1922

State is recognised

At 3.30 on the morning of December 6, 1921, a Treaty between Great Britain and Ireland was signed in a room in London. In pursuance of that Treaty, the Government of the Irish Free State was handed over to Mr. Michael Collins on January 16 of the present year.

This week the Free State became a fait accompli, recognised by all the nations of the earth, ratified by its own Parliament and that of Great Britain. This is the great central historical fact which nothing can alter.

In other times under other conditions, this would be a week of general jubilation in Ireland. There can be no doubt about the feelings in the hearts of the majority of people. They feel with the late Mr. Arthur Griffith that “the substance of freedom” has been won, with President Cosgrove that the Irish Government “takes over the control and destiny of our people to hold and administer that charge, answerable only to our own people and to none other; to conduct their affairs as they shall declare, right without interference, not to domination, by any other authority whatsoever on this earth.”

For the Free State has the power, by right of international treaty, to maintain military, naval and air forces, to impose tariffs, to control its own finances absolutely, to make its own laws.

And there is firm hope that before long the green, white and orange of the tricolour will wave triumphantly over not twenty-six counties merely, but over all Ireland.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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