The Activities of Irish Republican Physical Force Organisations in Scotland, 1919–21.

Abstract

The significant contribution made by overseas support to the success of the final, military stages of the struggle for Irish indepen dence between the suppression of the Easter rising of 1916 and the signing of the Anglo-Irish treaty in 1921 has long been recognised. In particular, the United States played a central role in giving both financial and moral backing to the nationalist forces.1 In Britain, too, there was a good deal of assistance given. Several writers have emphasised the prominent part played by republican sympathisers in Scotland in helping to secure Irish freedom over this period. For instance Gallagher refers to the 'vital function' and the 'crucial' role of Scotland in the war of indepndence.2 This is not surprising: there was a very large Irish immigrant population in Scotland? proportionately higher than in England?many of whom had only recently arrived. Again, the tradition of active involvement by the Irish community in Scotland in their native country's nationalist movements was deep and of long standing. John Denvir claimed that several hundred Irishmen in Scotland armed and readied