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Anglo-Irish Treaty Dáil vote

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The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in London on 6 December 1921 and Dáil Éireann voted to approve the treaty on 7 January 1922, following a debate through late December 1921 and into January 1922. The vote was 64 in favour, 57 against, with the Ceann Comhairle and 3 others not voting. The Sinn Féin party split into opposing sides in the aftermath of the Treaty vote, which led to the Irish Civil War from June 1922 to May 1923.

Background

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Two elections took place in Ireland in 1921, as a result of the Government of Ireland Act 1920 to establish the House of Commons of Northern Ireland and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. The election was used by the Irish Republic as the basis of membership of the Second Dáil. The general election to the Northern Ireland House of Commons occurred on 24 May. Of 52 seats, forty were won by unionists, six by moderate Irish nationalists and six by Sinn Féin. No actual polling took place in the Southern Ireland constituencies, as all 128 candidates were returned unopposed. Given the backdrop of the increasingly violent War of Independence, any candidates opposed to Sinn Féin and their supporters could expect to be harassed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Supporters of the Labour Party stood aside to allow the constitutional situation to run its course. Of these 128, 124 were won by Sinn Féin, and four by independent unionists representing Dublin University.

Only the Sinn Féin candidates recognised the Second Dáil and five of these had been elected in two constituencies, one in each part of Ireland, so the total number of members who assembled in the Second Dáil was 125.[1]

During the Second Dáil, the government of the Irish Republic and the British government of David Lloyd George agreed to hold peace negotiations. On 14 September 1921 the Dáil ratified the appointment of Arthur Griffith, Michael Collins, Robert Barton, Eamonn Duggan and George Gavan Duffy as envoys plenipotentiary for the peace conference in England. These envoys eventually signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty on 6 December. After almost a month of acrimonious debate the treaty was formally ratified by Dáil Éireann on 7 January 1922.

Vote

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The Treaty signature page
7 January 1922
Anglo-Irish Treaty Dáil vote

Absolute majority: 63/124
Vote Votes
checkY Yes
64 / 124
No
57 / 124
Abstentions
3 / 124

The Ceann Comhairle Eoin MacNeill absented himself from the vote in accordance with standing orders. It was ruled that the four other TDs, Michael Collins, Arthur Griffith, Éamon de Valera and Seán Milroy, who had been elected for two constituencies (for both the House of Commons of Southern Ireland and the House of Commons of Northern Ireland) would only cast one vote each. Of the 124 Teachtaí Dála (TDs) who were entitled to vote as a result of these rulings, 121 cast their vote in the Dáil, and three abstained. The result of the vote was: 64 in favour of the Treaty and 57 against. Three TDs eligible to vote did not do so:

