# Canonical recap data for Irish Independence & Treaty (Irish Free State Established) (1922)
# Source: https://recap.at/1922/irish-independence-treaty
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: irish-independence-treaty
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1922/irish-independence-treaty"
title: Irish Independence & Treaty (Irish Free State Established)
subtitle: ""
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1922-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1922
decade: 1920
country:
name: Ireland
slug: ireland
summaryShort: The Irish Free State was established on December 6, 1922, following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, partitioning Ireland and ending the War of Independence.
summaryLong: |-
  The Irish War of Independence (1919–1921) had made British rule in Ireland untenable. After two years of guerrilla conflict led by figures like Michael Collins and Richard Mulcahy against British forces, negotiations began. The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on December 6, 1921, creating a pathway to self-governance, though it fell short of the republic that many republicans demanded. The treaty granted dominion status-similar to Canada or Australia-rather than full independence, and required an oath of allegiance to the British monarch. This compromise split the Irish nationalist movement irrevocably.

  Ratification proved contentious. The Dáil Éireann (Irish parliament) voted 64–57 in favor on January 7, 1922, a narrow margin that reflected deep fractures. Pro-treaty forces, backed by Collins and Arthur Griffith, argued the Free State was a stepping stone to full sovereignty. Anti-treaty republicans, led by Éamon de Valera, saw it as a betrayal of the 1916 Easter Rising's vision. The split would soon ignite civil war.

  On December 6, 1922-exactly one year after the treaty's signing-the Irish Free State formally came into existence. The new state encompassed 26 of Ireland's 32 counties; the six counties of Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom, cementing partition. The Free State adopted a constitution, established its own government, and began the work of state-building under W.T. Cosgrave's leadership. It retained dominion status within the British Commonwealth, a detail that haunted Irish politics for decades.

