The First Dáil

BY ART Mac EOIN


Successive anniversaries of the First Dáil Éireann have been officially ignored by the government of the 26 Counties, which claims its authority and whose parliament takes its name from the first freely elected, 32-County Irish assembly which met in the Mansion House, Dublin, on 21 January 1919.

Dáil Éireann's unequivocal demand for national self-determination for the Irish people, for the ownership of Ireland by the people of Ireland and for the ending of poverty and inequality, are as relevant today as they were in 1919.

The bloody aftermath of the 1916 Rising, with the protracted executions of the 14 republican leaders over a period of one week; the hanging of Roger Casement in August 1916; the mass internment of thousands and severe military repression by the British, created in the Ireland of 1919, for the first time since 1798 Rising, a nation in revolt.

British Prime Minister, Lloyd George, decided to hold a general election in December 1918. Republicans were determined to take full advantage of the opportunity provided.

On 14 December 1918, for the first time in Irish history, all the people of Ireland were being asked to choose between an Irish republic as expressed in the Sinn Féin manifesto or to support the policies of the Irish Parliamentary Party; which in effect meant the continuing domination of Ireland by Britain.

Against the backdrop of massive intimidation, including the arrest and jailing of over 100 prominent Sinn Féin activists; the confiscation of election material; the suppression of republican papers, the Irish people overwhelmingly and unequivocally demanded an independent 32-County republic.

They expressed this demand by electing 73 republicans out of a total of 105 seats. Although Sinn Féin won 73 seats, they only had 69 members elected because Eamon de Valera, Liam Mellows, Arthur Griffith, and Eoin MacNeill were elected to represent two constituencies.

The rest of the 105 seats were held by 26 Unionists and six members of the Irish Parliamentary Party.

Dáil Éireann assembled for the first time in the Round Room of the Mansion House on Tuesday, 21 January 1919. Thirty out of a possible 105 attended. The Unionists and Parliamentary Party members were invited but refused to attend, 34 Sinn Féin elected representatives were held in jail by the British, while others were unable to attend as they were 'on the run' from British forces.

On the same day the Dáil was inaugurated, the Irish Republican Army struck the first blow in the Tan War. They shot dead two RIC members during a raid for gelignite at Soloheadbeg, County Tipperary. The raid was led by Dan Breen and Sean Treacy.

The proceedings of the first Dáil were chaired by Cathal Brugha, who read the Declaration of Independence. When he had had finished reading, he declared to the Hall: "Delegates, you understand from what is asserted in this declaration that we are now done with England. Let the world know it and those who are concerned bear it in mind."

Another important declaration to be ratified was the Democratic Programme. The principles contained in it were clearly socialist and designed to harness the wealth producing proceess for the workers of land and industry.

The British banned and attempted to suppress the publication of the Democratric Programme and the Declaration of Independence. However, there was no difficulty in obtaining a copy of the Declaration, as hundreds of printing presses throughout Dublin defiantly churned them out.

When Dáil Éireann had risen from its first sitting after two hours, it was greeted outside the Mansion House in Dawson Street by a tumultous welcome by thousands of supporters.

Dáil Éireann, the first freely elected parliament of a 32-County Irish republic and the parliament to which Irish republicans still give allegiance, met for the first time on 21 January 1919, 82 years ago this week.