Ireland in World War I & II, and the Decline of the British Empire
World War I (1914–1918)
At the time, Ireland was still part of the UK. Around 200,000 Irishmen served in the British Army, many believing Home Rule would follow. Others saw the war as irrelevant or an imperialist cause. Meanwhile, the 1916 Easter Rising, led by republicans opposed to British rule, marked a turning point. The British executed its leaders, fueling Irish nationalist sentiment and leading to the War of Independence (1919–1921).
World War II (1939–1945)
Ireland, now independent as the Irish Free State (later Éire), remained neutral. Taoiseach Éamon de Valera pursued strict neutrality, refusing to join the Allies despite pressure from Britain and the U.S. However, about 50,000 Irish citizens volunteered for British forces. Ireland provided weather reports crucial for D-Day but also maintained diplomatic ties with Germany, famously offering condolences for Hitler’s death, which Britain and the U.S. criticized.
Decline of the British Empire & Ireland’s Evolution
• 1922 – Anglo-Irish Treaty creates the Irish Free State; Northern Ireland remains under British rule.
• 1937 – Ireland adopts a new constitution, asserting greater sovereignty.
• 1949 – Ireland declares itself the Republic of Ireland, formally leaving the Commonwealth.
• 1950s–60s – Ireland stays out of Cold War alliances while Britain faces crises like Indian independence (1947) and Suez (1956).
• 1969–1998 – The Troubles erupt in Northern Ireland; Ireland diplomatically supports reunification but avoids direct involvement.
• 1998 – Good Friday Agreement stabilizes Northern Ireland, reducing tensions.
As Britain’s empire collapsed, Ireland moved from a post-colonial state to an independent European nation, eventually joining the EU (1973) and shifting from economic stagnation to rapid growth (Celtic Tiger era)