On this day in 1922, sparks flew in the Irish Civil War between former friends who had once fought side by side against British forces. This war, which tore Ireland apart at its core, was one of the most violent internal conflicts in modern European history and left a deep mark on the Irish national psyche to this day.

Start of the Conflict: From Ally to Enemy

For over a century, Ireland had been under direct British rule. But after years of violent resistance, both sides reached an agreement in December 1921. The Anglo-Irish Treaty would grant Ireland self-rule divided into two states: the Irish Free State and the state of Northern Ireland, which remained under the British Crown. Yet the treaty did not satisfy everyone. A faction led by Michael Collins, Minister of Finance, and Arthur Griffith saw it as a first step toward full independence. Another faction, led by Éamon de Valera, the former prime minister, rejected anything less than a united Irish republic with no partition.

Battle of Dublin: Spark of War

On June 6, 1922, the Irish Civil War officially began when the pro-Treaty Irish National Army shelled the Four Courts building in Dublin, the stronghold of anti-Treaty republican forces. This three-day battle marked the start of a year-long series of clashes that lasted until May 1923. Captain Jack White, a participant in the 1916 Irish Revolution, later reflected on that moment: “The greatest pain was seeing brothers-in-arms turn against each other.” Indeed, this war was one of the most painful conflicts for the Irish people because it pitted friend against friend and family against family.

Tragic Figures

The Irish Civil War was short but brutal. Nearly 1,000 combatants were killed, and thousands more were wounded. All of Ireland saw this conflict as worse than decades of British oppression because the wound came from within the family itself. The Irish Times wrote at the time: “There is nothing that can justify the shedding of your brothers’ blood in the name of a freedom you have not yet won.”

Legacy of War

The Irish Civil War ended in May 1923 with the surrender of anti-Treaty republicans. Yet the wounds never fully healed. The Irish Free State moved toward becoming a republic, but the partition imposed by the treaty became a political nightmare that remains unresolved to this day. Northern Ireland continues to be a source of tension between communities, and the fierce divisions between pro- and anti-Treaty factions still echo in Irish politics. On June 6, 1922, Ireland stood at a crossroads. Those who had dreamed of full freedom on June 6, 1916 were stunned to see their brothers turn on one another. This war, though brief, left a wound in Irish society that has not yet healed. Every time the Irish feel divided, the image of Dublin under siege in June 1922 returns to mind.