  • Frank Drohan resigned his seat on 5 January 1922, because he was personally anti-Treaty while his local Sinn Féin branch was pro-Treaty.[2]
  • Laurence Ginnell (anti-Treaty) was absent in Argentina
  • Thomas Kelly (pro-Treaty) was ill
Name Constituency Vote Notes
Frank Drohan Waterford–Tipperary East Did not vote
(resigned)
Laurence Ginnell Longford–Westmeath Did not vote
(absent)
Died 17 April 1923
Thomas Kelly Dublin South Did not vote
(ill)
Fianna Fáil TD 1933–42
Robert Barton Kildare–Wicklow For
Piaras Béaslaí Kerry–Limerick West For
Ernest Blythe Monaghan For
Patrick Brennan Clare For Resigned Dáil seat on 11 December 1922
Francis Bulfin Leix–Offaly For
Séamus Burke Tipperary Mid, North and South For
Christopher Byrne Kildare–Wicklow For Fianna Fáil TD 1943–44
Thomas Carter Leitrim–Roscommon North For
Michael Collins Armagh For Killed on 22 August 1922
Cork Mid, North, South, South–East and West
Richard Corish Wexford For
Philip Cosgrave Dublin North-East For
W. T. Cosgrave Carlow–Kilkenny For
James Crowley Kerry–Limerick West For
Liam de Róiste Cork Borough For
James Dolan Leitrim–Roscommon North For
Michael Derham Dublin County For
Eamonn Duggan Louth–Meath For
Séamus Dwyer Dublin County For
Desmond FitzGerald Dublin County For
Paul Galligan Cavan For
George Gavan Duffy Dublin County For
Arthur Griffith Cavan For Died on 12 August 1922
Fermanagh and Tyrone
Seán Hales Cork Mid, North, South, South–East and West For Killed on 6 December 1922
Michael Hayes National University For
Richard Hayes Limerick City–Limerick East For
William Hayes Limerick City–Limerick East For
Seán Hayes Cork Mid, North, South, South–East and West For
Patrick Hogan Galway For
Peter Hughes Louth–Meath For
Andrew Lavin Leitrim–Roscommon North For
Frank Lawless Dublin County For Died on 16 April 1922
Seán Liddy Clare For
Fionán Lynch Kerry–Limerick West For
Joseph Lynch Leix–Offaly For
Joseph MacBride Mayo North and West For
Alexander McCabe Sligo–Mayo East For
Patrick McCartan Leix–Offaly For
Daniel McCarthy Dublin South For
Seán Mac Eoin Longford–Westmeath For
Seán McGarry Dublin Mid For
Joseph McGinley Donegal For
Patrick McGoldrick Donegal For
Joseph McGrath Dublin North-East For
Joseph McGuinness Longford–Westmeath For Died on 31 May 1922
Justin McKenna Louth–Meath For
Seán Milroy Cavan For
Fermanagh and Tyrone
Richard Mulcahy Dublin North-East For
James Murphy Louth–Meath For
George Nicolls Galway For
Thomas O'Donnell Sligo–Mayo East For
Eoin O'Duffy Monaghan For Resigned Dáil seat on 11 December 1922
Kevin O'Higgins Leix–Offaly For
Patrick O'Keeffe Cork Mid, North, South, South–East and West For
Pádraic Ó Máille Galway For
Daniel O'Rourke Mayo South–Roscommon South For[3]
Gearóid O'Sullivan Carlow–Kilkenny For
Lorcan Robbins Longford–Westmeath For
William Sears Mayo South–Roscommon South For
Michael Staines Dublin North-East For
Joseph Sweeney Donegal For
J. J. Walsh Cork Borough For
Peter Ward Donegal For
Joseph Whelehan Galway For
Vincent White Waterford–Tipperary East For
Edward Aylward Carlow–Kilkenny Against
Harry Boland Mayo South–Roscommon South Against Died 2 August 1922
Cathal Brugha Waterford–Tipperary East Against Died 7 July 1922
Patrick Cahill Kerry–Limerick West Against
Frank Carty Sligo–Mayo East Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
Erskine Childers Kildare–Wicklow Against Executed 24 November 1922
Kathleen Clarke Dublin Mid Against Took her seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
Michael Colivet Limerick City–Limerick East Against
Con Collins Kerry–Limerick West Against
Daniel Corkery Cork Mid, North, South, South–East and West Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
John Crowley Mayo North and West Against
Bryan Cusack Galway Against
Eamon Dee Waterford–Tipperary East Against
Éamon de Valera Clare Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
Down
Thomas Derrig Mayo North and West Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
James Devins Sligo–Mayo East Against Died 20 September 1922
Séamus Doyle Wexford Against
Ada English National University Against
Seán Etchingham Wexford Against Died 23 April 1923
Frank Fahy Galway Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
Francis Ferran Sligo–Mayo East Against Died 10 June 1923
Séamus Fitzgerald Cork East and North–East Against Took his seat in Seanad Éireann, 1934
Thomas Hunter Cork East and North–East Against
David Kent Cork East and North–East Against
James Lennon Carlow–Kilkenny Against
Seán MacEntee Monaghan Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
Joseph MacDonagh Tipperary Mid, North and South Against Died 25 December 1922
Mary MacSwiney Cork Borough Against Signed statement on 8 December 1938
Seán MacSwiney Cork Mid, North, South, South–East and West Against
Tom Maguire Mayo South–Roscommon South Against Signed statement on 8 December 1938
Constance Markievicz Dublin South Against In the June 1927 general election, she was re-elected to the 5th Dáil as a candidate for the new Fianna Fáil party, which was pledged to return to Dáil Éireann, but died only five weeks later, before she could take up her seat.[4]
Liam Mellows Galway Against Died 8 December 1922
P. J. Moloney Tipperary Mid, North and South Against
Seán Moylan Cork Mid, North, South, South–East and West Against Took his seat in the Dáil in 1932
Seán Nolan Cork Mid, North, South, South–East and West Against
Patrick O'Byrne Tipperary Mid, North and South Against
Donal O'Callaghan Cork Borough Against
Kathleen O'Callaghan Limerick City–Limerick East Against
Art O'Connor Kildare–Wicklow Against
Joseph O'Doherty Donegal Against Took his seat in the Seanad in 1928
Thomas O'Donoghue Kerry–Limerick West Against
Samuel O'Flaherty Donegal Against
Brian O'Higgins Clare Against Signed statement on 8 December 1938
John J. O'Kelly Louth–Meath Against Signed statement on 8 December 1938
Seán T. O'Kelly Dublin Mid Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
Seán O'Mahony Fermanagh and Tyrone Against
Cathal Ó Murchadha Dublin South Against Signed statement on 8 December 1938
Margaret Pearse Dublin County Against Joined Fianna Fáil, 1926
George Noble Plunkett Leitrim–Roscommon North Against Signed statement on 8 December 1938
Séumas Robinson Waterford–Tipperary East Against Took his seat in the Seanad in 1928
Edmund Roche Kerry–Limerick West Against
P. J. Ruttledge Mayo North and West Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
James Ryan Wexford Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
Philip Shanahan Dublin Mid Against
Austin Stack Kerry–Limerick West Against
William Stockley National University Against Signed statement on 8 December 1938
Domhnall Ua Buachalla Kildare–Wicklow Against Took his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927

