Sovereignty refers to a country’s right to govern itself, and having the full authority to do so. When Ireland became a Free State following the Anglo-Irish Treaty in 1921, there was a question of how much sovereignty the Irish government had. Under the terms of the Treaty, Ireland was a dominion of the British Commonwealth, and therefore the British government was entitled to have some say in Irish affairs. However, subsequent Irish governments took steps to limit Britain’s influence and increase Irish sovereignty from a Free State to a fully independent republic.
Registering the Treaty with the League of Nations
Cosgrave was determined to promote Irish independence through Ireland’s membership of the League of Nations. The League, an international organisation established after World War I to help maintain world peace, was the forerunner of today’s United Nations (UN). Ireland became a member of the League in September 1923, when it was registered as a dominion of the British Commonwealth. Cosgrave succeeded in having the Anglo-Irish Treaty registered with the League of Nations as an international treaty. The British government protested, claiming that it was an internal British treaty, but Cosgrave got his way.
Cumann na nGaedheal also demonstrated Ireland’s independence by establishing diplomatic relations outside the Commonwealth. Irish representatives were sent to the USA, the Vatican and other countries, and the Irish Free State also issued its own passports to its citizens.
THE PURSUIT OF SOVEREIGNTY AND THE IMPACT OF PARTITION, 1912–1949 205
