On June 28, 1922, the forces of the Irish Free State, under the command of Michael Collins, attacked the Anti-Treaty IRA garrison at the Four Courts in Dublin, marking the beginning of the Irish Civil War. The attack, which was ordered by the British government, was a decisive moment in the conflict between pro- and anti-Treaty forces. The Four Courts, which had been occupied by the Anti-Treaty side, were destroyed in the shelling.

The attack on the Four Courts is a subject of tragic poetry, with writers lamenting the destruction of the historic building and the outbreak of civil war. The event is often contrasted with the ideals of the Easter Rising, creating a sense of betrayal. The poetry of the period reflects the deep divisions within Irish nationalism, a theme that would persist in Irish literature for decades.