Meeting between Cosgrave and Mulcahy and Old IRA representatives

Introduction from Chronology

Meeting between Cosgrave and Mulcahy and Old IRA representatives (Tobin, Dalton, Thornton and O’Malley). 

More Detail

The Old IRA group, after re-iterating their attachment to the Treaty as ‘stepping-stone’ to the Republic position, attack GHQ’s hostility to them since Collins’ death; the employment and promotion of ex-British Army soldiers in the Free State army and they condemn the re-organisation of the IRB within the Free State army by GHQ officers.  They demand the setting up of an inquiry to investigate the retention and demobilization of officers.

Cosgrave is taken aback by these demands and Mulcahy leaves the room.  Nevertheless, under pressure from Joe McGrath (Minister of Industry and Commerce who had set himself up as mediator between the Old IRA and the Government) and perhaps Cosgrave, Mulcahy holds a series of meetings with the Old IRA during July and August. 

Writing to the Old IRA on July 27th , Mulcahy said he wanted to keep open communication with men who had done so much for Ireland because (referring to the break-up of the army before the Civil War) he had seen the damage brought about by isolation and misunderstanding.  However, at another time, he says that the meetings were “distasteful to him and that the correspondence with the Tobin group was not profitable in any way”.  He seems to have been playing for time until (a) the August elections were over and (b) the demobilization and professionalisation of the army were well under way.

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