British Policy and the Irish Administration, 1920–22

John McColgan

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English

Routledge
02 June 2025

British & Irish history; 20th century history: c 1900 to c 2000; Public administration

Series: Routledge Revivals

The political and military dimensions of the Anglo-Irish ‘troubles’ following World War I have received numerous historical treatments. The administrative history of this revolutionary period, however, has been neglected. First published in 1983, British Policy and the Irish Administration, 1920–22 fills a void for academic and popular readership of twentieth century Irish history, administrative history, and public administration in Ireland.

Beginning with the civil service reforms at Dublin Castle in the Spring of 1920, McColgan traces the history of the Irish administration in transition up to the departure of temporary British administrators in 1922. Although these progressive young civil servants from England replaced crusty, outdated officials in key positions at Dublin Castle, and initially hoped for rapprochement with ‘moderate nationalists’, the author sees British policy as essentially obliging of Ulster Unionsim. He supports this view with a study of developments at the bureaucratic level. He then exposes and explains in their political context the administrative issues surrounding the establishment of the Free State provisional government and relations between the Northern and provisional governments. He gives special focus to Michael Collins’ campaign of administrative obstruction of the North and shows how British officials balanced the various interests. McColgans’s conclusions supply a fresh appreciation of the significant role British civil servants played in settling Britain’s ‘Irish question’. He presents an original view of what was involved administrationally in the Anglo-Irish settlement of 1920–22.

By: John McColgan
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781041022299
ISBN 10: 1041022298
Series: Routledge Revivals
Pages: 194
Publication Date: 02 June 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

1. Dublin Castle, 1920 2. The Creation of the Chief Secretary’s Office (Belfast Branch) 3. The Government of Ireland Bill: Blueprint for Partition 4. The Transfer of Services to Northern Ireland 5. Partition and the Civil Service 6. British Withdrawal Conclusion

John McColgan earned a Ph.D. in Modern Irish History and a Diploma in Archival Studies from the National University of Ireland. He has contributed to various journals including Irish Historical Studies, Administration and Irish Archives Bulletin.

Reviews for British Policy and the Irish Administration, 1920–22

Reviews of the first publication: ‘This is an important, original and illuminating contribution to the fledgling history of the Irish administration.’ — Kieran Flanagan, Irish Historical Studies, Volume 24, Issue 95 ‘… McColgan's book is an original, scrupulous, often engrossing contribution to the study of Irish disorganization.’ — David Fitzpatrick, Irish Economic and Social History, Vol. 11