Collins showed poor judgment in a barrage of crises

ANTI-TREATY candidates received less than 22% of the first preference votes in the general election of June 1922.

None of them topped the poll in any constituency.

Of the 65 pro-Treaty Sinn Féin candidates standing in the election, 58 were elected, while only 35 of the anti-Treaty people were successful. However, even that exaggerated the anti-Treaty support, because 16 of those were returned unopposed, largely due to intimidation. Where seats were contested, only 19 of 41 anti-Treaty candidates were elected, compared to 41 of 48 pro-Treaty Sinn Féin candidates.