Changes

The '''Irish Free State''' (Ir: ''Saorstat Eireann'')was created by treaty with the [[United Kingdom]] in 1922 following the [[Irish War of Independence]] of 1919-1921. The treaty created an all-Ireland [[dominion]] but included a provision that allowed [[Northern Ireland]] to leave the new state and rejoin the [[United Kingdom]]. The parliament of Northern Ireland exercised this option almost immediately, leaving the 26 counties that today comprise the [[Republic of Ireland]]. It was to be in external association with the United Kingdom, and members of its legislature had to take an oath of allegiance to the British monarch. In addition, the British [[Royal Navy]] retained the rights to use a number of Irish harbours. The question of the oath of allegiance, rather than acceptance of the partition of Ireland, led to a deep split in [[Sinn Fein]] and the [[IRA]] and the consequent [[Irish Civil War]] of 1922-23 between the Free State Army and the Anti-Treaty IRA. In the event, the oath was quietly abandoned and in 1937 a new Irish constitution was drawn up which removed most of the remaining links. In 1938 sovereignty over the 'treaty ports' was returned to Ireland, and in 1949 a further new constitution established Ireland as a [[republic]].

The '''Irish Free State''' (Ir: ''Saorstat Eireann'')was created by treaty with the [[United Kingdom]] in 1922 following the [[Irish War of Independence]] of 1919–1921. The treaty created an all-Ireland [[dominion]] but included a provision that allowed [[Northern Ireland]] to leave the new state and rejoin the [[United Kingdom]]. The parliament of Northern Ireland exercised this option almost immediately, leaving the 26 counties that today comprise the [[Republic of Ireland]]. It was to be in external association with the United Kingdom, and members of its legislature had to take an oath of allegiance to the British monarch. In addition, the British [[Royal Navy]] retained the rights to use a number of Irish harbours. The question of the oath of allegiance, rather than acceptance of the partition of Ireland, led to a deep split in [[Sinn Fein]] and the [[IRA]] and the consequent [[Irish Civil War]] of 1922-23 between the Free State Army and the Anti-Treaty IRA. In the event, the oath was quietly abandoned and in 1937 a new Irish constitution was drawn up which removed most of the remaining links. In 1938 sovereignty over the 'treaty ports' was returned to Ireland, and in 1949 a further new constitution established Ireland as a [[republic]].

[[Category:Ireland]]

[[Category:Ireland]]