in 1932 and were long the most popular party in Ireland.
The 1948 election was controversial as Éamon de Valera introduced the Electoral Amendment Act, which was seen as an attempt to ensure the continued dominance of Fianna Fáil. But de Valera failed to retain power after the other parties joined together to create the first coalition government.
Permanent Collection
Michael Collins – portrait by John Lavery
These famous portraits of Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith by Sir John Lavery were painted during the Civil War. Collins and Griffith were members of the delegation that signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921.
The Treaty did not provide full independence from Britain, Northern Ireland would remain part of the UK and an oath to the King would have to be sworn by all members of the Dáil.
The Civil War broke out, which the anti-Treaty side eventually lost. Collins and Griffith were both dead by the end of the war – Collins killed in an ambush in Beal na mBlath, Griffith succumbing to heart failure.
With thanks to Michael Maughan
Arthur Griffith – portrait by John Lavery
Watch a video about the Anglo-Irish Peace Treaty:
The Little Museum Collection 
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