180: The Strange and Fascinating Story of the 1922 Election by Jim O'Leary

16th June 2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the critical 1922 General Election. The 1922 general election was probably the strangest that ever took place in the history of the state. It was remarkable in numerous respects. In the first instance, given the backdrop of bitter division and political violence, it was a wonder that it passed off peacefully. That it did so was due to a remarkable agreement arrived at by Collins and DeValera which stipulated the conditions under which the election could take place, conditions that were designed to suppress the Treaty as an election issue and to eliminate competition between the pro- and anti-Treaty factions within Sinn Fein. The results too were remarkable. Despite the best endeavours of those who designed the rules of engagement, the voters found a way to express their views on the Treaty. Also, despite Sinn Fein’s domination of the political landscape in the period leading up to the election, other parties and independents polled strongly. The Labour Party in its first electoral outing in Ireland won a higher share of the vote than in any subsequent election. This lecture will explore the background to the 1922 election, assess the issues that informed the campaign and its outcome, and analyse the results with reference inter alia to regional variations. It will also examine the motivations behind the so-called Collins- DeValera Pact. Speaker: Jim O’Leary is an amateur historian whose book ‘The Robinstown Affair – A War of Independence Story’ was published in February 2021 and was the subject of Trasna Na Tire Lecture 119.