The Irish government did not consult with the British when the Republic of Ireland Act was being drafted. The British, for their part, believed that it did not represent any serious change in the relationship between Britain and Ireland, and they passed the Ireland Act in response. It accepted that Ireland was to be known as the Republic of Ireland. It also recognised Ireland’s departure from the Commonwealth, but allowed Irish citizens to travel freely to Britain like Commonwealth members. The main point of the Ireland Act was that the British guaranteed that Northern Ireland could not be forced to reunite with the Republic without the consent of its parliament. This was seen as a reward for the North’s loyalty during World War II.
The Republic of Ireland Act formally removed the last links between Ireland and Britain and completed what successive Irish governments had been working towards since the signing of the Treaty in 1921. While this gradual process caused some tension between the Irish and British governments at times, the 26-county republic was achieved peacefully in the end.
Life returns to normal in the Republic of Ireland. SUMMARY
Having read this and previous chapters, you should now appreciate the gradual steps taken by both Cumann na nGaedheal and Fianna Fáil that led to the establishment of the Irish Republic in 1949. While this process did increase Anglo-Irish tensions at times, it was achieved peacefully. The most significant symbol of Ireland’s sovereignty was the 1937 Constitution, which enshrined Ireland’s status as a republic in all but name. Ireland’s sovereignty was further demonstrated through de Valera’s declaration of neutrality during World War II. Though this again increased tensions in Anglo-Irish relations, it sheltered Ireland from the worst effects of the war. The war did cause hardship, with rationing becoming a feature of everyday life; however, unlike Belfast, Ireland emerged largely unscathed from the conflict. As you will see in the next two chapters, the different experiences of the war were just one of a number of factors that contributed to a widening gap in the identities of Ireland’s two States.
