| The
Irish Civil War was fought between two sections of the Republican
movement over whether Ireland should accept the 'Anglo-Irish
Treaty".
The pro-treaty sides
dominated and founded the Provisional Government while the
opposing 'Irregulars', made up mostly of members of the Irish
Republican Army (IRA), maintained a stand-off. This allowed
Michael Collins' Provisional Government to set-up an army with help
of the British to undermine the numerically superior Irregulars.
From June 1922
hostilities included attacks on the headquarters of the Irregulars
in the Four Courts building but the Irregulars burdened with
internal differences were unable to co-ordinate an effective
response leaving the Provisional Government to take control. A
summer of heavy fighting left a total of 927 dead. Despite
some isolated assassinations and guerrilla tactics the Irregulars
were virtually defeated by December.
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The Provisional
Government resorted to tough measures to maintain control including
internment and, in September, the death penalty for those found in
possession of firearms. Seventy-seven were executed by the
Government. |
Included in
these 77 was a Leo Dowling aged only 21. Having fought
on behalf of Eamon DeValera he was caught and taken to
Kilmainham Gaol were he was executed by being shot in
1923.
| Click
here to read the letter to his parents before his
execution: |
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He
was buried with his family at Suncroft Parish Church.
Source: Chris
Dowling November 2002 |
In May 1923 the IRA ordered its men to dump their
arms.
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