Early-Apr

Around this time, British military intelligence estimated that 75% of the IRA in Munster and Dublin were anti-Treaty.

Curran J M (1980), pg 172

Apr-01

An order in council of the British government transfers control of the Revenue departments in Dublin Castle to the Provisional Government and sets guidelines for the transfer of other departments.

Curran J M (1980), pg 180

Apr-01

Following the setting up of the IRA Executive, Beggar’s Bush from this date began to re-organise the Divisions and Brigades of the IRA, paying a set number of officers in each Division.  This re-organisation took place over the following period with Executive officers being replaced with officers loyal to Beggar’s Bush.

McDermott (2001), pgs 198-199

Apr-02

De Valera makes a speech in Dundalk deriding the 2^nd Craig-Collins pact saying that it implies that northern nationalists have to recognise the Belfast government.

Phoenix (1994), pg 201

Apr-03

An RIC constable and a number of Special Constables come under fire at the corner of Old Lodge Road and Lime Street in Belfast resulting in the death of the RIC man (Constable George Turner).  Parkinson says that this killing took place on the 1^st April and resulted in the Arnon St killings – see Mar-31.  He also says that considerable controversy surrounds the killing of Constable Turner.

Abbott (2000), pg 284; Parkinson (2004), pg 245

Apr-03

Both the Belfast Newsletter and the Belfast Telegraph condemn the Arnon St killings but without attempting to ascertain who were the assailants or their motivation. 

Parkinson (2004), pg 246

Apr-04

In a telegram to Craig, Collins demands an “immediate joint enquiry” to investigate the Arnon St killings.

Parkinson (2004), pg 247

Apr-05

Control of the Special Constabulary handed over to the NI Government and Royal Ulster Constabulary formally set-up.

Parkinson (2004), pg 235

Apr-05

In a review for the British cabinet’s Irish Situation Committee, Churchill makes plans in the event of anti-Treatyites staging a coup in Dublin.  

Curran J M (1980), pgs 182-183

Apr-06

Two ex-RIC men were attacked in their homes in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo - one was killed (Constable Cranny) and the other (Constable Butler) was seriously wounded.

Abbott (2000), pg 293

Apr-06

Three ex-RIC men are killed in Clare and another two ex-RIC men are killed in Tralee, Co. Kerry.  Another five are wounded

Hart (1998), pg 114; Abbott (2000), pg 294

Apr-06

A patrol of Special Constables was attacked near Garrison, Co. Tyrone resulting  in the wounding of four constables and the death of one (S/Constable James Plumb).  His body was mutilated after death.

Abbott (2000), pgs 284-285

Apr-06

A meeting to be addressed by Arthur Griffith in Sligo is proclaimed by local Anti-Treaty IRA divisional commander, Liam Pilkington.  His troops take over a number of buildings in the town.  MacEoin brings Provisional Government troops from Athlone and on the day of the meeting, he is joined by further troops led by J J O'Connell.  A tense situation ensues but, at the last minute, Pilkington backs down and the meeting goes ahead. 

Hopkinson (1988), pg 76; Curran J M (1980), pg 182

Apr-06

A Catholic boy, Joseph Hannigan (9) is shot in the head while playing in the street in Maralin St in the New Lodge Rd area of Belfast.  As it is suspected that the shot came from the military, there are riots after this killing.

Parkinson (2004), pg 243

Apr-06

A patrol of Special Constables came under attack at Roughlan's Cross, Co. Armagh on the road between Keady and Monaghan resulting in the dead of Special Head Constable Alexander Compton.

Abbott (2000), pg 285

Apr-07

The Northern Ireland Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Bill – known as the flogging bill - receives royal assent.  It suspends habeas corpus; brings in the death penalty for offences such as bomb throwing and flogging for offences such as possession of arms.

Macardle (1999), pg 704; Curran J M (1980), pg 177; Parkinson (2004), pg 235; McDermott (2001), pgs 185-185

Apr-08

The body of RIC Sgt Edward McConnell was found in the Old Demesne, Templemore, Co. Tipperary with six bullets in it.

