One Hundred years ago today the Anglo Irish Treaty was ratified by Dail Eireann. It was signed in London on December 6th 1921, by a negotiation team of Michael Collins, Arthur Griffiths, Arthur Robert Barton, Eamonn Duggan and George Gavan Duffy. When they made the return journey to Dublin they did so with heavy hearts knowing well that it would spit political and public opinion.
Eamon de Valera, who had refused to travel to London as part of the delegate rejected it completely, as did many other Dail members. Democratically the terms of the Treaty was opened to debate inside the Dail chambers. Tempers flared, members quit and the discussion continued throughout Christmas 1921 and into the first week of the New Year. On January 7th, the matter finally went to vote, resulting in the Treaty being ratified by a very slim margin of 64 to 57.
tps://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/dail-votes-for-historic-treaty-by-margin-of-just-seven-votes
Emily along with the majority of Cumann na mBan rejected the terms of the Treaty completely. A convention to for early February to; “reaffirm their alliance to the Republic of Ireland”. At the convention every member cast their vote. A staggering eighty six per cent of members were against the Treaty.
Sources
https://www.rte.ie/history/the-ban/2020/0401/1127789-cumann-na-mban-a-photo-essay/)
https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/spotlight/arid-40774302.html
(https://www.rte.ie/history/the-ban/2020/0401/1127789-cumann-na-mban-a-photo-essay/)
Cumann na mBan. Copy Agenda of the Cumann Na MBan Special Convention.
Freeman’s Journal 06 January 1922
Illustrated London News 21 January 1922