On 21 January 1919, following their unprecedented victory in the 1918 General Election, a group of abstaining Sinn Féin ‘MPs’ gathered in the Mansion House in Dublin and held the first meeting of Dáil Éireann. While this gathering declared independence and pledged to carry on the fight started at Easter 1916, that same day saw a group of Irish Volunteers ambush two men of the Royal Irish Constabulary at Soloheadbeg in County Tipperary. The subsequent death of those officers and the theft of their explosives, alongside political events in Dublin, marked the outbreak of the Irish War of Independence.
The GPO Museum is delighted to round out our roster of Specialised Guided Tours with a tour that will bring visitors through the events of the ‘Anglo-Irish War’. This specially researched tour will track the rise of Sinn Féin, the reorganisation of the Volunteers into the force known as the IRA, the development of guerilla warfare in Ireland, Britain’s political and military policy in Ireland, partition, and the consequences of the Treaty which ended it all.
Booking is essential, as availability is limited. This specially researched tour will last approximately one hour and fifteen minutes, and patrons are welcome to enjoy our exhibition at their own leisure after the tour. There are plenty of artefacts, interactive screens, and even a film to explore!
Please note that this tour may not be suitable for children under the age of 12
Image Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland (NLI).