Tomorrow with bayonets

The raw intensity of the Irish Civil War is brought to life in this gripping, fast-paced journey from July 1921 to July 1922 – a year of change and conflict. Dublin’s descent into violent unrest surpasses the turbulence of the Easter Rising. Treaty debates spark dissension, and as tensions mount, Dublin becomes a tinderbox of espionage, betrayal, and guerrilla warfare. Former allies who fought shoulder to shoulder in the IRA now find themselves divided and entrenched in an ideological struggle that threatens to tear Dublin and Ireland apart. More than a historical recount, ‘Tomorrow With Bayonets’ offers a visceral portrayal of a nation grappling with its identity and sovereignty, seen through the eyes of combatants, leaders, and civilians caught in the crossfire.

The Provisional Government’s National Army and the IRA engage in sporadic but fierce clashes as unrelenting violence and chaos engulf the country. In Northern Ireland, there is growing disillusionment among IRA units due to the diminishing credibility of assurances from Michael Collins. Ongoing assaults on their communities, the nationalist population experiences a rising number of casualties due to rampant brutality from unionist militias. A suppression of inquiries into killings leads to a widespread feeling of abandonment by the Provisional Government.

On June 4 1922, the Provisional Government implemented ‘a policy of peaceful obstruction’ towards the Belfast Government, explicitly forbidding any troops from the twenty-six counties from entering the six-county area. In an apocalyptic climax, Dublin is engulfed in explosions, assassinations and relentless urban warfare. This powerful account, not for the faint-hearted, leaves a lasting impact, resonating with the reader long after the final page.