  The establishment itself was orderly, but the underlying tensions were anything but. Within months, the Irish Civil War (1922–1923) erupted between pro- and anti-treaty forces, claiming roughly 4,000 lives and inflicting wounds that shaped Irish politics for generations. Collins, one of the treaty's architects, was killed in an ambush on August 22, 1922, before the Free State had even fully consolidated power. The Free State survived and eventually shed its dominion status-de Valera, having opposed the treaty, later became its prime minister and steered it toward a republic declared in 1949-but the path there was anything but linear.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/The_eagle_and_the_shamrock%2C_or%2C_The_attitude_of_the_United_States_on_Irish_independence_%28microform%29_%28IA_cihm_09669%29.pdf/page1-960px-The_eagle_and_the_shamrock%2C_or%2C_The_attitude_of_the_United_States_on_Irish_independence_%28microform%29_%28IA_cihm_09669%29.pdf.jpg"
heroImageCredit: "\"Glasnevin Cemetery, officially known as Prospect Cemetery\" by infomatique is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/."
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Treaty signed
  value: 6 December 1921
- label: Free State established
  value: 6 December 1922
- label: Partition created
  value: 6 counties remained in UK, 26 formed Free State
- label: First President of Free State
  value: W.T. Cosgrave
- label: Civil war began
  value: 28 June 1922
- label: British forces withdrew
  value: December 1922
timeline:
- date: 1921-12-06
  title: Anglo-Irish Treaty signed
  description: After months of negotiation, Michael Collins and other Irish representatives signed the treaty with British officials in London, creating the framework for the Irish Free State.
- date: 1922-01-07
  title: Dáil ratifies treaty
  description: The Irish parliament voted to accept the treaty by 64 votes to 57, a narrow margin that split the independence movement and set the stage for conflict.
- date: 1922-06-28
  title: Civil war begins
  description: Anti-treaty forces, opposed to the partition and dominion status, attacked the Four Courts in Dublin. The government, led by W.T. Cosgrave, responded with military force.
- date: 1922-08-12
  title: Michael Collins killed
  description: Collins, the leading pro-treaty figure and Chairman of the Provisional Government, was ambushed and killed in County Cork during the escalating civil war.
- date: 1922-12-06
  title: Irish Free State officially established
  description: The Irish Free State came into being with dominion status within the British Commonwealth. W.T. Cosgrave became the first President of the Executive Council.
sources: []
related: []
gallery:
- url: "https://live.staticflickr.com/2780/4163473083_dab5e13172_b.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://live.staticflickr.com/2780/4163473083_dab5e13172_b.jpg"
  caption: (Previous hero, demoted by topical-relevance swap)
  credit: ""
  width: 0
  height: 0
  alt: A straight asphalt pathway runs through a cemetery lined with white-bordered grave plots, monuments, and tall trees on either side, with dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy ahead.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/The_Irish_Parliament%3B_what_it_was%2C_and_what_it_did.djvu/page1-1280px-The_Irish_Parliament%3B_what_it_was%2C_and_what_it_did.djvu.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/The_Irish_Parliament%3B_what_it_was%2C_and_what_it_did.djvu/page1-1280px-The_Irish_Parliament%3B_what_it_was%2C_and_what_it_did.djvu.jpg"
  caption: The Irish Parliament; what it was, and what it did
  credit: J. G. Swift MacNeill
  width: 1685
  height: 2605
  alt: "The title page of a historical book with a bright red cover displaying \"The Irish Parliament: What it Was, and What it Did\" by J. G. Swift MacNeill, M.A., published by Cassell & Company, Limited in London, Paris, New York, and Melbourne."
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Come Back to Erin
  artist: Thomas Moore (traditional, popularized during independence period)
  year: 1920
  note: Nationalist anthem that gained prominence during the independence struggle and early Free State period.
  referenceCard:
  status: not_found
  checkedAt: "2026-06-05T07:51:26.372Z"
- title: The Foggy Dew
  artist: Traditional/popularized by Sean O'Riada
  note: Mythologized the 1916 Easter Rising and became a defining song of Irish independence mythology.
  referenceCard:
  status: not_found
  checkedAt: "2026-06-05T07:51:26.372Z"
topFilms: []
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: "1922 Ireland was caught between rural traditionalism and modernizing nationalism. Irish language revival movements competed with English dominance; the Catholic Church's influence over social policy solidified. Literary revival-Yeats, Joyce, Synge-had already peaked but shaped cultural memory of independence. The partition left deep scars: the Free State inherited an economy ravaged by the War of Independence (1919–21) and Civil War, while the cultural consciousness oscillated between republican idealism and postwar exhaustion."
impactStatement: On December 6, 1922, the Irish Free State was formally established following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, ending centuries of direct British rule and partitioning the island into two separate states. The creation of the Free State-which would eventually become the Republic of Ireland in 1949-marked a watershed moment in decolonization and set a precedent for how former colonial territories could negotiate independence within the Commonwealth framework.