Abbott (2000), pgs 285-286

Apr-09

The Anti-Treaty Army Convention reconvenes in Dublin.  The Convention adopts a constitution (Appendix 8, O'Donnoghue 1986).  The convention votes narrowly against setting up a military dictatorship but opposed any election on the Treaty in the near future.  More Detail

O'Donnoghue (1986), pg 224; Macardle (1999), pgs 693-694; Neeson (1989), pg 96

Apr-10

Remaining Specials detained since Clones incident released.

McDermott (2001), pg 207

Apr-11

National Executive of the Irish Labour Party condemns militarism on both sides.

Macardle (1999), pg 701

Apr-11

Meeting of the Northern Advisory Committee to Provisional Government in Dublin which carried out extensive review of Provisional Government policy towards Northern Ireland government.   More Detail 

Phoenix (1994), pgs 203-212; McDermott (2001), pgs 207-211

Apr-12

The Joint Conciliation Committee, set up under the Collins-Craig pact, meets in Belfast (six nominees from each side).  They ask the NI Minister for Home Affairs Bates for quasi-legal status but he refuses and, by 20^th April, the Catholic members resign.  The committee soon lapses.

McDermott (2001), pg 212; Phoenix

Apr-12

Churchill states that 4,000 rifles; 2,200 revolvers, 6 machine guns and ammunition had been handed over to the Provisional Government.  He admitted that many rifles handed over to the Provisional Government had now “passed out of its control”.

O'Donnoghue (1986), pg 226; Macardle (1999), pgs 702-703

Apr-13

Dundalk Military Barracks is evacuated by the British Army and taken over by 50 IRA men of the 4^th Northern Division under Frank Aiken.

Gavin and O’Donnell (1999), pg 31

Apr-13

An RIC man (Sgt John Bruin) is shot in Cosgroves public house on York St. in Belfast and later dies from his wounds.

Abbott (2000), pg 286; Parkinson (2004), pg 245

Apr-13

A Special Constable (S/Constable Nathaniel McCoo) was shot while on a patrol in Joy St., Belfast and later died of his wounds.

Abbott (2000), pg 286; Parkinson (2004), pg 244; McDermott (2001), pg 212

Apr-13 (?)

A suspected informer (Patrick 'Cruxy' Connors) is shot dead in Manhattan, New York by men of the Cork city IRA.  (Even though, word went back to Cork that he had been killed, it is possible that he was survived the attack.)

Hart (1998), pg 114

Apr-13

Anti-Treaty forces under Rory O'Connor (and including Ernie O'Malley and Liam Mellows) take over Four Courts in Dublin.  (Other buildings such as the Ballast Office and the Masonic Hall are also taken over.) 

O'Farrell P (1997), pg xx; Litton (1995), pgs 45-46; Hopkinson (1988), pg 72

Apr-14

Liam Mellows, as Secretary to the Army Council, writes to the Secretary of the Dáil, setting out the conditions by which unity of the army might be attained.  These include (a) the maintenance of the Irish Republic; (2) Dáil Eireann to be the only government in Ireland; (3) the delay of elections 'while the threat of war with England exists'; (4) the disbandment of the new Civic Guard and (5) to maintain the army as the IRA under an elected independent Executive and (6) that the Dáil discharge all current and future financial liabilities of the army.  De Valera issues a statement says that "In Rory O'Connor and his comrades lives the unbought indomitable soul of Ireland" and appeals for support for them. 

Macardle (1999), pg 695

Apr-14?

Early in the morning, two Protestant bakers, Matthew Carmichael (40) and John Sloan, were shot dead in Belfast as were Catholics, Daniel Beattie (22) and Thomas Gillan (51).

Parkinson (2004), pg 241

Apr-17?

A Catholic, James Green (67) is shot dead in East Belfast.  A lot of gunfire and house burning in the Marrowbone area of Belfast with a number of people injured including James Fearon (56), a Catholic, who dies the following day from his wounds.  McDermott says the attack on the ‘Bone’ has “every appearance of an organised pogrom”.  Attacks continue on the following day and spread to the Falls Road.

Parkinson (2004), pg 241 & 253; McDermott (2001), pg 212

Apr-17

Noting increasing IRA activity in the border area, the Belfast Newsletter warned that this would lead to Fermanagh and Tyrone “for the sake of peace, agree[ing] to inclusion in southern Ireland” which in turn would “render the position of the other four counties perilous, if not untenable and would be a long step in the direction of a united Ireland”.

