Timeline of the Irish revolution
The term "Irish revolution" often refers to the period 1912–1923 when Ireland was partitioned and most of the island gained independence from the United Kingdom. This page is a chronology of the major events during that period.
The term "Irish revolution" has also been used to describe a number of uprisings in Irish history.
Timeline
Home Rule Crisis
11 Apr 1912 |
The Third Home Rule Bill was introduced in the British Parliament. It was passed by the House of Commons but rejected by the House of Lords. However, the Parliament Act 1911 prevented the Lords from vetoing any legislation approved by the Commons, and imposed a maximum legislative delay of two years for a bill after the second reading. |
28 Sep 1912 |
The Ulster Covenant and Declaration was signed by over 470,000 people in Ulster (on and before this date). It was issued by unionists to protest against the Third Home Rule Bill. |
13 Jan 1913 |
Unionists in Ulster established the Ulster Volunteers, a paramilitary group whose aim was to stop the imposition of home rule. |
25 Nov 1913 |
Nationalists established the Irish Volunteers, a paramilitary group whose aim was to ensure the imposition of home rule. |
20 Mar 1914 |
Curragh incident – as a precaution, the commander of British forces in Ireland was ordered to deploy troops in Ulster. Not wanting to take action against the Ulster Volunteers, 57 out of 70 British officers resigned. |
24 Apr 1914 |
Larne gun-running – the Ulster Volunteers smuggled 20,000 rifles from Germany into the port of Larne. |
25 May 1914 |
The Home Rule Bill was passed by the House of Commons after the third reading, becoming law under the provisions of the Parliament Act. The Home Rule Bill was subsequently amended by a bill providing for the temporary exclusion of Ulster. |
26 July 1914 |
Howth gun-running – the Irish Volunteers smuggled at least 900 rifles from Germany into the port at Howth. When a detachment of British soldiers arrived, they were heckled by some onlookers, and three of the civilians were shot dead. |
4 Aug 1914 |
The United Kingdom enters World War I. This involved Ireland in the conflict. |
18 Sep 1914 |
The Home Rule Act received Royal Assent but was suspended by the British government for the duration of the war. |
Easter Rising and aftermath
24 Apr 1916 |
Easter Rising – Irish republicans seized key buildings in Dublin and staged an uprising. Their aim was to end British rule and establish an all-island republic. The uprising was organised by the Irish Republican Brotherhood and involved members of the Irish Volunteers, Irish Citizen Army, and other organisations. After seven days of bloody battle, the republicans surrendered. Over the next few days, almost 3,500 nationalists were arrested and almost 1,500 were interned. Many believed (incorrectly) that Sinn Féin was behind the uprising. |
3 May 1916 |
Between 3–12 May, fifteen of the alleged leaders were executed by firing squad. It is argued that these executions helped sway public opinion in favour of the republicans. |
5 March 1918 |
Second attempt to introduce Home Rule failed at the end of the Irish Convention, when agreement on the exclusion or inclusion of Ulster could not be reached. However, when the German Spring Offensive overran the Allied front, the British cabinet decided to implement Home Rule combined with the introduction of conscription. |
18 Apr 1918 |
With the British government about to introduce conscription in Ireland, the Irish Anti-Conscription Committee began planning opposition. It issued an anti-conscription pledge to be signed at every church door the following Sunday. |
23 Apr 1918 |
In protest against conscription, thousands took part in a general strike. |
17 May 1918 |
German Plot – as Sinn Féin were widely believed to be the key instigators of anti-conscription and anti-British sentiment, the government arrested seventy-three Sinn Féin leaders. However, within one month, the plans to introduce conscription had been dropped, after American intervention halted the German advance. |
14 Dec 1918 |
Irish general election – Sinn Féin won a landslide victory, gaining 73 out of 105 seats (25 of these unopposed) in the British Parliament. However, the party vowed that it would set up a separate government in Ireland rather than participate in Westminster. |
