Munster Republic

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Phoblacht na Mumhan Munster Republic Unrecognized state ←   ← 1922 – 1923 → Flag The island of Ireland. Capital Cork Language(s) Irish, English Government Republic President  - 1922 Éamon de Valera Historical era Interwar period  - Proclamation April 24, 1916  - Anglo-Irish Treaty December 1922  - Irish Civil War January 1923

The Munster Republic was a term used by Irish republicans to refer to the territory they held in the province of Munster at the start of the Irish Civil War, with its capital city being Cork.

After the first week of fighting in the Civil War (June 28 – July 5, 1922), Dublin was held by those in support of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Irish Free State. The main stronghold of Anti-Treaty forces (the Irish Republicans) became the self-styled Munster Republic, consisting of the counties south of a line between Limerick and Waterford. Liam Lynch, the republican commander-in-chief, hoped to use the "Republic" as a means of re-negotiating the Treaty, and ideally reconstituting the Irish Republic of 1919–21. For this defensive attitude, Lynch was bitterly criticised by some other republicans, who felt that he should be acting offensively to bring the war to a quick end.

However, the Anti-Treaty side (who were supported by a large group of rebels from the Irish Republican Army), lacked artillery and armoured units, both of which the Free State obtained from the British. The Free State launched an offensive against the Munster Republic in July 1922. Limerick and Waterford were taken easily, and Cork became the last county independent of the Free State. Michael Collins sent the Free State Army by sea to Union Hall in Co. Cork and to Fenit in Co. Kerry. Cork was retaken on August 10. The end of the Munster Republic resulted in the opposition to the Treaty being forced into the countryside and small-scale guerrilla warfare.

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Kerry Landing - Harrington - ISBN 0-947962-70-0 Anvil

v • d • e Irish states since 1171  Ireland (1937–present)  •  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1922†–present) Medieval period Gaelic Ireland (prehistory–1607) •  Lordship of Ireland (1171–1541) Modern period  Kingdom of Ireland (1541–1801) • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1922†) Twentieth century Irish Free State (1922–37) Notable declared states Republic of Connaught (1798) • Irish Republic (1919–22) • Munster Republic (1922) See also Confederate Ireland (1642–53) • Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland (1649–60) • Northern Ireland (1921–72) • Southern Ireland (1921–22) †Date marks the secession of the majority of Ireland from the United Kingdom rather than the creation of a new state. Official name was changed in 1927.