Parkinson (2004), pg 254

Apr-18?

A Catholic, Agnes McLarnon (30), is shot by a sniper on the Crumlin Rd. in Belfast.

Parkinson (2004), pg 241

Apr-19

Meeting of the Supreme Council of IRB along with division and county centres meet in 41 Parnell Sq.  Set up committee of six:  Diarmaid O'Hegarty, Sean O'Murthille and Martin Conlon (Pro-Treaty) and Florence O'Donnoghue, Liam Lynch and Joe McKelvey (Anti-Treaty) to try to find a basis for Army re-unification.  This committee meets five times but fails to come up with a firm proposal.

O'Donnoghue (1986), pg 234-235; Hopkinson (1988), pg 94

Apr-19

Two Catholic children are playing in Marine St. in the north of Belfast when a gunman approaches them and shoots both children, mortally wounding Mary Keenan (13).  In the east of the city, a sustained gunfight takes place.  Two Catholic women – Mary Berry and Rosie Duggan – are killed by bullets coming through the front window of the room in which they are taking refuge.  A Catholic grocer, Patrick McGoldrick (27) is shot in his shop and another Catholic, Francis Hobbs (36), is shot in the stomach in Thompson St.  A Protestant, James Greer (14), was shot in the Short Strand during riots and died later.  Earlier in the day, John Wall (16), a Protestant, was shot by a sniper.

Parkinson (2004), pg 243 & 251; McDermott (2001), pg 214

Apr-20

Three men tarred and feathered by the IRA and paraded down the Falls Rd in Belfast.  Also, Andrew McCartney, a Catholic, receives an injury in Henry St and dies the following day.  Also on this day (?), Thomas Best, a Protestant teenager, is shot dead in the Oldpark area.  Also on this day, William Kerr (27), a Catholic, is badly beaten by a loyalist mob before being shot.  A Catholic teenager, John Quinn, was shot in the Quinn St area and another Catholic, Dennis Diamond (25) was shot by a sniper in the Short Strand area.  James Johnson (50), a Protestant, shot in the Short Strand area and later dies of his injuries.

Parkinson (2004), pg 249-252

Apr-21

Six people killed in disturbances in Belfast.  RC priest, Fr Bernard Laverty (chair of the Belfast Catholic Protection Committee) sends a telegram to Churchill saying that Catholics were “being gradually but certainly exterminated”.  This leads to an angry exchange of letters between Craig and Collins with both sides blaming the other for non-compliance with various elements of their pact.

Phoenix (1994), pg 215; McDermott (2001), pg 215

Apr-21

The Provisional Government decided that Collins should inform Craig that unless Craig shows good faith that they would regard the agreement as broken. 

Phoenix (1994), pg 216

Apr-21

Ulster Council of IRA meet in Clones and agree that every division with territory inside the six counties would carry out operations in about two weeks.  McDermott says that Collins sanctioned this policy after the breakdown in the relationship with Craig.  He goes on to say that “The aim of the new campaign was to make the government of the six counties as difficult as possible, rather than the overthrow of the state.” 

Woods informs his 3^rd Northern divisional council the following day.

Phoenix (1994), pg 218; McDermott (2001), pg 215

Apr-22

Local Anti-Treaty IRA proclaims meetings to be held in Tralee and Killarney which are to be addressed by Collins.  However, last minute agreements, allow the meetings to go ahead.

Hopkinson (1988), pg 576

Apr-23

Ex-RIC Sergeant Gunn is killed in Ennis, Co. Clare

Abbott (2000), pg 293

Apr-23

A Protestant blind man, Robert Miller (68), was shot dead in his home in Beechfield St in Belfast. 

Parkinson (2004), pg 243

Apr-23

A hand grenade is thrown at the congregation arriving at the much-targeted Catholic St Mathew’s Church in Ballymacarret in Belfast killing Lizzie McCabe(35) and seriously injuring Catholic policeman John Moriarty.

Parkinson (2004), pg 247

Apr-24

A general strike takes place called by the Labour Party (and supported by 75,000 workers) against the prospect of civil war.