War of Independence
21 Jan 1919 |
At a meeting in Dublin's Mansion House, Sinn Féin established an independent parliament called Dáil Éireann and declared independence from the United Kingdom. On that same day, two members of the RIC were shot dead by republicans at Soloheadbeg, not authorised by the Dáil. This began the Irish War of Independence, which was fought between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the forces of the United Kingdom. |
1 Apr 1919 |
Éamon de Valera was elected President of Dáil Éireann (or Príomh Aire) and appointed a cabinet. De Valera issued a statement saying that "There is in Ireland at this moment only one lawful authority, and that authority is the elected Government of the Irish Republic". |
17 May 1919 |
Members of Dáil Éireann sent a letter to the head of the Paris Peace Conference, repudiating Britain's claim to speak for Ireland. Nine days later they sent a statement concering "Ireland’s Case for Independence". |
18 Jun 1919 |
Dáil Éireann established a court system and police force. |
12 Sep 1919 |
The British government outlawed Dáil Éireann. |
19 Sep 1919 |
Michael Collins officially founded The Squad, an IRA counter-intelligence and assassination unit. |
22 Dec 1919 |
Better Government of Ireland Bill was introduced in the British parliament. It proposed two parliaments in Ireland; one for the six counties of north-east, referred to as Northern Ireland in the bill, and one for the other twenty-six, referred to as Southern Ireland in the bill. Each would be a semi-autonomous region within the United Kingdom. |
29 Mar 1920 |
Better Government of Ireland Bill was passed in the British parliament. |
3/4 Apr 1920 |
The IRA burned nearly 400 rural RIC barracks and 22 income tax offices. |
20 May 1920 |
Beginning on this date, Dublin dock workers refused to handle British war material, and were soon joined by members of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union. Despite hundreds of sackings the strike continued. Train drivers were brought over from England after Irish drivers refused to drive trains carrying British troops. |
17 Jun 1920 |
Listowel mutiny – in County Kerry, fourteen members of the RIC chose to resign rather than assist the British Army. |
21/24 Jul 1920 |
In Belfast, loyalists forced an estimated 10,000 Catholics and socialists from their jobs. Severe riots followed, in which at least twenty-one were killed and hundreds were forced from their homes. |
22 Oct 1920 |
Toureen Ambush, County Cork |
31 Oct 1920 |
County Kerry – 8 RIC members were killed by the IRA, and 2 civilians were killed by the RIC. |
2 Nov 1920 |
Battle of Ballinalee, County Longford |
21 Nov 1920 |
Bloody Sunday – in Dublin, a total of 31 people were killed – in the morning, the IRA assassinated 14 British agents. In the afternoon, British troops stormed a Gaelic football match and shot dead 14 Irish civilians. In the evening, three IRA prisoners were shot dead by their British captors. |
28 Nov 1920 |
Kilmichael Ambush, County Cork |
10 Dec 1920 |
The British government declared martial law in counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Tipperary. |
11 Dec 1920 |
A group of RIC Auxiliaries set fire to the centre of Cork, destroying over five acres and causing £20 million worth of damage. |
23 Dec 1920 |
The British parliament approved the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which would establish two devolved parliaments in Ireland. Northern Ireland would comprise six largely unionist counties in Ulster, while Southern Ireland would comprise the remaining twenty-six counties. |
30 Dec 1920 |
The British government declared martial law in counties Clare, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. |
1 Feb 1921 |
Clonfin Ambush, County Longford |
20 Feb 1921 |
Clonmult Ambush, County Cork |
25 Feb 1921 |
Coolavokig Ambush, County Cork |
4 Mar 1921 |
Sheemore ambush, County Leitrim |
4 Mar 1921 |
Clonbanin Ambush, County Cork |
11 Mar 1921 |
Selton Hill ambush, County Leitrim |
18 Mar 1921 |
Burgery ambush, County Waterford |
19 Mar 1921 |
Crossbarry Ambush, County Cork |
