When the Royal Irish Constabulary was disbanded in 1922, some 8,000 Irish-born men left the force and were returned to civil life. Having come out on the wrong side of the War of Independence, they faced significant new challenges. Some were the victims of violence and intimidation, some left Ireland either temporarily or permanently, but many others managed to settle into life in the Free State. With a particular focus on Tipperary, this talk will examine the final months of the RIC and the consequences of disbandment for Irish men who had stuck it out until the end. Using recently collected oral history interviews with descendants, and other sources, the talk will also explore the experiences of ex-RIC men and their families in the decades after 1922. Dr Brian Hughes lectures in the Department of History at Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.