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The End.
The first significant caualty was Michael Collins himself, killed in August 1922 in an ambush in County Cork, only a few days after the funeral of Arthur Griffith, who had died of illness. The guerilla campaign lasted eight months, and was brought to an end by the ruthless policy of repression instituted by the government, harsher than that employed by the British during the [[Irish War of Independence]]. The Government began executing anti-Treaty prisoners in November 1922, in reprisal for IRA attacks; one victim was the author [[Erskine Childers]], shot by firing squad on 24 November. The Army also carried out the summary execution of captured anti-treaty forces, in one case tying 9 IRA men to a land mine, which was then detonated. By early 1923 the anti-treaty IRA was cracking under this pressure, and in May it ordered its volunteers to dump their arms - in effect, to suspend the struggle.
The first significant caualty was Michael Collins himself, killed in August 1922 in an ambush in County Cork, only a few days after the funeral of Arthur Griffith, who had died of illness. The guerilla campaign lasted eight months, and was brought to an end by the ruthless policy of repression instituted by the government, harsher than that employed by the British during the [[Irish War of Independence]]. The Government began executing anti-Treaty prisoners in November 1922, in reprisal for IRA attacks; one victim was the author [[Erskine Childers]], shot by firing squad on 24 November. The Army also carried out the summary execution of captured anti-treaty forces, in one case tying 9 IRA men to a land mine, which was then detonated. By early 1923 the anti-treaty IRA was cracking under this pressure, and in May it ordered its volunteers to dump their arms - in effect, to suspend the struggle.
==Effects of the war==
In total, around 4,000 lost their lives, including 800 Free State Army troops, and massive damage was caused to the country's infrastructure, railways and bridges in particular being destroyed by guerilla forces. The war also had an effect on national politics which has arguably lasted to the present day. The main political parties in Ireland, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, both owe their origins to the Civil War. [[Fine Gael]] evolved from the pro-treaty Sinn Fein which formed the first Free State government; [[Fianna Fail]] was founded by de Valera in 1926 when he left (anti-treaty) Sinn Fein to participate in the democratic political pocesses in Ireland.
==Further Information==
*http://libraryautomation.com/nymas/irishcivilwar.html
*http://www.1916rising.com/civilwar.html
[[Category:Ireland]]
[[Category:Ireland]]
[[Category:Wars]]
[[Category:Wars]]