Civic Guard Mutiny

The Civic Guard Mutiny, also known as the Kildare Mutiny, was the first of two major security force mutinies in the early years of the Irish Free State. It involved the Garda Síochána (the police force of the newly independent Free State) and took place in May 1922 in the Kildare Depot, the training depot for the force's recruits.[1] It was followed in 1924 by the better-known Army Mutiny.

The mutiny occurred in the aftermath of the Anglo-Irish War. The Garda had been set up to replace the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), the force responsible for policing all of Ireland (outside Dublin) during British rule. The RIC had been a major part of the British effort during the conflict, which saw many of its members killed or intimidated from their homes. The majority of RIC men left the Free State when British withdrawal became apparent, many to serve in the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the RIC's successor in the newly created Northern Ireland.

While most recruits to the Garda came from the ranks of the Irish Republican Army[2] (which had fought against the RIC), about 100 ex-RIC men became part of the new force. Many of these had spied for or otherwise assisted the IRA during the conflict. Because of their experience in police work, some of these men were used to train the new Garda recruits.

Problems became apparent when some recruits would not conceal their dislike of the ex-RIC instructors, and refused to salute them. On 15 May 1922, over 1,200 recruits broke ranks during Morning Parade, seized the armoury and took over the Depot. Commissioner Michael Staines and senior officers withdrew under armed guard and the mutineers elected County Clare IRA commander and Sinn Féin TD Patrick Brennan as their commissioner.[3] Negotiations between the mutineers and the Provisional Government of Ireland over control of the force lasted seven weeks, during which time the Irish Civil War had begun. Staines resigned in September and was replaced by Eoin O'Duffy. Brennan resigned his Dáil seat in December and was subsequently appointed Assistant Commissioner.

Tensions in the run-up to the Civil War were also contributing factors in the mutiny, as leading figures in the Anti-Treaty IRA encouraged their followers to join the Garda with a view to destabilising it. Senior Gardaí also manipulated the mutineers for their own ends.

References

  1. ↑ "Book Review – The Civic Guard Mutiny". theirishstory.com.
  2. ↑ http://www.museum.ie/en/exhibition/info/early-garda-recruit.aspx
  3. ↑ "Replacing a garda commissioner won’t resolve ‘embedded dysfunctionality’ in the force". The Irish Times. 26 March 2014.
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