consequences:
- title: Irish Civil War
  year: 1922
  description: The treaty's ratification triggered immediate civil conflict between pro-treaty and anti-treaty forces, lasting until 1923 and killing approximately 1,500 people. Michael Collins, the Free State's chairman, was assassinated in August 1922 during the war.
- title: Partition of Ireland Formalized
  year: 1922
  description: The Irish Free State's establishment cemented the partition created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920, leaving six counties in the northeast (Northern Ireland) under British control-a division that would shape Irish and British politics for a century.
- title: Commonwealth Dominion Status
  year: 1922
  description: The Free State initially remained within the British Commonwealth as a dominion, similar to Canada and Australia, establishing a model for negotiated independence that other colonies would follow throughout the 1920s and 1930s.
- title: De Valera's Return and Republican Constitution
  year: 1937
  description: Éamon de Valera, who opposed the treaty, returned to power and replaced the dominion constitution with a new republican one, formally ending Commonwealth ties and setting the stage for Ireland's full republic declaration in 1949.
- title: Cascade of Dominion Independence Movements
  year: 1930
  description: The Irish Free State's successful negotiation of dominion status encouraged similar independence movements across the British Empire, including India's path to dominion status in 1947 and broader decolonization waves.
categories:
- revolution
metaDescription: Ireland breaks free from British rule. The Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 establishes the Irish Free State in 1922, ending centuries of colonial control and igniting civil war.
lede: Ireland's fight for independence from British rule came to a head in 1922, when the 26 counties that would become the Irish Free State broke away while six northern counties remained part of the United Kingdom. The conflict had intensified over the previous three years, but the formal establishment of the Free State in December 1922 marked the end of direct British sovereignty over most of the island.
aliases:
- Irish Civil War
- Treaty of 1921
- Formation of the Irish Free State
- Partition of Ireland
relationships:
- targetSlug: treaty-of-versailles
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 95
  evidence: Treaty of Versailles (1919) imposed partition of Ireland as condition, directly leading to Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations that established the Irish Free State on December 6, 1922.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: league-of-nations-established
  type: happened_during
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Irish Free State's establishment in 1922 occurred during the League of Nations' inaugural period (1920 onward), as international governance structures were being consolidated post-WWI.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: american-civil-war-begins
  type: caused_by
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Irish Independence & Treaty (Irish Free State Established)" references "American Civil War" (3 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: partition-india-pakistan-1947
  type: caused
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Irish Independence & Treaty (Irish Free State Established)" references "Partition of India" (3 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: gulf-war
  type: caused
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "Irish Independence & Treaty (Irish Free State Established)" references "Gulf War" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
heroImageAlt: This is an Image Evaluation Test Target (MT-3) document from Photographic Sciences Corporation, displaying various resolution test patterns and measurement scales arranged on a white background with a 6-inch reference scale marked at the bottom.
geo:
lat: 52.865196
lng: -7.9794599
place: Ireland
note: Location inferred from recap.country via OSM Nominatim.
significance: 25
translations:
es:
lede: La lucha de Irlanda por la independencia del dominio británico llegó a su punto culminante en 1922, cuando los 26 condados que se convertirían en el Estado Libre Irlandés se separaron mientras seis condados del norte permanecieron como parte del Reino Unido. El conflicto se había intensificado durante los tres años anteriores, pero el establecimiento formal del Estado Libre en diciembre de 1922 marcó el fin de la soberanía británica directa sobre la mayor parte de la isla.
summaryShort: El Estado Libre Irlandés fue establecido el 6 de diciembre de 1922, tras el Tratado Angloirlandés de 1921, dividiendo Irlanda y terminando la Guerra de Independencia.
summaryLong: |-
  La Guerra de Independencia Irlandesa (1919–1921) había hecho insostenible el dominio británico en Irlanda. Tras dos años de conflicto de guerrillas dirigidos por figuras como Michael Collins y Richard Mulcahy contra las fuerzas británicas, comenzaron las negociaciones. El Tratado Angloirlandés fue firmado el 6 de diciembre de 1921, creando un camino hacia la autonomía, aunque no cumplía con la república que muchos republicanos exigían. El tratado otorgaba estatus de dominio -similar al de Canadá o Australia- en lugar de independencia plena, y requería un juramento de lealtad al monarca británico. Este compromiso dividió irrevocablemente el movimiento nacionalista irlandés.

