Split in IRA

 

Introduction from Chronology

The split over the Treaty in the IRA GHQ staff is as follows:  Pro-Treaty were Richard Mulcahy (Chief-of-Staff); Eoin O'Duffy (Deputy Chief-of-Staff – possibly former); J J O'Connell (Assistant Chief-of-Staff); Gearoid O'Sullivan (Adjutant General); Sean McMahon (Quarter-Master General); Michael Collins (Director of Intelligence); Diarmaid Hegarty (Director of Organisation); Emmet Dalton (Director of Training); Piaras Béaslai (Director of Publicity).  Anti- Treaty were Rory O'Connor (Director of Engineering); Liam Mellows (Director of Purchases); Sean Russell (Director of Munitions) and Seamus O'Donovan (Director of Chemicals).  Curran gives the same breakdown. 

Macardle adds the following to the anti-Treaty side:  Cathal Brugha as Minister of Defence; Austen Stack as (former?) Deputy Chief of Staff; and Oscar Traynor as O/C of the Dublin Brigade. 

However, with the possible exception of Austen Stack (whose position on the GHQ staff was ambiguous after Brugha tried to install him as Deputy Chief-of-Staff – a move which was resisted by GHQ), the other two cannot be taken as members of GHQ.  Macardle also leaves out O’Sullivan, McMahon and Dalton from the pro-Treaty side.

Split in IRA around the Country

1st and 2nd Southern Divisions (under Lynch and O’Malley respectively) take anti-Treaty position.  3rd Southern is pro-Treaty.

2nd Western Division, 3rd Western and 4th Western Division (under Maguire, Pilkington and Kilroy respectively) take the anti-Treaty position (with the exception of a small contingent under Joe Ring in Westport and a unit in Kiltimagh under Thomas Ruane)

1st Western under Brennan is pro-Treaty as is 1st Midlands under MacEoin (latter includes South Leitrim Brigade).

1st, 3rd and 5th Northern Division (under Sweeney, Woods and Hogan respectively) are pro-Treaty.  4th Northern (under Aiken) is neutral.  For position of 2nd Northern – see Feb-17-22/4.

1st Eastern under Boylan is pro-Treaty.  2nd Eastern is mostly anti-Treaty – especially the Dublin Brigade under Oscar Traynor while the 3rd Eastern is divided. 

 

 

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