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Once the electorate established Dail Eireann, the conspirational Irish Republican Brotherhood had no further justification for its existence. Arthur Griffith’s great contribution to Ireland was the establishment of Dail Eireann. The Dual Monarchy “resurrection of Hungary” idea was obsolete. Collins reverted to conspiracy. Griffith reverted to his original brainwave. The National Army- “anti-Treatyites” and “Pro-treatyites” – united in an attack on what they thought was the Ulster Unionist regime, but was resisted by the British Army. De Valera, having given up Presidency of Dail Eireann, was not responsible for that hare-brained campaign. And I am pretty certain that Griffith did not support it. Griffith was pressing for the Provisional Government, to use forces answerable to it, to attack those of the National Forces who were not accepting British supplied pay. Griffith and Collins were not at one. I have referred to the Political Diaries of C.P. Scott and how both Lloyd George and himself took Collins for a likeable fool. There’s more in those diaries about the December 1921 negotiations. But I reckon the usual bullshit will be spouted at Beal na mBlath and in the papers in the coming weeks. Collins and Griffith should be honoured as heroes who did great work for Ireland, before December 1921. They were not co-operating on the Northern campaign nor on the shooting of Field Marshal Wilson. |
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