Freedom (1923-1951)

Civil War divisions continued to dominate politics in the Free State. After ten years Eamon de Valera, on the losing Republican side, eventually came to power with some help from the IRA. Soon he had to declare the IRA illegal. In 1937 a new constitution dropped the oath to the King; laid claim to all 32 counties of Ireland; and gave the Roman Catholic church a 'special position'. In the Second World War, Eire - as she was now called - remained neutral. In 1949 Eire left the Commonwealth and declared the Republic of Ireland. The new Republic's first political crisis confirmed northern Protestant fears of what a united Ireland might mean to them.