History of the Republic of Ireland
The history of the Irish state from the revolutionary era and establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 through the modern Republic of Ireland.
Easter Rising: An armed insurrection in Dublin in April 1916 that sought to end British rule in Ireland. Its suppression and the execution of its leaders transformed Irish nationalist politics.
Constitution of Ireland: The fundamental law of Ireland, adopted in 1937, that defines its institutions and citizens’ rights. It replaced the Free State constitution and recast the state’s constitutional identity.
Éamon de Valera: Irish revolutionary and politician who led Fianna Fáil and served as taoiseach and president. His governments shaped the constitution and the state’s gradual separation from Britain.
Economic history of Ireland: The study of changes in Ireland’s production, trade, employment, and living standards over time. Economic policy helps explain the shift from protectionism to rapid growth.
Northern Ireland: A constituent part of the United Kingdom occupying six counties in the northeast of Ireland. Its separate political status is the enduring consequence of partition.
Irish War of Independence: A guerrilla conflict between the Irish Republican Army and British forces from 1919 to 1921. The conflict forced negotiations that produced the treaty establishing the Free State.
Executive Council of the Irish Free State: The cabinet of the Irish Free State, headed by the president of the Executive Council. It governed during the state’s first constitutional framework.
Michael Collins: Irish revolutionary leader who negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty and led the Provisional Government before his death in 1922. His treaty leadership made him central to both independence and the Civil War.
Irish economic development: The postwar transformation of Ireland’s economy through industrialization, trade, education, and foreign investment. The state’s development strategy reshaped employment and migration.
The Troubles: A conflict in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s to 1998 involving republican and loyalist groups and British forces. The conflict shaped the Republic’s security, diplomacy, and relationship with the North.