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Ireland

Before the beginning of the First World War the British government had agreed to home rule for Ireland. It was afraid, however, that the Protestants in the north would start a civil war in Ulster if home rule was introduced. For this reason, when war began in 1914, the government delayed the introduction of home rule, and called on Irishmen to join the army. Many thousands did, encouraged by their MPs, who hoped that this show of loyalty would help Ireland win self-government when the war ended.

There was another group of Irishmen, however, who did not see why they should die for the British, who had treated Ireland so badly. They did not only want home rule, but full independence. At Easter 1916, these republicans rebelled in Dublin. They knew they could not win, but they hoped their rising would persuade other Irishmen to join the republican movement. The "Easter Rising" was quickly put down, and most Irish disapproved of it. But the British executed all the leaders, which was a serious mistake. The public was shocked, not only in Ireland, but also in London. Irish Americans were also angry, just at the moment when America had joined Britain in the war against Germany.

In the 1918 elections the republicans won in almost every area except Ulster. Instead of joining the British parliament, however, they met in their own new parliament, the Dail in Dublin, and announced that Ireland was now a republic. Irishmen joined the republic's army, and guerrilla fighting against the British began. As a result the British government decided to make peace. In 1921 it agreed to the independence of southern Ireland. But it also insisted that Ulster, or Northern Ireland as it became known, should remain united with Britain.

The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 led to civil war between the Irish themselves. By this treaty the new "Irish Free State" accepted continued British use of certain ports, the sovereignty of the British Crown, and most important of all, the loss of Northern Ireland, which remained under British control. The pro-Treaty forces won, and the republicans, who insisted that all Ireland, including Northern Ireland, should be an independent republic, were defeated. But a group of republicans formed a new party, Fianna Fail, which won the election of 1932 and the new Prime Minister, Eamon de Valera, began to undo the Treaty and in 1937 declared southern Ireland a republic. The British Crown was now no longer sovereign in Ireland.

Ireland and Britain today find themselves in the strange position of being entirely separate states, but by agreement their citizens are not considered foreigners in one another's country. Within the Republic of Ireland the majority have continued to believe that all Ireland should one day be united, but without the use of force. A minority, however, has remained since 1921 ready and willing to use violent means to achieve a united Ireland.

 


Date: 2015-01-02; view: 1026


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