Ireland History

The Catholic, nationalist Sinn Féin ("Ourselves", SF) party had huge support in the 1918 general election. The party's elected deputies constituted themselves as the first Irish parliament, which increased the tensions. After the British attempts to crush Sinn Fein the Anglo-Irish War of 1919-21 started.

The Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 brought an end to the war; it established the Irish Free State of 26 counties within the Commonwealth. The country was also divided into Ireland and Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland remaining as part of the United Kingdom.

A civil war (1922-23) followed, Sinn Féin split, a new Irish constitution was enacted in 1937, declaring Ireland a republic. The country remained neutral during WWII.

Irish politics remain dominated by the two political parties that grew out of Ireland's civil war, Fianna Fáil ('Soldiers of Destiny'/Republican Party; formed by those who opposed the 1921 treaty that divided Ireland) and Fine Gael (Tribe of the Gaels'/United Ireland Party; pro-treaty).

These two parties alternate in government; with Fine Gael ususally forming a coalition with Páirtí Lucht Oibre (Labour Party).

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