Liam's Irish Traditional Music - Irelands culture and tradition

IRA resistance was based on local and regional groups. There was also a special squad, which operated over the whole of the country, and carried out executions of British government agents and members of the Royal Irish Constabulary, the main British force. The IRA reprisals were so effective that RIC men resigned in large numbers. The British drafted in more men to help the RIC. The first recruits, wearing a mixture of RIC dark green uniform and army brown, became known as the Black and Tans. More officers were required, and these were formed into a new group called the Auxiliaries. Black and Tans and Auxiliaries operated under the authority of the British government, together with the RIC.

Ordinary people were forced to serve 'two masters', as the IRA fought the British. In this photograph the Black and Tans have captured Sin Féiners. Both sides acted ruthlessly, and reprisals took the form of burning homes and factories, and ambushes and shootings

The first reinforcements arrived in Ireland in March 1920. This was to be the worst year as IRA attacks were followed by British reprisals, and millions of pounds worth of property went up in flames. The British authorities stated that for every one IRA attack, there would be two British reprisals. The death toll mounted, until Sunday, 21 November, when an IRA attack on 14 British officers was followed by a Black and Tan attack on an All Ireland Gaelic Football Final, in which 12 civilians died. 'Bloody Sunday" was not the end of the campaign of violence, but it shook some members of the Dáil into Contemplating negotiations with the British, a new Government of Ireland Act had been debated and passed by the British Parliament in 1920. Eamon de Valera left America for Ireland.

Elections were held in May 1921, as provided for under the Government of Ireland Act. The Unionists were given six counties, a parliament in Belfast, and home rule, and a partition separated those counties from the 26 counties, which would be governed from Dublin. The IRA and the Dáil refused to accept partition, but took part in the election. Sinn Féin swept into power unopposed in 124 out of 128 of the new southern constituencies, in the north; the Ulster Unionists took 40 out of 52 seats.

By June 1921, the IRA was so short of supplies of ammunition that they had to resort to attacking property by the use of arson. King George V opened the new Northern Ireland Parliament and asked for peace. An acceptable solution had to be found. Ulster Unionists, British politicians and the IRA met in conferences for several months.