  La ratificación resultó controvertida. El Dáil Éireann (parlamento irlandés) votó 64–57 a favor el 7 de enero de 1922, un margen estrecho que reflejaba profundas fracturas. Las fuerzas pro-tratado, respaldadas por Collins y Arthur Griffith, argumentaban que el Estado Libre era un trampolín hacia la soberanía total. Los republicanos anti-tratado, dirigidos por Éamon de Valera, lo veían como una traición a la visión del Levantamiento de Pascua de 1916. La división pronto encendería una guerra civil.

  El 6 de diciembre de 1922 -exactamente un año después de la firma del tratado- el Estado Libre Irlandés entró formalmente en existencia. El nuevo estado abarcaba 26 de los 32 condados de Irlanda; los seis condados de Irlanda del Norte permanecieron como parte del Reino Unido, consolidando la partición. El Estado Libre adoptó una constitución, estableció su propio gobierno e inició la labor de construcción estatal bajo el liderazgo de W.T. Cosgrave. Mantuvo el estatus de dominio dentro de la Mancomunidad Británica, un detalle que persiguió la política irlandesa durante décadas.

  El establecimiento en sí fue ordenado, pero las tensiones subyacentes fueron todo lo contrario. Meses después, la Guerra Civil Irlandesa (1922–1923) estalló entre las fuerzas pro y anti-tratado, cobrándose aproximadamente 4.000 vidas e infligiendo heridas que moldearon la política irlandesa durante generaciones. Collins, uno de los arquitectos del tratado, fue asesinado en una emboscada el 22 de agosto de 1922, antes de que el Estado Libre siquiera consolidara completamente el poder. El Estado Libre sobrevivió y eventualmente abandonó su estatus de dominio -de Valera, habiendo se opuesto al tratado, posteriormente se convirtió en su primer ministro y lo encaminó hacia una república declarada en 1949- pero el camino fue todo menos lineal.
generatedAt: "2026-06-04T01:27:25.815Z"
fr:
lede: La lutte de l'Irlande pour son indépendance vis-à-vis de la domination britannique a atteint son paroxysme en 1922, lorsque les 26 comtés qui allaient former l'État libre d'Irlande se sont séparés tandis que six comtés du nord restaient partie du Royaume-Uni. Le conflit s'était intensifié au cours des trois années précédentes, mais l'établissement formel de l'État libre en décembre 1922 a marqué la fin de la souveraineté britannique directe sur la majorité de l'île.
summaryShort: L'État libre d'Irlande a été établi le 6 décembre 1922, suite au Traité anglo-irlandais de 1921, partitionnant l'Irlande et mettant fin à la Guerre d'indépendance.
summaryLong: |-
  La Guerre d'indépendance irlandaise (1919–1921) avait rendu la domination britannique en Irlande intenable. Après deux ans de guerre de guérilla menée par des figures comme Michael Collins et Richard Mulcahy contre les forces britanniques, les négociations ont commencé. Le Traité anglo-irlandais a été signé le 6 décembre 1921, créant un chemin vers l'autonomie gouvernementale, bien qu'il n'ait pas mené à la république que beaucoup de républicains exigeaient. Le traité accordait le statut de dominion-similaire à celui du Canada ou de l'Australie-plutôt que l'indépendance complète, et exigeait un serment d'allégeance à la monarchie britannique. Ce compromis a irrémédiablement divisé le mouvement nationaliste irlandais.

  La ratification s'est avérée contentieuse. Le Dáil Éireann (parlement irlandais) a voté 64–57 en faveur le 7 janvier 1922, une marge étroite qui reflétait des fractures profondes. Les forces partisanes du traité, soutenues par Collins et Arthur Griffith, arguaient que l'État libre était un tremplin vers la souveraineté complète. Les républicains anti-traité, menés par Éamon de Valera, y voyaient une trahison de la vision du Soulèvement de Pâques 1916. Cette scission allait bientôt déclencher une guerre civile.

  Le 6 décembre 1922-exactement un an après la signature du traité-l'État libre d'Irlande a formellement vu le jour. Le nouvel État englobait 26 des 32 comtés d'Irlande ; les six comtés d'Irlande du Nord restaient partie du Royaume-Uni, cimentant la partition. L'État libre a adopté une constitution, établi son propre gouvernement, et commencé le travail de construction de l'État sous la direction de W.T. Cosgrave. Il conservait le statut de dominion au sein du Commonwealth britannique, un détail qui a hanté la politique irlandaise pendant des décennies.

  L'établissement lui-même s'est déroulé sans heurt, mais les tensions sous-jacentes étaient loin d'être apaisées. Quelques mois plus tard, la Guerre civile irlandaise (1922–1923) a éclaté entre les forces partisanes et anti-traité, faisant environ 4 000 morts et infligeant des blessures qui ont façonné la politique irlandaise pendant des générations. Collins, l'un des architectes du traité, a été tué dans une embuscade le 22 août 1922, avant même que l'État libre n'ait pleinement consolidé son pouvoir. L'État libre a survécu et a finalement abandonné son statut de dominion-de Valera, ayant s'être opposé au traité, est devenu par la suite son premier ministre et l'a guidé vers une république proclamée en 1949-mais le chemin vers cet objectif n'a rien eu de linéaire.
generatedAt: "2026-06-04T01:27:32.339Z"
de:
lede: Irlands Kampf um Unabhängigkeit von der britischen Herrschaft erreichte 1922 seinen Höhepunkt, als sich die 26 Grafschaften, die zum Irischen Freistaat werden sollten, abspalteten, während sechs nordirische Grafschaften Teil des Vereinigten Königreichs blieben. Der Konflikt hatte sich in den vorherigen drei Jahren verschärft, aber die formelle Gründung des Freistaats im Dezember 1922 markierte das Ende der direkten britischen Souveränität über den größten Teil der Insel.
summaryShort: Der Irische Freistaat wurde am 6. Dezember 1922 gegründet, nach dem Anglo-Irischen Vertrag von 1921, der Irland teilte und den Unabhängigkeitskrieg beendete.
summaryLong: |-
  Der Irische Unabhängigkeitskrieg (1919–1921) hatte die britische Herrschaft in Irland untragbar gemacht. Nach zwei Jahren Guerillakonflikt unter Anführern wie Michael Collins und Richard Mulcahy gegen britische Truppen begannen Verhandlungen. Der Anglo-Irische Vertrag wurde am 6. Dezember 1921 unterzeichnet und schuf einen Weg zur Selbstverwaltung, entsprach aber nicht der Republik, die viele Republikaner forderten. Der Vertrag verlieh Dominion-Status – ähnlich wie Kanada oder Australien – anstatt voller Unabhängigkeit und erforderte einen Treueeid auf den britischen Monarchen. Dieser Kompromiss spaltete die irische nationalistische Bewegung unheilbar auf.

