Hi there. I'll proceed to answer your question focusing on why the Anglo-Irish War or War of Independence from 1919-1921 succeeded and its predecessors didn't.

The early twentieth-century witnessed the first militarily significant opposition to Ireland's lack of sovereignty. In 1916, what could only be termed as radical nationalists sparked a militarily insignificant insurrection centred mostly in Dublin in opposition to Ireland's lack of independence. Outside the General Post Office (GPO) the Proclamation of Independence was read, however, the revolutionaries lacked popular support. It was after the 1916 Easter Rising, when the martyring executions of the Irish Republican Brotherhood Military Council leaders (who organised and lead the Rising), alongside reports of atrocities committed by British Army troops and mass internment and deportation of both innocent and guilty Irish individuals, that popular support began to melt and remould in support of the separatist movement. Thus, the Rising succeeded in its true goal of being ideologically significant and altering the status quo of British rule in Ireland.

The Irish War of Independence which began in 1919 saw the Irish Volunteers (later called the Irish Republican Army/IRA) enjoying the popular support of the public. As well as this, the constantly occurring brutality of British authorities, such as the atrocities committed by the "Black and Tans" (Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Special Reserve) and the "Auxiliaries" (Auxiliary Division of the RIC) firstly, caused widespread rejection to the British administration in Ireland, and secondly, allowed the IRA to respond with equally brutal attacks (often also resulting in disgust from the general public, but balanced by the British authorities' responses, such as the Burning of Cork). The IRA's strategy was essentially to make Ireland ungovernable and chaotic. The IRA leadership acknowledged that they could not face the British Armed Forces militarily, and thus adopted and employed guerilla tactics. As well as this, the IRA successfully employed the use of its intelligence in order to wreak havoc on the British administration in Ireland. It was for this reason that the British introduced the Black and Tans as well as the Auxiliaries. All of this resulted in a country plagued with political and militaristic violence, with a population in support of separatism and in rejection of British rule. Alongside this, the political wing of the separatist movement, Sinn Féin, allowed for nationalism to exhibit itself in less violent and politically acceptable ways, and the parties' landslide victory in the General Election of 1918 displayed the desire for an independent Ireland. Thus, in making Ireland ungovernable with the support of the general population of Ireland, the IRA succeeded in achieving dominion status in 1921 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

In comparison to previous revolts, the War of Independence, in summary, had numerous distinct characteristics which were key to its success. (1) The Irish public was in support of the separatist movement, demonstrated by IRA recruitment, Sinn Féin membership, and Sinn Féin victory in 1918. (2) The IRA succeeded in making Ireland ungovernable through the employment of guerilla tactics and intelligence notoriously headed by Michael Collins. (3) The British Government consistently reacted horribly to every opportunity to prove their worthiness and instead met violence with atrocities which were often propagandized by the separatists.

​

Sources Consulted:

Diarmaid Ferriter, The Transformation of Ireland 1900 - 2000 (London, 2004).

Michael Laffan, The Resurrection of Ireland: The Sinn Féin Party, 1916 - 1923 (Cambridge, 1995).

R. F. Foster, Modern Ireland 1600 - 1972 (London, 1989).

Hi there. I'll proceed to answer your question focusing on why the Anglo-Irish War or War of Independence from 1919-1921 succeeded and its predecessors didn't.

The early twentieth-century witnessed the first militarily significant opposition to Ireland's lack of sovereignty. In 1916, what could only be termed as radical nationalists sparked a militarily insignificant insurrection centred mostly in Dublin in opposition to Ireland's lack of independence. Outside the General Post Office (GPO) the Proclamation of Independence was read, however, the revolutionaries lacked popular support. It was after the 1916 Easter Rising, when the martyring executions of the Irish Republican Brotherhood Military Council leaders (who organised and lead the Rising), alongside reports of atrocities committed by British Army troops and mass internment and deportation of both innocent and guilty Irish individuals, that popular support began to melt and remould in support of the separatist movement. Thus, the Rising succeeded in its true goal of being ideologically significant and altering the status quo of British rule in Ireland.

