“After the 15th day of October, 1922 we, the Army Council, will exercise all the powers and do all the matters and things in the first paragraph of this proclamation mentioned, or any of them, according as the same shall seem necessary or expedient.
The said Regulations as to the Trial of Civilians by Military Courts made by us, the Army Council, on the 2nd day of October 1922, shall come into force and apply as from the 15th Day of October, 1922.
Given at General Headquarters, Portobello Barracks, Dublin, and published this10th day of October 1922.
Signed on behalf of the Army Council
Risteard Ua Maolcatha*, General
Commander-in-Chief
*Richard Mulcahy
The IRA replied with a letter signed by its Chief of Staff, Liam Lynch on November 27th 1922 addressed to –
“The Speaker of the Provisional Parliament of Southern Ireland –
The illegal body over which you preside has declared war on the soldiers of the Republic and suppressed the legitimate Parliament of the Irish Nation.
As your Parliament and Army Headquarters well know, we on our side have adhered to the recognised rules of warfare. in the early days of this war we took hundreds of your forces prisoners, but accorded to them all the rights of Prisoners of War and, over and above, treated them as fellow countrymen and former comrades, Many of your soldiers have been released by us three times, although captured with arms on each occasion. But the prisoners you have taken you have
treated barbarously, and when helpless have tortured, wounded and murdered them.
We have definite proof that many of your Senior Officers including members of your ‘Parliament’ have been guilty of the most brutal crimes towards the IRA prisoners and have reduced your soldiers to a state of savagery in some areas.
Finally you are now pretending to try IRA prisoners before your make-believe courts. You have already done to death five after your mock ceremonials. You now presume to murder and transport the soldiers who had brought Ireland to victory when you, traitors, surrendered the Republic twelve months ago.
Next to you the members of your “Provisional Government” every member of your body who voted for this resolution by which you pretend to make legal the murder of soldiers is equally guilty. We therefore give you and each member of your body due notice that unless your army recognises the rules of warfare in the future we shall adopt drastic measures to protect our forces. “
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