Jonah Patel
Ireland has a complex history with monarchy, having been a monarchy, a republic, and a constitutional monarchy with a foreign monarch. The Kingdom of Ireland was established in 1542 and existed until 1800, after which Ireland became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1922, most of Ireland seceded from the UK, becoming the Irish Free State, a constitutional monarchy with the British monarch as its head of state. In 1937, the Free State adopted a new constitution that removed mentions of the monarchy and established the position of President of Ireland. In 1949, the Irish state officially became a republic, cutting its remaining ties with the British monarchy. However, Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom and still has a monarchical system.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current form of government | Republic |
| Date of becoming a republic | April 1949 |
| Previous form of government | Constitutional monarchy |
| Period of constitutional monarchy | December 1922 – April 1949 |
| Monarch during constitutional monarchy | King George V |
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What You'll Learn
The Kingdom of Ireland was established in 1542
Prior to the establishment of the Kingdom of Ireland, the island was under English rule as the Lordship of Ireland, which had been created in 1171 by King Henry II of England. However, by the 16th century, the area of effective English rule had shrunk, and most of Ireland was held by Gaelic nobles. The creation of the Kingdom of Ireland aimed to expand English control and bring the island under the direct rule of the English monarchy. This expansion of English control sparked the Desmond Rebellions and the Nine Years' War, as native Irish Catholics resisted the confiscation of their land and the colonisation by Protestant settlers from Britain.
The Kingdom of Ireland was not initially recognised by the Catholic monarchies in Europe, as they considered Protestant rulers as heretics. However, in 1555, Pope Paul IV issued a papal bull recognising Mary I, the daughter of Henry VIII, as Queen of Ireland. This recognition elevated Ireland's status from a mere province of the Holy See to a kingdom united with England under one monarch. The Kingdom of Ireland continued to exist until the end of 1800, when it merged with the Kingdom of Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.
In 1922, most of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom, becoming the Irish Free State, while Northern Ireland remained a part of the United Kingdom. The Irish Free State was a self-governing dominion within the British Empire, retaining the British monarch as its head of state. It was not until 1949 that the former Free State, now known as the Republic of Ireland, officially withdrew from the Commonwealth and became a republic, ending the monarchy's role in the country.
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The Irish Free State was a constitutional monarchy
The Irish Free State was established following the Anglo-Irish Treaty, which outlined a number of requirements for the new constitution. These included that the new state would be a dominion of the British Commonwealth, with the King as head of state, and that members of the Oireachtas (parliament) would swear an oath of allegiance to the Irish Free State and declare their fidelity to the King. This oath was controversial and was a key issue for opponents of the Treaty, who refused to take their seats in the Dáil.
The Constitution of the Irish Free State was adopted by Act of Dáil Éireann on 25 October 1922 and came into effect on 6 December 1922. It provided for a parliamentary system of government, with a three-tier parliament, consisting of the monarch and two houses: the Chamber of Deputies, or Dáil Éireann, and the Senate, or Seanad Éireann. Executive authority was vested in the King and exercised by the Governor-General, who appointed an Executive Council to "aid and advise" him.
In 1937, the Constitution of the Irish Free State was replaced by the modern Constitution of Ireland, which removed all mention of the monarchy. The Free State came to an end, and the state took the name "Ireland". In 1949, the former Free State declared itself a republic and withdrew from the Commonwealth of Nations, leaving only Northern Ireland as part of a monarchy within the United Kingdom.
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The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 ended the monarchy
The Republic of Ireland Act 1948, which came into force in April 1949, ended the monarchy in Ireland. The Act declared the state to be a republic, formally ending the statutory role of the British monarchy in the country. It also repealed the External Relations Act 1936, which had allowed the British monarch to retain certain functions in relation to the Irish state, such as the issuance and acceptance of letters of credence of diplomatic and consular representatives and the conclusion of international agreements.
The Republic of Ireland Act was the culmination of a series of steps taken by Ireland to distance itself from the British monarchy and assert its independence. In 1922, most of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom, becoming the Irish Free State, while Northern Ireland remained a part of the UK. The Free State was a dominion within the British Empire, legally retaining the same monarch as the United Kingdom. However, in 1937, the Free State adopted a new constitution that removed all mention of the monarchy.
Despite the constitutional changes, the role of the King in Ireland remained ambiguous, and the External Relations Act of 1936 continued to provide the British monarch with certain functions in relation to the Irish state. The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 removed these remaining duties, with the President of Ireland assuming the role of Head of State and taking on the powers previously held by the British monarch in relation to foreign affairs.
