Civil war was now a virtual certainty as the delegates adopted a new constitution and elected a new 16-member Executive composed of the following members: Liam Lynch (Cork), Frank Barrett (Clare), Liam Deasy (Cork), Tom Hales (Cork), Tom Maguire (Mayo), Joseph McKelvey (Belfast), Liam Mellows (Galway), Rory O’Connor (Dublin), Peadar O’Donnell (Donegal), Florence O’Donoghue (Cork), Sean O’Hegarty (Cork), Ernie O’Malley (Dublin), Séamus Robinson (Tipperary), Joe O’Connor (Dublin), Sean Moylan (Cork), and P.J. Ruttledge (Mayo). When the Executive met, it elected Liam Lynch as new IRA chief of staff, Ernie O’Malley as assistant chief of staff, and appointed a seven-member Army Council. Barry’s Hotel in Gardiner Row was made (anti-Treaty) IRA headquarters.

For the next 90 years, the IRA in one form or another would be involved in violent conflict in Ireland. Not only does the IRA not recognise the state of Northern Ireland, it has never accepted the legitimacy of a democratically elected Republic of Ireland government.

Image | The final attempt to broker a deal failed in May 1922. From Left to Right Sean McEoin (Pro-Treaty), Sean Moylan (IRA), Eoin O’Duffy (Pro-Treaty), Liam Lynch (IRA), Gearóid O’Sullivan (Pro-Treaty) and Liam Mellows (IRA)