Irish Free State

The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) was established on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiated between the British government and Sinn Féin representatives in 1921. It gave 26 of Ireland's 32 counties the status of a self-governing Dominion of the British Commonwealth, with the same constitutional position as Canada or Australia. The Treaty's acceptance split the republican movement: pro-Treaty forces under Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith prevailed in the June 1922 election, but anti-Treaty republicans under Éamon de Valera refused to recognise the new state, triggering the Irish Civil War (1922–1923). De Valera subsequently won the 1932 election and progressively dismantled the Treaty settlement — abolishing the oath of allegiance, removing the Governor-General, and introducing the 1937 Constitution (Bunreacht na hÉireann) which renamed the state Éire and effectively severed ties with the Crown while stopping short of a formal republic. Full republican status was declared by the Republic of Ireland Act 1948, which came into force on 18 April 1949, ending Commonwealth membership and completing Ireland's constitutional independence.

• Existed: 1922 CE – 1949 CE
• Type: Entity
• Government: Dominion (Constitutional Monarchy)
• Capital: Dublin