21 Mar 1921 |
Headford Ambush, County Kerry |
23 Mar 1921 |
Scramogue Ambush, County Roscommon |
3 May 1921 |
The Government of Ireland Act came into effect, establishing Northern Ireland and thus partitioning the island. |
25 May 1921 |
The IRA occupied and burned The Custom House in Dublin. However, at least 80 were captured whilst fleeing the scene. |
2 Jun 1921 |
Carrowkennedy ambush, County Mayo |
24 Jun 1921 |
The British government and Dáil Éireann began negotiations. |
11 July 1921 |
A truce came into effect, ending most of the hostilities. However, 'unofficial' violence continued in Northern Ireland. |
Anglo-Irish Treaty and Civil War
9 Oct 1921 |
Representatives of Dáil Éireann arrived in London to negotiate a treaty. |
28 Nov 1921 |
Tyrone County Council pledged allegiance to Dáil Éireann. Eight smaller public bodies followed. That same day a bill was introduced in Stormont which allowed it to dissolve any local authority. Offices of Tyrone Council were raided by the RIC. |
6 Dec 1921 |
After weeks of negotiation, representatives of Dáil Éireann and the British Parliament signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty in London. However, it still had to be approved by a vote in Dáil Éireann. If approved, Ireland would become a self-governing dominion of the British Empire, and British troops would leave (except for three naval bases). However, Northern Ireland would have the option of withdrawing from this new state. |
15 Dec 1921 |
Fermanagh County Council pledged allegiance to Dáil Éireann. After the meeting the RIC took over the council chamber. |
7 Jan 1922 |
After a lengthy debate, Dáil Éireann narrowly approved the Anglo-Irish Treaty by a vote of 64 to 57. The Dáil was split into pro-treaty and anti-treaty factions. The new Irish Free State would be established on 6 Dec 1922. In Ireland, 328 statutory public bodies endorsed the Treaty; 5 declared against. Curran says 369 bodies endorsed the Treaty by this date; 14 had declared against. |
14 Jan 1922 |
To oversee the treaty's implementation, a Provisional Government was established. |
22 Feb 1922 |
Michael Collins secretly authorised the formation of a specially-paid unit of 70 IRA volunteers known as the Belfast City Guard, to protect areas from loyalist attack. It operated until August 1922. |
28 Mar 1922 |
The executive of the IRA issued a statement repudiating the treaty and the Provisional Government. |
14 Apr 1922 |
Anti-Treaty forces took control of the Four Courts building in Dublin. |
22 Apr 1922 |
Ulster Council of IRA met in Clones and agreed that every division with territory inside Northern Ireland would begin operations by 2 May. McDermott says that Collins sanctioned this policy. He goes on to say that "The aim of the new campaign was to make the government of the six counties as difficult as possible, rather than the overthrow of the state". |
28 Jun 1922 |
After being threatened with a British invasion of Dublin, the Provisional Government bombarded the Anti-Treaty forces occupying the Four Courts. This marked the beginning of the Irish Civil War. Major violence in Northern Ireland died-down after this date, as did the IRA's Northern campaign. |
5 Jul 1922 |
After eight days of street battles in Dublin, the Provisional Government regained control of the city and captured over 400 Anti-Treaty forces. There had been over 250 civilian casualties. |
5 Aug 1922 |
After five weeks of heavy intermittent fighting, the Provisional Government secured control of Kilmallock. |
11 Aug 1922 |
Liam Lynch (Anti-Treaty commander) ordered the Anti-Treaty forces to abandon its policy of occupying towns. |
17 Nov 1922 |
Government embarks on a strategy of executing Anti-Treaty prisoners under a "Public Safety Bill" in order to curtail the fighting. |
6 Dec 1922 |
The Irish Free State was officially established. Northern Ireland withdrew the following day. |
30 Apr 1923 |
Frank Aiken (Anti-Treaty commander) called a ceasefire. |
24 May 1923 |
Frank Aiken ordered the Anti-Treaty forces to "dump their arms" and end their campaign. There is no formal surrender or settlement. |
See also
- Timeline of the Irish War of Independence
- Timeline of the Irish Civil War
- Ireland 1801–1922