Dublin, Ireland – More than a century after the end of the Irish Civil War, new research has shed light on the true extent of the casualties in the conflict. According to a recent study conducted by Prof. Andy Bielenberg of University College Cork (UCC) and historian John Dorney, the number of combatant and civilian fatalities in the Irish Free State during the war was found to be 1,426, making it a more accurate figure than previously estimated.
The project, supported by funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of the casualties during the Irish Civil War. The research conducted by UCC is part of a larger effort to document the historical events of that era, following the success of the “Atlas of the Irish Revolution” published in 2017.
Notably, the study revealed a previously unknown chronology of the Civil War, challenging the belief that major combat had ended after the first month of the conflict. The research highlighted spikes in fatalities during the opening conventional phase, the peak of the guerrilla war in autumn 1922, and a series of reprisal killings in March 1923.
The findings also indicated a disparity in casualties between the pro-Treaty and anti-Treaty sides, with more deaths recorded among the former. The research suggested that efforts to avoid civilian casualties by both factions contributed to the relatively lower number of non-combatant deaths during the Civil War compared to the War of Independence.
Furthermore, the study placed Dublin as the city with the highest number of fatalities during the conflict, followed by Cork and Kerry. Kerry, in particular, experienced a high proportion of deaths per capita, reflecting the intensity of the violence in that region.
Overall, the number of deaths in the Irish Civil War, while tragic, was relatively small compared to other civil conflicts in Europe during the 20th century. The study highlighted the significant loss of life in other civil wars, such as in Finland, Russia, and Spain, offering a broader perspective on the scale of violence in different historical contexts.
The research findings are expected to be published in a forthcoming book later this year, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the casualties and impact of the Irish Civil War. The research will be officially launched by Minister Catherine Martin, who praised the university’s efforts in creating a valuable resource for understanding the sacrifices made by individuals and families during that tumultuous period in Irish history.