Home JC History LC History Politics & Society Quizzes CSPE Atlas of History Classical Studies

"History is past politics, and politics present history." John Robert Seeley

"The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you can see." Winston Churchill

"What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing." Aristotle

Facebook

Anglo-Irish Relations 1923-1949

From Free State (1922) to Republic (1949)

 

Relations between the Irish Free State/ Eire & the United Kingdom between 1922 & 1949 underwent significant change and sometimes upheaval due to the very different views that both Dublin and London held viz-a-vis Ireland’s place within the Commonwealth.

External Relations V. Dominion Status

 

The origin of this relationship, the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, had revealed the significant incompatibility of both Irish & British political aims. On the one hand, Dáil Eireann aimed to expand Irish sovereignty at any opportunity and worked progressively towards this aim throughout the Cosgrave & DeValera Governments of 1922 – 32 & 1932 – 1948 respectively. Britain, on the other hand, sought to ‘ring-fence’ the integrity of the Commonwealth and hold the Irish Free State within their ‘sphere of influence’ at all costs. Significant changes occurred in the relationship between Ireland & Britain over these 27 years. The following is a point-by-point analysis of the significant ‘push & pull’ factors that characterised this uneasy relationship.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
  • 1922-23: Civil War
  • The Irish Civil War of 1922 – 23 was the first test of the precarious relationship between Dublin & London. While Collins’ & other Pro-Treaty leaders sought to find a compromise between themselves and Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin, London’s insistence that the Free State crush resistance to the Treaty at all costs proved to be a significant hindrance to early administration in Ireland. The Irish Civil War of 1922 – 23 was the first test of the precarious relationship between Dublin & London. While Collins’ & other Pro-Treaty leaders sought to find a compromise between themselves and Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin, London’s insistence that the Free State crush resistance to the Treaty at all costs proved to be a significant hindrance to early administration in Ireland.

 

  • 1923-32: Cosgrave Government
  • Cosgrave Government (1922 – 1932) Though the Cosgrave Government was occupied mostly by winning the Irish Civil War and stabilising the political & economic nature of the Irish Free State, they made it a policy of building the groundwork and relationships, particularly within the Imperial Conferences, to later expand Irish Sovereignty.Cosgrave Government (1922 – 1932) Though the Cosgrave Government was occupied mostly by winning the Irish Civil War and stabilising the political & economic nature of the Irish Free State, they made it a policy of building the groundwork and relationships, particularly within the Imperial Conferences, to later expand Irish Sovereignty.

 

 

 

 

  • 1920s: Imperial Conferences
  • Commonwealth Conferences. While Britain sought to re-define the colonies’ view of the British Empire by significantly increasing the apparent equality of nations through it’s Imperial Conferences, dominions such as the Irish Free State, South Africa & Canada used these very meetings to create common policies on expanding their own sovereignty & independence.Commonwealth Conferences. While Britain sought to re-define the colonies’ view of the British Empire by significantly increasing the apparent equality of nations through it’s Imperial Conferences, dominions such as the Irish Free State, South Africa & Canada used these very meetings to create common policies on expanding their own sovereignty & independence.

 

 

 

  • League of Nations
  • League of Nations The Irish Free State joined the League of Nations in 1923 and subsequently registered the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 with the League Secretariat giving it the accreditation of an international treaty between two sovereign states. This move greatly angered the British, as the perception of the Irish Free State as a sovereign & independent state was underlined in this move. League of Nations The Irish Free State joined the League of Nations in 1923 and subsequently registered the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 with the League Secretariat giving it the accreditation of an international treaty between two sovereign states. This move greatly angered the British, as the perception of the Irish Free State as a sovereign & independent state was underlined in this move.

 

 

 

  • Statute of Westminster (1931)
    Statute of Westminster (1931) The Statute of Westminster can be seen as a culmination of much of the progressive work done by the dominion colonies of the British Commonwealth, in which Ireland played a very significant part. This Act gave each Dominion Parliament the power to repeal any legislation of the British Commonwealth in their own parliament with regard to their own territory.

    Statute of Westminster (1931) The Statute of Westminster can be seen as a culmination of much of the progressive work done by the dominion colonies of the British Commonwealth, in which Ireland played a very significant part. This Act gave each Dominion Parliament the power to repeal any legislation of the British Commonwealth in their own parliament with regard to their own territory.

 

  • Fianna Fail Government 1932
  • DeValera & Economic War 1932-38
  • External Relations’ Act 1936 
  • Bunreacht na hEireann 1937
  • Anglo-Irish (Trade) Agreement 1938
  • Emergency Powers’ Act 1939
  • ‘Benevolent Neutrality 1939-1945
  • Republic of Ireland Act 1949

 

 

 

Comments are closed.