Following its 1918 mandate Sinn Fein established a national parliament, Dáil Éireann, to govern Ireland as a Republic and set up departments of state and republican courts. Its mandate was renewed in 1921 when John Dillon’s Irish Party declined to contest seats it had lost. in 1918. The Second Dáil sent delegates to negotiate with the British Government, at the latter’s invitation, although the British refused to recognise the validity of the democratically established Dáil.The Irish delegates signed articles of agreement with the British which they then submitted to Dáil Éireann for discussion. There was no question of of ratification by a body unrecognised by the British. By a small majority Dáil Éireann decided not to oppose the articles which not a a single Deputy liked.Deputy Richard Mulcahy, Chief of Staff of the Republican Army expressed his dislike of the articles but explained why he was voting not to oppose them. He said that his men had suffered a defeat and were unable to clear the enemy from anything lager than a fairly good sized police barracks.The enemy would have to be negotiated out of the “treaty ports” and the six counties, or driven out by force at a later date.A few days later a Very Rum Parliament assembled in Dublin. It had no mandate from the electorate nor any status in Irish law.It called itself the Parliament of Southern Ireland and it was closed to parliamentarians elected for constituencies in the six counties.All who attended had voted to go along with the articles of agreement discussed in Dáil EIreann plus two UNionists elected for Trinity College Dublin and one for Rathmines.
Interestingly, when the articles of agreement had been discussed in the Dáil, the votes called had been called alphabetically by constituency, starting with Armagh, one of the 6 Counties, whose Deputy voted to go along with the agreement. His name was Michael Collins. The Rum Parliament had but the one function, to establish, with no mandate, a Provisional Government after which it adjourned sine die. The Chairman of that highly Irregular Junta was Michael Collins, who had been elected to Dáil Éireann for a County Cork seat, as well as for Armagh.
The poet Padraic Colum, in his biography of Arthur Griffith, observed that more Irish was spoken at that only quorate meeting of the Parliament of Southern Ireland than on any one day in Dáil Éireann.
I find this intriguing, for it reminds me of one of the highlights of THE QUIET MAN, a film which employed the Republican veteran Ernie O’Malley as an advisor. The eponymous hero, Sean Thornton, played by John Wayne, was locked out of his bride’s bedroom, not getting his whole entitlement, nor even his oats in a sleeping bag. His bride, Mary Kate Davern, played by Maureen O’Hara, confessing to her Parish Priest was so embarrassed at the gross irregularity of her sin in denying her husband his conjugal rights, forsakes the more widely understood English language and retreats into Irish to cover her shame.
The articles of agreement signed in London denied Ireland her democratic rights an Saorstat Éireann is to Republican consummation of those rights what a Mala Codlata is to a Marriage Bed.Isn’t it interesting to compare the horror which Father Lonergan expressed about the Mala Codlata with the Bishops’ acclamation for Saorstat Éireann?
The Provisional Government wasn’t an irregular junta.
It was not set up by Dail Eireann nor was it a Committee of Dail Eireann nor answerable to Dail Eireann nor were its actions subject to scrutiny nor injunctions by the Republican Courts.Dail Eireann was the democratically established Parliament of Ireland. Its rivals were usurpers irregularly established.
So what?