  Die Ratifizierung erwies sich als umstritten. Der Dáil Éireann (Irisches Parlament) stimmte am 7. Januar 1922 mit 64–57 Stimmen dafür, eine knappe Mehrheit, die tiefe Risse widerspiegelte. Pro-Vertrags-Kräfte, unterstützt von Collins und Arthur Griffith, argumentierten, der Freistaat sei ein Sprungbrett zur vollständigen Souveränität. Anti-Vertrags-Republikaner unter Éamon de Valera sahen darin einen Verrat an der Vision des Osteraufstands von 1916. Die Spaltung würde bald einen Bürgerkrieg entfachen.

  Am 6. Dezember 1922 – genau ein Jahr nach der Unterzeichnung des Vertrags – kam der Irische Freistaat formal ins Leben. Der neue Staat umfasste 26 der 32 Grafschaften Irlands; die sechs Grafschaften Nordirlands blieben Teil des Vereinigten Königreichs und verfestigten die Teilung. Der Freistaat verabschiedete eine Verfassung, etablierte eine eigene Regierung und begann die Staatsbildung unter der Führung von W.T. Cosgrave. Er behielt den Dominion-Status innerhalb des Britischen Commonwealth, ein Detail, das die irische Politik jahrzehntelang verfolgte.

  Die Gründung selbst verlief ordnungsgemäß, aber die zugrunde liegenden Spannungen waren alles andere als das. Wenige Monate später brach der Irische Bürgerkrieg (1922–1923) zwischen Pro- und Anti-Vertrags-Kräften aus, der etwa 4.000 Menschenleben forderte und Wunden zufügte, die die irische Politik für Generationen prägten. Collins, einer der Architekten des Vertrags, wurde am 22. August 1922 bei einem Überfall getötet, bevor der Freistaat seine Macht überhaupt konsolidiert hatte. Der Freistaat überlebte und legte schließlich seinen Dominion-Status ab – de Valera, der den Vertrag abgelehnt hatte, wurde später sein Premierminister und steuerte ihn auf eine 1949 erklärte Republik zu – aber der Weg dorthin war alles andere als linear.
generatedAt: "2026-06-04T01:27:39.843Z"
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Population of Irish Free State / Republic of Ireland
  thenValue: 2.97 million
  thenYear: 1922
  nowValue: 5.15 million
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Includes net migration effects; Free State territory was 26 of 32 counties
- metric: GDP per capita (Ireland)
  thenValue: £48 (estimated)
  thenYear: 1922
  nowValue: $99,084 USD
  nowYear: 2023
  note: Nominal terms; 1922 figure approximated from historical economic data
- metric: Irish parliamentary seats
  thenValue: "128"
  thenYear: 1922
  nowValue: "160"
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Dáil Éireann membership; increased following electoral reform
- metric: Life expectancy at birth (Ireland)
  thenValue: 57.4 years
  thenYear: 1922
  nowValue: 82.1 years
  nowYear: 2023
- metric: Literacy rate (Ireland)
  thenValue: 74%
  thenYear: 1911
  nowValue: 99%
  nowYear: 2023
  note: 1911 census closest available to 1922; adult literacy now near universal
relatedQueries:
- Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921 terms partition
- Michael Collins Irish Free State 1922
- Irish Civil War 1922-1923
- partition Ireland North South 1921
- Éamon de Valera Irish Free State
- War of Independence Ireland 1919-1921
- Irish Free State constitution Dáil Éireann
- Northern Ireland partition 1922
- Irish independence timeline 1916-1922
taxonomy:
domain: political
eventTypes:
- independence_declaration
- treaty_signing
- regime_change
canonicalClasses:
- governance
- transformation
- conflict
impactRadius: regional
velocity: gradual
predictability: forecastable
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: birth