The Irish War of Independence which began in 1919 saw the Irish Volunteers (later called the Irish Republican Army/IRA) enjoying the popular support of the public. As well as this, the constantly occurring brutality of British authorities, such as the atrocities committed by the "Black and Tans" (Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Special Reserve) and the "Auxiliaries" (Auxiliary Division of the RIC) firstly, caused widespread rejection to the British administration in Ireland, and secondly, allowed the IRA to respond with equally brutal attacks (often also resulting in disgust from the general public, but balanced by the British authorities' responses, such as the Burning of Cork). The IRA's strategy was essentially to make Ireland ungovernable and chaotic. The IRA leadership acknowledged that they could not face the British Armed Forces militarily, and thus adopted and employed guerilla tactics. As well as this, the IRA successfully employed the use of its intelligence in order to wreak havoc on the British administration in Ireland. It was for this reason that the British introduced the Black and Tans as well as the Auxiliaries. All of this resulted in a country plagued with political and militaristic violence, with a population in support of separatism and in rejection of British rule. Alongside this, the political wing of the separatist movement, Sinn Féin, allowed for nationalism to exhibit itself in less violent and politically acceptable ways, and the parties' landslide victory in the General Election of 1918 displayed the desire for an independent Ireland. Thus, in making Ireland ungovernable with the support of the general population of Ireland, the IRA succeeded in achieving dominion status in 1921 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

In comparison to previous revolts, the War of Independence, in summary, had numerous distinct characteristics which were key to its success. (1) The Irish public was in support of the separatist movement, demonstrated by IRA recruitment, Sinn Féin membership, and Sinn Féin victory in 1918. (2) The IRA succeeded in making Ireland ungovernable through the employment of guerilla tactics and intelligence notoriously headed by Michael Collins. (3) The British Government consistently reacted horribly to every opportunity to prove their worthiness and instead met violence with atrocities which were often propagandized by the separatists.

​

Sources Consulted:

Diarmaid Ferriter, The Transformation of Ireland 1900 - 2000 (London, 2004).

Michael Laffan, The Resurrection of Ireland: The Sinn Féin Party, 1916 - 1923 (Cambridge, 1995).

R. F. Foster, Modern Ireland 1600 - 1972 (London, 1989).

Hi there. I'll proceed to answer your question focusing on why the Anglo-Irish War or War of Independence from 1919-1921 succeeded and its predecessors didn't.

The early twentieth-century witnessed the first militarily significant opposition to Ireland's lack of sovereignty. In 1916, what could only be termed as radical nationalists sparked a militarily insignificant insurrection centred mostly in Dublin in opposition to Ireland's lack of independence. Outside the General Post Office (GPO) the Proclamation of Independence was read, however, the revolutionaries lacked popular support. It was after the 1916 Easter Rising, when the martyring executions of the Irish Republican Brotherhood Military Council leaders (who organised and lead the Rising), alongside reports of atrocities committed by British Army troops and mass internment and deportation of both innocent and guilty Irish individuals, that popular support began to melt and remould in support of the separatist movement. Thus, the Rising succeeded in its true goal of being ideologically significant and altering the status quo of British rule in Ireland.

The Irish War of Independence which began in 1919 saw the Irish Volunteers (later called the Irish Republican Army/IRA) enjoying the popular support of the public. As well as this, the constantly occurring brutality of British authorities, such as the atrocities committed by the "Black and Tans" (Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) Special Reserve) and the "Auxiliaries" (Auxiliary Division of the RIC) firstly, caused widespread rejection to the British administration in Ireland, and secondly, allowed the IRA to respond with equally brutal attacks (often also resulting in disgust from the general public, but balanced by the British authorities' responses, such as the Burning of Cork). The IRA's strategy was essentially to make Ireland ungovernable and chaotic. The IRA leadership acknowledged that they could not face the British Armed Forces militarily, and thus adopted and employed guerilla tactics. As well as this, the IRA successfully employed the use of its intelligence in order to wreak havoc on the British administration in Ireland. It was for this reason that the British introduced the Black and Tans as well as the Auxiliaries. All of this resulted in a country plagued with political and militaristic violence, with a population in support of separatism and in rejection of British rule. Alongside this, the political wing of the separatist movement, Sinn Féin, allowed for nationalism to exhibit itself in less violent and politically acceptable ways, and the parties' landslide victory in the General Election of 1918 displayed the desire for an independent Ireland. Thus, in making Ireland ungovernable with the support of the general population of Ireland, the IRA succeeded in achieving dominion status in 1921 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

In comparison to previous revolts, the War of Independence, in summary, had numerous distinct characteristics which were key to its success. (1) The Irish public was in support of the separatist movement, demonstrated by IRA recruitment, Sinn Féin membership, and Sinn Féin victory in 1918. (2) The IRA succeeded in making Ireland ungovernable through the employment of guerilla tactics and intelligence notoriously headed by Michael Collins. (3) The British Government consistently reacted horribly to every opportunity to prove their worthiness and instead met violence with atrocities which were often propagandized by the separatists.

​

Sources Consulted:

Diarmaid Ferriter, The Transformation of Ireland 1900 - 2000 (London, 2004).

Michael Laffan, The Resurrection of Ireland: The Sinn Féin Party, 1916 - 1923 (Cambridge, 1995).

R. F. Foster, Modern Ireland 1600 - 1972 (London, 1989).