Litton (1995), pg 56; Macardle (1999), pg 701; Curran J M (1980), pg 185

Apr-24

During an angry exchange, Brigadier Adamson of the pro-Treaty forces is shot dead in Athlone. 

Macardle (1999), pg 697; O'Farrell P (1997), pg 141

Apr-24

In Belfast, the Irish News states that the “full responsibility for all these hideous deeds of terrorism and blood rests on the shoulders of the established Government of this city” and goes on to suggest that “their failure to preserve a semblance of law and order is apparently complete”.   Four days earlier, the Irish News had stated that “not a single honest official effort had been made to get at the truth about these ghastly occurances”.

Parkinson (2004), pg 255.

Apr-24

A Protestant, William Sibberson (31), is shot dead while working at his desk at his place of work in the Short Strand area of Belfast.

Parkinson (2004), pg 241

Apr-25

Having received nothing beyond a formal acknowledgment to the letter of the 14^th April, the Anti-Treaty Army Executive writes again outlining the conditions saying that it was probably the last opportunity “of saving the country from Civil War”

Macardle (1999), pg 695

Apr-26

Meeting in Maynooth, the Catholic hierarchy refer to the savage persecution of northern Catholics and add that “The authorities cannot plead helplessness.  They have at their disposal tens of thousands of armed men, paid for by the British government”

Phoenix (1994), pgs 216-217

Apy-26

The Provisional Government’s Northern Advisory Committee meets and urges Collins to start IRA operations again by 2^nd May if Craig does not accede to his three demands.  At this time, Collins is involved in preparations for a major Northern offensive by IRA (without knowledge of his cabinet colleagues).  Northern IRA staff paid for as part of pro-Treaty army and supplied with arms from anti-Treaty divisions after Collins negotiated this with Liam Lynch.

Phoenix (1994), pgs 217 & 218; O’Donoghue (1986), pgs 249-250

Apr 26-28

In the early hours of the 26th and the following nights, thirteen Protestants were killed in the Dunmanway-Clonakilty-Bandon area of west Cork in sectarian attacks.  This resulted in many Protestants leaving Cork. More Detail 

Hart (1998), pgs 273-279; Macardle (1999), pg 705

Apr 26-29

Conference held in Mansion House in Dublin with a view bringing together pro and anti-treaty forces.  Led by Labour Party but effort fails.

Hopkinson (1988), pg 93

Apr-26

Three British Intelligence Officers and their driver are kidnapped and later shot as spies in Macroom, Co. Cork.

Hart (1999), pg 280

Apr-26

Three representatives of the Labour Party asked a conference that was taking place in the Mansion House that representatives of the Anti-Treaty Army Executive should be added to the conference but Griffith and Collins refuse.  (The conference was probably the one called together by the Archbishop and Lord Mayor of Dublin - see above – it ended in failure on the 29^th April.)

Macardle (1999), pg 707

Apr-27

The Times reports Sir James Craig as saying that the degree of [Belfast] boycott activity is greater than it was during the official boycott.

Parkinson (2004), pg 78

Apr-28

Dáil cabinet meets for last time as a separate body.

Hopkinson (1988), pg 56

Apr-30

Lord Midleton complains to King George V about the 'hasty withdrawal of British troops, against which your Majesty's Government was repeatedly warned' has led to am 'extremely grave' situation. 

Hopkinson (1988), pg 90

Apr-30

Speaking in Mullingar, de Valera condemns the killings of Protestants in Cork.

Macardle (1999), pg 705

Apr-30

A RIC man (Con Benjamin or Archibald Bently) is ambushed and killed at Staneen near Drogheda, Co. Louth.

Abbott (2000), pg 286

Apr

About 100 IRA men enter a bonded store in Dublin and, as part of the on-going Belfast Boycott, proceed to destroy half a million gallons of Dunville whiskey.  (The Dunville distillery is owned by Sir James Craig.)

Parkinson (2004), pgs 75 & 332

End-Apr

Hierarchy of the Irish Catholic Church issue a statement from Maynooth condemning the Volunteers who had set up an independent Executive.

Macardle (1999), pg 701

Apr?

An Anti-Treaty prisoner, Michael Sweeney, is shot dead in Dublin.

Macardle (1999), pg 697