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
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.The five TDs (MPs) elected for two constituencies were Michael Collins, Éamon de Valera, Arthur Griffith, Seán Milroy and Eoin MacNeill.
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
Vote Votes Yes No Absent 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. Laurence Ginnell (anti-Treaty) was absent in Argentina Thomas Kelly (pro-Treaty) was ill
Pro-Treaty NameConstituencyVoteNotesRobert BartonKildare–WicklowForOne of the principal treaty negotiatorsPiaras BéaslaíKerry–Limerick WestForDid not contest 1923 election returning to his career as author and playwright Ernest BlytheMonaghanForPatrick BrennanClareForResigned Dáil seat on 11 December 1922Francis BulfinLeix–OffalyForSéamus BurkeTipperary Mid, North and SouthForChristopher ByrneKildare–WicklowForFianna Fáil TD 1943–44Thomas CarterLeitrim–Roscommon NorthForResigned in 1924 after the Irish Army Mutiny; later a Fianna Fáil TD Michael CollinsArmagh ForOne of the principal treaty negotiators; killed on 22 August 1922Cork Mid, North, South, South–East and WestRichard CorishWexfordForReturned to the Labour Party in 1922 and led them for many yearsPhilip CosgraveDublin North-EastForW. T. CosgraveCarlow–KilkennyForLater President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State 1922–32James CrowleyKerry–Limerick WestForLiam de RóisteCork BoroughForJames DolanLeitrim–Roscommon NorthForMichael DerhamDublin CountyForEamonn DugganLouth–MeathForOne of the principal treaty negotiatorsSéamus DwyerDublin CountyForAssassinated by anti-Treaty IRA on 20 December 1922Desmond FitzGeraldDublin CountyForPaul GalliganCavanForDid not contest the 1922 general election and retired from politicsGeorge Gavan DuffyDublin CountyForOne of the principal treaty negotiatorsArthur GriffithCavanForOne of the principal treaty negotiators; died on 12 August 1922Fermanagh and TyroneSeán HalesCork Mid, North, South, South–East and WestForKilled on 6 December 1922Michael HayesNational UniversityForRichard HayesLimerick City–Limerick EastForWilliam HayesLimerick City–Limerick EastForSeán HayesCork Mid, North, South, South–East and WestForPatrick HoganGalwayForPeter HughesLouth–MeathForAndrew LavinLeitrim–Roscommon NorthForFrank LawlessDublin CountyForDied on 16 April 1922Seán LiddyClareForFionán LynchKerry–Limerick WestForJoseph LynchLeix–OffalyForJoseph MacBrideMayo North and WestForAlexander McCabeSligo–Mayo EastForResigned seat, 30 October 1924, opposed the Government's reaction to the Army Mutiny.Patrick McCartanLeix–OffalyForDaniel McCarthyDublin SouthForSeán Mac EoinLongford–WestmeathForSeán McGarryDublin MidForResigned seat, 30 October 1924, opposed the Government's reaction to the Army Mutiny.Joseph McGinleyDonegalForPatrick McGoldrickDonegalForJoseph McGrathDublin North-EastForResigned seat opposed the Government's reaction to the Army Mutiny.Joseph McGuinnessLongford–WestmeathForDied on 31 May 1922Justin McKennaLouth–MeathForSeán MilroyCavanForResigned seat, 30 October 1924, opposed the Government's reaction to the Army Mutiny.Fermanagh and TyroneRichard MulcahyDublin North-EastForJames MurphyLouth–MeathForGeorge NicollsGalwayForThomas O'DonnellSligo–Mayo EastForEoin O'DuffyMonaghanForResigned Dáil seat on 11 December 1922Kevin O'HigginsLeix–OffalyForAssassinated in 1927 by the pro-civil war IRA for his role in executionsPatrick O'KeeffeCork Mid, North, South, South–East and WestForDeputy governor of Mountjoy Prison during the Civil WarPádraic Ó MáilleGalwayForDaniel O'RourkeForO'Rourke opposed the Anglo-Irish Treaty, but he voted in favour of it, as he believed the alternative of further war was worse. Fianna Fáil TD and Senator in the 1930s, 40s and 50sGearóid O'SullivanCarlow–KilkennyForLorcan RobbinsLongford–WestmeathForWilliam SearsMayo South–Roscommon SouthForMichael StainesDublin North-EastForLater the first Garda CommissionerJoseph SweeneyDonegalForLater Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces 1929–31J. J. WalshCork BoroughForPeter WardDonegalForJoseph WhelehanGalwayForLater the Chief Scout of the Catholic Boy Scouts of IrelandVincent WhiteWaterford–Tipperary EastFor
