Irish Free State Is Proclaimed
The proclamation of the Irish Free State on December 6, 1922, marked a significant moment in Ireland's journey toward independence from British rule. This transition followed a long history of English domination that spanned nearly a millennium, characterized by numerous uprisings and the suppression of Irish autonomy. The momentum for independence gained traction during the early 20th century, especially during World War I, as the conflict highlighted the contradiction of British claims to champion national self-determination while maintaining control over Ireland.
Key to this change was the leadership of figures like Michael Collins, who represented the Sinn Féin party and negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty, leading to the establishment of the Free State. This new political entity encompassed 26 of Ireland's 32 counties, while the remaining six counties, primarily populated by Protestants, remained part of the United Kingdom due to fears of a Catholic-majority union. The Free State retained ties to the British Empire, necessitating oaths of loyalty to the British monarch and allowing British military presence in certain strategic ports.
The treaty faced opposition from radical factions within Sinn Féin, leading to internal conflict and Collins’s eventual assassination by dissenters who viewed his actions as betrayal. Over time, the Irish Free State evolved into Eire in 1937, and ultimately became the Republic of Ireland in 1949, reflecting the complex and often turbulent path to Irish sovereignty.
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Irish Free State Is Proclaimed
Irish Free State Is Proclaimed
The Irish Free State, a first step on the road to a truly independent Irish nation, was officially proclaimed on December 6, 1922, when its constitution went into effect after it was approved by the British parliament.
For nearly a millennia, the English had imposed their rule on the neighboring island of Ireland. Periodic revolts and uprisings were successfully put down, with the only lasting effect being to increase the reins of control on the Irish people. However, beginning in 1912 Irish revolutionaries successfully launched a long and sustained rebellion which convinced the British to grant Irish demands for independence. Not only did World War I sap British strength, but the hypocrisy of fighting a war at least in part for national self-determination while continuing to oppress the Irish gnawed at British resolve. Representing Sinn Fein, the leading rebel organization, Michael Collins successfully negotiated a treaty with the British after the conclusion of the war.
The Free State would be largely independent, and would contain 26 of Ireland's 32 counties, with the six counties of what still constitutes Northern Ireland to remain under British rule because the primarily Protestant population there feared union with primarily Catholic Ireland. Ireland would continue to be part of the British Empire, its leaders would have to swear loyalty to the British monarch, and several ports would remain occupied by the British for military reasons. Despite resistance from Sinn Fein radicals who wanted no oath of loyalty to Britain, Collins and the Irish parliament known as the Dáil approved the treaty, for which Collins was later assassinated by a group of radicals who considered him a traitor. The Irish Free State became the independent nation of Eire in 1937, and then the Republic of Ireland in 1949.