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It is April 1922, nascent Irish Free State is desperately trying to keep the coalition of Republican elements together. Michael Collins heads the Privisional Givernment but there are strong anti Treaty elements from the IRA and leftist groups who are preparing for a civil war which will be more divisive and bloody than the insurrection which brought notional independence from the British.

The Royal Irish Constabulary is disbanded as are the Dublin Metropolitan Police and the new state is desperately recruiting a new police force, the Civil Guards. By 22 April senior officers have been apppointed and 17 recruits are assembled at the site owned by the Royal Dublin Society. Training has started as more than 80% of the recruits have no police experience. However a considerable number are former IRA men. Around half of the officers appointed are firmer RIC officers

A small number of recruits protest an order and rumours start that some of their new colleagues were not RIC but actually Auxilliaries ( ie Black and Tans).

The anti Treaty forces take control of the Dublin Law Courts (the Four Courts) and resist attempts to evict them discharging firearms.
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