The War of Independence began in January 1919 and ended with the truce of July 1921. This was followed by negotiations in London, and in December 1921 a treaty with Britain was signed. The treaty was ratified by Dail Eireann in January 1922, which resulted in the founding of the Irish Free State.
British troops began to leave Ireland in January 1922, and Michael Collins, the Irish Commander-in-Chief, took possession of Dublin Castle from Lord Lietenant FitzAlan.
The Royal Irish Constabulary was disbanded, to be replaced by a new, unarmed police force, An Garda Síochána.
The Black and Tans and Auxies left Ireland as part of the British withdrawal, and their camp at Gormanston, near Balbriggan, was the base from which the last group departed.
Michael Collins became Commander-in-Chief of the Free State Army, and was killed in 1922, during the Civil War.
Gormanston Camp remained a military installation with the founding of the Irish Free State. It served as a centre for refugees from Northern Ireland during the early days of the Troubles, and today is still the property of the Department of Defence, serving as a reserve airstrip.
Johnny, Stella, Alice and their families are fictitious, as are the Mill Hotel and Hanlon’s Guesthouse. The historical events described are real, however, and the burning of Balbriggan caused an outrage that was reported upon internationally, and that led to questions being asked in the House of Parliament. Two civilians, James Lawless and John Gibbons, were killed, forty-five homes were damaged or destroyed, shops and pubs were burnt down and the Deeds Templar hosiery factory, a major employer, was also destroyed.
Also factual was the execution of Kevin Barry, and the battle of wits between Michael Collins and British Intelligence that led to the killings of Bloody Sunday.
Dublin and Balbriggan have changed a lot since 1920. In Balbriggan both the library and the train station still operate from the same sites, while real locations in Dublin such as Gardiner Place, Grafton Street, St Stephen’s Green and Leeson Street would still be readily recognisable to a citizen from 1920.
Brian Gallagher, Dublin, 2018.