Anti-Treaty Poster, 1922. STOP PRESS. POBLACHT NA H-EIREANN. War News No. 3. Friday June 30 1922 Poster printed one side only, on yellowish paper, w.a.f. The 'Stop Press' posters, a series of...

Anti-Treaty Poster, 1922. STOP PRESS. POBLACHT NA H-EIREANN. War News No. 3. Friday June 30 1922 Poster printed one side only, on yellowish paper, w.a.f. The 'Stop Press' posters, a series of seven in all, were issued during the Free State bombardment of the Republican garrison in the Four Courts, which began before dawn on Wednesday 28 June 1922. They were prepared by Erskine Childers, partly from information supplied from the Four Courts. They were printed in haste and under difficult conditions, using whatever paper came to hand. Though dated Friday, this issue must have been prepared and printed on Thursday, the second day of the fighting, when the defences of the Four Courts were (as stated) basically intact. The short snatches of text capture vividly the atmosphere of siege and resistance, death or glory. At this stage the defenders were still hoping for a relieving force from the Dublin Brigade to break up the bombardment, but it never came. Some Republicans, and also some in the Free State forces, declined to take part in what was clearly becoming a civil war. By Friday morning the artillery bombardment had set the Four Courts on fire, and at 3.30 pm the defenders agreed to an unconditional surrender and marched out in good order.

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