Joint IRA Statement

Introduction from Chronology

Senior pro- and anti-Treaty IRA officers sign a document which proposes acceptance that the majority of Irish people support Treaty and an election be held to form a government that would have the confidence of all citizens.  Also calls for army unity. 

More Detail

Signatories are pro-Treaty: Sean Boylan (O/C 1^st Eastern Division); Michael Collins; Richard Mulcahy; Eoin O'Duffy (C-o-S, pro-Treaty army) and Gearoid O'Sullivan (Adj-Gen, pro-Treaty army). On the anti-Treaty side the signatories were Dan Breen (QM, Tipperary No. 3 Brigade); Tom Hales (O/C Cork No. 3 Brigade); Humphrey Murphy (O/C Kerry No. 1 Brigade); Florrie O'Donoghue (Adj, 1^st Southern Division) and Sean O'Hegarty (O/C Cork No. 1 Brigade). 

This statement is decidedly more in line with the thinking of the pro-Treaty side and their desire to put the Treaty to the electorate. Hopkinson notes that it showed disunity on the anti-Treaty side as it was published without reference to the Executive, who promptly denounced it.

(Hopkinson says that only Sean Boylan on the pro-Treaty side signed the statement.  He also that Sean Moylan attended the meetings but did not sign.) 

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