Goodness knows how the current political hostilities will develop, but for a moment earlier this year it appeared the Civil War had ended. Before the Dail adjourned for the summer the two main factions, both then and now, FF and FG, called a truce to the ancient dispute. FF leader Bertie Ahern suggested an official inclusive commemoration to mark the foundation of the State but FG leader John Bruton, said it might not be possible as the parties had different ideas on the date and FG had already celebrated on April 17th last. The gospel according to FF, set down in a 1971 parliamentary answer by Jack Lynch, is that the State was founded on January 21st 1919 when the first Dail met. A 75th anniversary celebration was organised by Albert Reynolds and his government in the Mansion House in 1994. FG believes the State was founded on December 6th 1922, when the Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstat Eireann) Act came into operation.
Arguments can also be made for December 23rd 1920, the enactment by Westminster of the Government of Ireland Act 1920; for May 1921 when simultaneous elections were held north and south for the separate parliaments provided for in the Government of Ireland Act; for July 11th 1921 when a truce was declared in the War of Independence; for December 6th 1921, the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty; for December 1921 when the Treaty was approved by Westminster; for January 1922 when the Treaty was approved by the second Dail; for January 16th 1922 when Dublin Castle was formally handed over to the Provisional Government; and for October 25th 1922 when the constitution of the Irish Free State was approved by the Dail sitting as a constituent assembly.
But before the June election FF and FG agreed to march together, irrespective of who was Taoiseach, next December 6th. Things have been so fraught and busy of late the plans have not yet been looked at but is the Civil War finally over? Or will republicans object that the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty, which brought into being the 26 County State, now marks the official birth of the nation?