Anniversary of the Anglo-Irish Truce, 1921

Tomorrow, 11 July marks the 10th anniversary of the Anglo-Irish Truce of 1921 which brought to an end the Irish War of Independence. The war had raged since January 1919 when the First Dail met, and the first shots of the conflict were fired in county Tipperary. The Truce paved the way for the Treaty negotiations which took place later in the year and ultimately ended with the Anglo-Irish Treaty. Beginning at 12 noon on the 11 July 1921, all over Ireland there are stories of the ‘last shot’ and the ‘last ambush’. Just where it was is difficult to say.

In 1956 the Irish Independent reported how former members of the Republican forces commemorated the signing of the Truce in July 1921:

VETERANS MARK ANNIVERSARY OF 1921 TRUCE

The Truce of 19-21 was commemorated by the Organisation of National Ex-Servicemen and Old I.R.A. when Mass for those who died for Ireland was celebrated in In the Church of the Holy Trinity. Dublin Castle, by Rev. J. McCarthy, C.C., Westland Row. A parade which was to have taken place through the city was cancelled owing to bad weather.

Mr. Liam Cosgrave, Minister for External Affairs, and Mr. R. Briscoe, TJD., Lord Mayor of Dublin, were among those present at the Mass. At the Elevation the Royal Salute was sounded and the Colours dipped. The Marian Arts Society Choral Group sang during the Mass.

LAST POST SOUNDED

After the Mass the Colours were marched on to the parade ground In the Upper Castle Yard, where members of O.N.E. branches in the city and "representatives of the Dublin Brigade Old I.R.A.. Pre-Truce I.R.A. United Conference Old I.R.A. and the Old Flanna Association were drawn up.

The Last Post and Reveille were sounded, and the parade was then dismissed.

The-attendance also included Mr. O Traynor, T.D.; Mr. H. Cogan, T.D.; Major-Gen. Piaras Beaslai; Lt.-Col. F. J. O'Connor, President of O.N.E., Comdt J. O'Connor; Mr. J. O'Connor, Chairman, National Association of Old I.R.A.; Col . J. Carroll, Chairman , National Executive, Old Fianna.

Others present Included: Gen. D. McKenna, Lieut.-Gen. M. J. Costello, Col. J. Lillis. Col. J Hanrahan, Col. P. Devlin. Col, T. McGrath, Col. E. Morkan. Col. C. Stewart, Col. 3. Lawless; Lt.-Col. N. Winters; Comdt. S. Kavanagh, Governor, Mountjoy Prison; Dr . T. Murphy, M.O., do.; Councilors J. Carroll, K. Boland and Noel Lemass.

For more see the pages of the Irish Newspaper Archive (www.irishnewsarchive.com )