The Burning of the Custom House was one of the landmark events in the War of Independence - here's what happened Journal.ie 58 mins ago Archibald McGoogan's painting of the burning of the Custom House. BY MAY 1921, the Irish War of Independence had been raging for nearly two and a half years. The IRA had suffered significant losses, many Volunteers were in prison and the British had executed a number of IRA men. However, despite these losses, the IRA continued the fight and showed they were not beaten. Although there was talk of peace, neither side was backing down, no one knew if and when the conflict would end.