War and Independence

Plans of Irish home rule were shelved because of World War I; however, the abortive Easter Rising of 1916 inspired new support for the Republicans cause. In 1919 an unofficial Irish Parliament was established and war began against the “occupying” British forces. The Anglo – Irish Treaty of 1921 divided the island in two, granting independence to the Irish Free State, while Northern Ireland remained in the United Kingdom. There followed a civil war between pro – Treaty and anti – Treaty factions in the South.

1904 Dublin’s Abbey Theatre opens

1905

1905 Sinn Féin (We Ourselves) party founded

1910

1912 Edward Carson rallies Ulster Protestant; solemn covenant to defeat Home Rules signed by 471.414 people

1912 Belfast – built Titanic sinks on her maiden voyage

1913 General strike in Dublin

1915

1916 Easter Rising quashed

1918 Sinn Féin wins 73 seats at Westminster; Constance Markievicz elected first woman MP

1919 First meeting of the independent parliament (Dáil Éireann)

1920

1920 Government of Ireland Act proposes partition of the island

1921 Anglo – Irish Treaty signed; de Valera resigns; southern Ireland plunged into civil war

1922 Irish Free State inaugurated; Michael Collins shot dead in ambush in Co Cork

1923 W B Yeats wins Nobel Prize in literature

1925

1925 G B Shaw also receives Nobel Prize

1926 De Valera quits Sinn Féin; sets up Fianna Fáil (Soldiers of Destiny) party

1929 Work starts on River Shannon hydroelectric power scheme

1930

1932 Fianna Fáil sweeps to victory in general election and De Valera begins 16 – year term as Taoiseach (Prime Minister)

1933 Fine Gael (United Ireland) party formed to oppose Fianna Fáil

1935

1936 IRA proscribed by Free State Government

1937 New constitution declares complete independence from Britain; country’s name changes to Éire

1939 Éire declares neutrality during World War II