Editing Irish Naval Service (section)

=== Coastal and Marine Service ===

The [[Anglo-Irish Treaty]] of 1921, which created the [[Irish Free State]], stipulated that it was to be given responsibility to police its customs and fishing, while control of its seas remained with the United Kingdom and its [[Royal Navy]], who also retained the "Treaty Ports" of Cork, Berehaven and Lough Swilly.<ref name=Articles>''Articles of Agreement between Great Britain and Ireland'', 6 December 1921 (Irish Free State established pursuant thereto on 6 December 1922)</ref><ref name="history1">{{cite web|url=https://www.military.ie/en/public-information/defence-forces-museums/defence-forces-history/history-of-the-naval-service/|website=military.ie|title=History of the Naval Service|access-date=10 February 2025}}</ref>

During the [[Irish Civil War]], due to the lack of an established navy for the [[Irish Free State]], the [[Royal Navy]] provided some support, patrolling and searching incoming ships to prevent gun-running to the [[Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)|Irish Republican Army]]. Actually backing the Free State in combat was considered, but never implemented, as British military intervention would have been politically-embarrassing for the new Irish government. Anti-Treaty IRA units occasionally fired on Royal Navy vessels, though these efforts were ineffective.[https://www.rte.ie/history/sea-landings/2022/0804/1313991-the-civil-war-on-water/</ref>

Several coastal landings were undertaken by the [[Irish National Army]] using commandeered civilian passenger ships such as the [[TSS Cambria (1897)|''Arvonia'']] and the [[SS Lady Wicklow]].<ref>{{cite book|last=McIvor|first=Aidan|title=A History of the Irish Naval Service|year=1994|publisher=Irish Academic Press|location=Dublin|isbn=0-7165-2523-2|page=46}}</ref><ref name="lugnad">{{cite web|last1=Bourke|first1=Dr Edward|title=Early Irish Free State Naval Activity|url=https://www.lugnad.ie/free-state-navy/|website=lugnad.ie|access-date=6 October 2015|archive-date=27 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627071018/https://www.lugnad.ie/free-state-navy/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 2 August 1922, the ''Lady Wicklow'', commanded by Captain Patrick Ryan, landed 450 troops under the infamous [[Paddy Daly]] at [[Fenit]], the port of [[Tralee]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Harrington|first=Niall|year=1992|title=Kerry Landing|place=Dublin|publisher=Anvil Books|isbn=978-0-947962-70-8|page=72}}</ref> On 8 August, the ''Arvonia'' and ''Lady Wicklow'' were used to land over 1,000 troops at [[Youghal]] and [[Passage West]] liberating Cork unopposed two days later.<ref>{{cite book|last=Duggan|first=John P.|title=A History of the Irish Army|year=1991|publisher=Gill & Macmillan|isbn=0-7171-1957-2|page=96}}</ref>

In May 1923, Major General Vize established the Coastal and Marine Service (CMS) with fourteen patrol vessels, each armed with a 12 pounder gun, and several other boats armed with machine guns. As the civil war concluded the same month, the vessels were soon disposed of, and the service was disbanded in March 1924.<ref name="history1"/><ref name="lugnad"/><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.militaryarchives.ie/uploads/antoglac/1923.02.24%20to%201923.12.29%20-%20Vol%2001%20No%2001%20to%20Vol%2001%20No%2021.pdf#page=347|magazine=An tÓglach Magazine|title=On board the coast patrol sloop 'Dainty'|page=347|author=<!-- not stated -->|publisher=The Military Archives|date=6 October 1923|access-date=10 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://inishowenmaritime.com/museum-themes/irish-naval-service/|website=inishowenmaritime.com|title=Irish Naval Service|access-date=10 February 2025}}</ref>