The partitioning of Ireland
Partition of Ireland
Background
- The Act of Union in 1800 had joined Ireland and Great Britain under one parliament in London.
- Throughout the 19th Century, there was a growing nationalist movement for Irish home rule.
- Divergent opinions between the largely Catholic southern counties and the largely protestant northeastern counties, collectively known as Ulster, resulted in political strife.
Events leading to Partition
- In 1912, the Third Home Rule Bill was passed by the UK Parliament, granting Ireland self-governance. This triggered massive protest among Ulster Unionists.
- The Ulster Volunteer Force, a paramilitary force, was formed to resist Home Rule, if it was imposed.
- The onset of World War I in 1914 delayed the implementation of the Home Rule.
Easter Rising and its Aftermath
- In 1916, the Easter Rising was staged by Irish republicans to establish an independent Irish Republic. The event was put down, but it ignited wider support for Irish independence.
- Subsequent UK's handling of the situation, particularly the execution of the Easter Rising leaders, drew international condemnation and increased support for Irish independence.
Irish War of Independence
- In 1919, Irish republicans started the Irish War of Independence against the British government to establish an independent Irish state.
- It resulted in the collapse of British control in many parts of Ireland but the conflict was acutely felt in Ulster, where it intensified communal violence.
Anglo-Irish Treaty and the Partition
- After two years of violence, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in 1921, ending the Irish War of Independence.
- The treaty established the Irish Free State in the predominantly Catholic south, while the predominantly Protestant north continued as a part of the UK, thus leading to the partition of Ireland.
- The six north-eastern counties of Ulster were formed into Northern Ireland which remained part of the UK.
Consequences of the Partition
- Ireland was divided into two political entities, each with a different status.
- The partition was supposed to be temporary, but it remained permanent and resulted in decades of violence and discord well-known as the Troubles.
- The partition and its accompanying violence resulted in a significant shift in the demographic balance creating highly sectarian societies.
Civil War and the Aftermath
- The partition and the treaty led to the Irish Civil War as IRA split into factions: one against the Treaty and one in favour.
- The pro-Treaty side eventually won the civil war, but the violence led to further alienation and resentment among Irish nationalists.
- The impact of the partition and the subsequent events are still apparent today in the tense relations between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.