---
title: "Irish War of Independence Begins"
year: 1919
country: "Ireland"
canonical: "https://recap.at/1919/irish-war-independence"
slug: "irish-war-independence"
recapType: "global_event"
startDate: "1919-01-21"
---

# Irish War of Independence Begins

> The guerrilla conflict between Irish republicans and British forces catalyzed the partition of Ireland and created two independent states.

In January 1919, Irish republicans launched a guerrilla war against British rule, setting off a conflict that would reshape the island's future. The Irish Republican Army fought British troops, police, and auxiliaries across Ireland for two years, killing and wounding thousands on both sides. The violence ended with a treaty in December 1921 that partitioned Ireland and granted most of it independence—but left deep scars that still define Irish politics.

## Summary

The Irish War of Independence, also known as the Anglo-Irish War, was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-military Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and its paramilitary forces the Auxiliaries and Ulster Special Constabulary (USC). It was part of the Irish revolutionary period.

## Sources

- [Irish War of Independence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_War_of_Independence) - Wikipedia

---
Canonical: https://recap.at/1919/irish-war-independence