Anti-Treaty NameConstituencyVoteNotesEdward AylwardCarlow–KilkennyAgainstHarry BolandMayo South–Roscommon SouthAgainstDied 2 August 1922Cathal BrughaWaterford–Tipperary EastAgainstDied 7 July 1922Patrick CahillKerry–Limerick WestAgainstFrank CartySligo–Mayo EastAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927Kildare–WicklowAgainstExecuted 24 November 1922Kathleen ClarkeDublin MidAgainstTook her seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927Michael ColivetLimerick City–Limerick EastAgainstCon CollinsKerry–Limerick WestAgainstDaniel CorkeryCork Mid, North, South, South–East and WestAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927John CrowleyMayo North and WestAgainstBryan CusackGalwayAgainstA founder member of Fianna Fáil in 1926; stood unsuccessfully for the party in Galway at the June 1927 general electionEamon DeeWaterford–Tipperary EastAgainstÉamon de ValeraClareAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927DownThomas DerrigMayo North and WestAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927James DevinsSligo–Mayo EastAgainstDied 20 September 1922Séamus DoyleWexfordAgainstAda EnglishNational UniversityAgainstSeán EtchinghamWexfordAgainstDied 23 April 1923Frank FahyGalwayAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927Francis FerranSligo–Mayo EastAgainstDied 10 June 1923Séamus FitzgeraldCork East and North–EastAgainstTook his seat in Seanad Éireann, 1934Thomas HunterCork East and North–EastAgainstDavid KentCork East and North–EastAgainstJames LennonCarlow–KilkennyAgainstAlso a major figure in the Irish Monetary Reform AssociationSeán MacEnteeMonaghanAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927Joseph MacDonaghTipperary Mid, North and SouthAgainstDied 25 December 1922Mary MacSwineyCork BoroughAgainstSigned statement on 8 December 1938Seán MacSwineyCork Mid, North, South, South–East and WestAgainstTom MaguireMayo South–Roscommon SouthAgainstSigned statement on 8 December 1938Constance MarkieviczDublin SouthAgainstIn 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.Liam MellowsGalwayAgainstDied 8 December 1922P. J. MoloneyTipperary Mid, North and SouthAgainstSeán MoylanCork Mid, North, South, South–East and WestAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil in 1932Seán NolanCork Mid, North, South, South–East and WestAgainstPatrick O'ByrneTipperary Mid, North and SouthAgainstDonal O'CallaghanCork BoroughAgainstKathleen O'CallaghanLimerick City–Limerick EastAgainstArt O'ConnorKildare–WicklowAgainstJoseph O'DohertyDonegalAgainstTook his seat in the Seanad in 1928Thomas O'DonoghueKerry–Limerick WestAgainstElected as an anti-Treaty Sinn Féin TD to the 3rd Dáil at the 1922 general election, though he did not take his seat. He was re-elected at the 1923 election and again did not take his seat.Samuel O'FlahertyDonegalAgainstBrian O'HigginsClareAgainstSigned statement on 8 December 1938John J. O'KellyLouth–MeathAgainstSigned statement on 8 December 1938Seán T. O'KellyDublin MidAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927Seán O'MahonyFermanagh and TyroneAgainstMember of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland for Fermanagh and Tyrone for the Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)Cathal Ó MurchadhaDublin SouthAgainstSigned statement on 8 December 1938Margaret PearseDublin CountyAgainstJoined Fianna Fáil, 1926George Noble PlunkettLeitrim–Roscommon NorthAgainstSigned statement on 8 December 1938Séumas RobinsonWaterford–Tipperary EastAgainstTook his seat in the Seanad in 1928Edmund RocheKerry–Limerick WestAgainstP. J. RuttledgeMayo North and WestAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927James RyanWexfordAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927Philip ShanahanDublin MidAgainstAustin StackKerry–Limerick WestAgainstWilliam StockleyNational UniversityAgainstSigned statement on 8 December 1938Domhnall Ua BuachallaKildare–WicklowAgainstTook his seat in the Dáil on 12 August 1927
Aftermath 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 3rd 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. 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.