The Anglo-Irish Treaty was negotiated in 1921 between the British Government and representatives of the Irish Republic. The Treaty led to the establishment of the Irish Free State. It provided that the new State would have a status ‘the same as that of the Dominion of Canada’.
The Irish War of Independence ended with signing of a truce between the British and Irish on July 11th 1921. The truce was followed by negotiations which began in October 1921. Arthur Griffith was selected to lead the ‘envoys plenipotentiary from the elected government of the Republic of Ireland’ in negotiating the Anglo-Irish Treaty. This meant they had the full authority to sign a treaty which would then have to be ratified by Dáil Éireann.
The Treaty established Ireland as a self-governing Free State and was ratified by Dáil Eireann 64 votes to 57 by in January 1922. When those opposed to the Treaty lost the vote, they walked out of parliament led by Éamon de Valera. They began a campaign of violent opposition to the Treaty and Civil War ensued. The Irish Free State came into being on December 6th 1922. The civil war ended in victory for the supporters of the Treaty on May 24th 1923.
The Anglo-Irish Treaty was approved by Dáil Éireann in the year 1922 On This Day.
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