The Act also ended Ireland's membership in the British Commonwealth. While some Irish leaders had previously declared that Ireland was not a member of the Commonwealth, this was not a view shared by other members, who still regarded Ireland as forming part of "His Majesty's dominions". With the repeal of the External Relations Act, there was no longer any basis to consider Ireland as continuing to have a King or to be part of the Commonwealth.
The enactment of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 thus marked a significant moment in Irish history, formally ending the monarchy and asserting the country's independence from British rule.
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Northern Ireland remains part of the UK monarchy
Ireland has a long history of monarchical rule, dating back to ancient times. In 1542, the Kingdom of Ireland was established, with King Henry VIII of England also becoming the King of Ireland. This marked a shift in Ireland's political landscape, as it brought the country under closer English control.
However, in 1922, most of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom, becoming the Irish Free State, a self-governing dominion within the British Empire. This marked the end of the country's official ties to the British monarchy, as the Free State later adopted a constitution that removed all mention of the monarchy.
Northern Ireland, however, remains part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and continues to operate under a monarchical system of government. Six of Ireland's north-eastern counties, within the nine-county Province of Ulster, chose to remain within the United Kingdom, maintaining the monarchy as their form of rule. This decision was influenced by the religious and cultural differences between the predominantly Protestant northeast and the predominantly Catholic south and northwest.
The British monarchy, specifically, has continued in Northern Ireland. From 1921 until 1973, the British monarch was officially represented in Northern Ireland by the Governor of Northern Ireland. The position of the monarch in Northern Ireland is further reinforced by the Ireland Act of 1949, which states that Northern Ireland remains the only part of the island that retains a monarchical system.
The legacy of the Kingdom of Ireland and the continued presence of the British monarchy in Northern Ireland remain contentious issues in Irish-British relations. The ethnic conflict between the native Irish inhabitants and the Anglo-Irish settlers has been a constant source of tension, with the Gaelic culture and language often portrayed negatively by the Anglo-Irish majority.
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The Irish Constitution guarantees fundamental rights
Ireland ceased to be a constitutional monarchy in 1949 when it became a republic and withdrew from the British Commonwealth. The country had been a constitutional monarchy since 1922 when it became a self-governing dominion within the British Empire, with the British monarch as its head of state.
The Irish Constitution, written in 1937, recognises and declares that people living in Ireland have certain fundamental personal rights. These rights are confirmed and protected by the Constitution. Articles 40 to 44 set out these fundamental rights, many of which apply to everyone living in Ireland, not just Irish citizens.
The Constitution guarantees the right to liberty and freedom, except in accordance with the law (Article 40.4). This means that, in general, people are entitled to their own personal freedom except where regulated by law. The Constitution also guarantees the right to assemble or meet peacefully and without weapons (Article 40.6.1.ii). This right is limited by legislation to protect public order and morality. The Constitution further guarantees the right to form associations and unions (Article 40.6.1.iii).
The Constitution also includes specific articles on education, religion, and the family. It recognises the family as the natural primary and fundamental unit group of society, and as a moral institution possessing inalienable and imprescriptible rights. It also acknowledges that the primary and natural educator of the child is the family and guarantees to respect the inalienable right and duty of parents to provide for the religious and moral, intellectual, physical, and social education of their children.
The Constitution guarantees liberty for the exercise of the following rights, subject to public order and morality: the right of citizens to express freely their convictions and opinions, and the right of citizens to assemble peaceably and without arms.
The Constitution also guarantees the right to life, which means the right to have nature take its course and to die a natural death. This does not include the right to have one's life terminated or death unnaturally accelerated.
Fundamental rights under the Irish Constitution are not absolute; they can be limited or restricted by the Oireachtas for certain reasons, such as for the common good or to keep public order.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Ireland is not a constitutional monarchy. In 1937, the Irish Free State adopted a new constitution that removed all mention of the monarchy. In 1949, the former Free State, which covered most of Ireland, declared itself a republic and withdrew from the Commonwealth of Nations.
The current form of government in Ireland is a republic with a popularly elected non-executive president, a bicameral parliament, a separation of powers, and judicial review. The Constitution of Ireland, which came into force in 1937, guarantees certain fundamental rights and outlines the country's system of government.
No, Ireland has not always been a republic. For much of its history, Ireland was a dependent territory of England or Great Britain, ruled by the monarchs of those countries. In 1922, most of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom and became the Irish Free State, a constitutional monarchy with the British monarch as its head of state. However, in 1937, the Free State adopted a new constitution that removed the monarch and established the office of President of Ireland.
The Republic of Ireland, or simply Ireland, is an independent country that covers most of the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland, on the other hand, is a part of the United Kingdom and is located in the northeastern region of the island. Northern Ireland is the only part of the island that remains under a monarchy, as it is still a part of the United Kingdom.
