THIS weekend the Committee GEOFF BELL recalls how and for Withdrawal from Ireland is why the original division of THERE are a number of reasons why Ireland, for the first time in its history, was split into two political units in 1921. That the Irish people wanted partition of them. general election of 1918 — the time all voted together showed what the people did want.
Of the 105 seats which Ireland was allotted in the British parliarein, Republican 73. more moderately, nationalist Irish tarnamentary rarty won six, ine Unionists 26.
Here Wab overwhelming vote for Irish Republicanism - a majority far larger, for example, than the secure devolution for scotlana and Wales in the 1979 referendum.
Even in the North of the conuv a maon or me •eode vore! for Irish independence. Of the nine counties in the province of Ulster orescul day UIster 1s made us only six of these), the Unionists had a majority in only four; and in tionalist minority was far larger in comparison the Unionist majonly man we monst ummonity was in Ireland as a whole. was The mosi The destinies to be indefeasible...
of we declare inal ine nation's sovereignty extends not only to all men and women of the nation, but nation's soil and all its resources, wealth producing processes within the nation. we re-affirm that all rights to private property must be suboramated to te pubic rigal and welfare?
The rest of the Programme OUl detail the principles on which the Dail should operate. would be described as left social.
the Dail was predominantly drawn ranks bourgeoisie.
Neither in social composition dormeramme was Dall explicity working class. Ine phrase coined by Sinn Fein leader democratically the Irish people.
What made the British resist? It WaS self-determination the minority in North-east Ireland.
fluential in British ruling circles, especially within the cluding Lloyd George, Democratic Minister, tried on a number of oc Rio persudue lic to accept some form Today, these home rule for a united Ireland.
the Dai was predeminany rawn Proposals petty The Government's proposals, published in 1920, the First all-Ireland parliament sometime in Luc alle opposed to dependence.
It proposed iwo 'Home Rule' parliaments, one for nine Ulster counties. both parliaments SLICLIV limited. rule stance, would retain defence, foreign mance. The Irish would retain overall authority in both North and continuing, to. send + MPs.
Bernadette Devlin-McAliskey, Peter Hain, expressed will of established not the opposition to Irish expressed by between the governments. were certainly inLUI rall Britain's coalition, in- freedom. the Prims Irish colony Britain's LOYalSI of controlled its Toreign proposal SISECHICC thal British colony. envisaged the proposed six, It is ine government Or nine-county logic was a slice most of the te olner Tor SIx of tne The powers permanen contros. would In a nine-county control of affairs and of power.
unit.
South By the time the Gọ for Ireland took place during the Speakers include: Ernie Roberts MP, Clive Soley MP, (historian, editor Irish Democrat), Ruth Addison (Young Liberals).
Plus: exclusive filmed interview with former blanket prisoner.
From 10am. Social in evening from 7.30pm Delegates £2, Observers £1.
Organised by the Committee for Withdrawal from Ireland, c/o Youth Office.
National Liberal Club, 1 Whitehall Place, London SW1.
A Council of Ireland would b • will a view lo l eventual establishment of a parliament for the whole of Ireland and to orine about marmomous acuoi the parliaments and and the Expressed here was the nub of TISI . The British feared that if controlled their own financial terests would be threatened; if it own defence and The affairs Britain's resis wince would be endangered. The entir amounted to an ireland remain a Collins, Arthur The geographical boundaries as distinct were Childers simple: they wanted as of they treaty. which the percentage of Irish nationalists was small enough to give the Unionists The Ulster the Unionists would have no guarantee manoeuvred So they rejected it in lavour of the artifical six-county on inem terms were not •cepted, Never along Desmond Greaves and Britain were at war. On one side, under the authority of Dail to Army; on the other, the British ArRoyal Irish Constabulary intamol mercenaries, the Black and Tans.
Half of the elected members of the Dail Eireann were in prison, and the British Government repeatedly Greve negotiate with the "murderers' of Dublin The peace terms included the right of Britain to use the Irish naval ports; an oath of allegiance to the British crown to be signed by member or te Inso parlia proposed not ireland Bill of Lloyd George also told the Irish delegate: that a boundary established to review the exact size of the Nor thern state would take two nances awaron u ster which would make the state too small to be workable.
promise together Was with the threat of "total war' that finally persuaded the Irish to initial the peace treaty.
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holding Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1 (tube: Holborn)
'Voices Saturday 14th June
Withdrawal' forum in London. stormy years, 1918-21. VOICES FOR WITHDRAWAL