Aftermath

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To satisfy the requirements of the British constitution, the treaty also had to be ratified by the House of Commons of Southern Ireland. Thus Irish nationalists ended their boycott of the home rule parliament to attend the southern House of Commons as MPs. This they did alongside the four Unionist MPs who had refused to recognise the Dáil. In this way the treaty was ratified a second time in Dublin, this time unanimously as the anti-Treaty TDs refused to attend.

Under the terms of the Anglo-Irish Treaty a provisional parliament, considered by nationalists to be the Third Dáil, was elected in the 1922 general election on 16 June. Collins and de Valera agreed a pact between the pro- and anti-Treaty wings of Sinn Féin and this pact and the elections were endorsed by the Second Dáil.[5] The new assembly was recognised both by nationalists and the British Government and so replaced both the Parliament of Southern Ireland and the Second Dáil with a single body. The anti-Treaty groups of IRA members, TDs and their supporters were still bitterly opposed to the settlement, despite the election result, and this led on to the Irish Civil War.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ The five TDs (MPs) elected for two constituencies were Michael Collins, Éamon de Valera, Arthur Griffith, Seán Milroy and Eoin MacNeill.
  2. ^ "Debate on Treaty". Dáil Debates (in Irish). Oireachtas. 5 January 1922. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  3. ^ O'Rourke opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty, but he voted in favour of it, as he believed the alternative of further war was worse. John Waters (12 May 2012). "The death of the diehard". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  4. ^ "Countess Constance Georgina de Markievicz". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 22 March 2009.
  5. ^ "National Coalition Panel Joint Statement". Dáil Éireann, Volume 2. Oireachtas. 20 May 1922. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
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