Anglo-Irish Relations under Cumann na nGaedheal Under the 1921 Treaty the Irish Free State had some links to Britain (the Oath of Allegiance, Governor General, King as Head of State, Dominion Satus in the Commonwealth) Cosgrave and the IFS government were unwilling to break the Treaty but were eager to assert Ireland's sovereignty as much as possible without breaking the Treaty

The Governor General The Governor General was the King's representative in Ireland and lived in the Viceregal Lodge in the Phoenix Park Tim Healy was a former Home Rule Party MP He was appointed Governor General by the British on the advice of the Cosgrave in 1922

Ambassadors and the League of Nations Despite Britain's objections the IFS government decided to send ambassadors to a number of countries The Irish Free State joined the League of Nations in 1923 They also registered the Treaty with the League of Nations

Ireland at the Imperial Conferences Ireland attended the Imperial Conferences where the Dominions of the Commonwealth sent representatives to discuss issues of common concern Ireland allied itself to other Dominions to push for more sovereignty from Britain In 1926 the British issued the Balfor Declaration in which they conceded that Dominions were equal in status to Britain in the Commonwealth This was formally passed into law when the Statute of Westminster was passed by the British Parliament in 1931

De Valera removes the Oath of Allegiance Soon after getting into office De Valera's government removed the Oath of Allegiance to the King for Tds who wanted to enter the Dáil It was delayed by the Senate and finally passed became law in 1933

The Governor General Under the Treaty the King's Representative in Ireland was known as the Governor General But the British had allowed the Irish to suggested who be appointed to the job James McNeill had been appointed 1928

Inauguration of James McNeill as Governor General 1928

Degrading and abolishing the position of Governor General When James McNeill resigned in 1932 De Valera asked the British to make Domhnall O'Buachalla the new Governor General De Valera instructed O'Buachalla to continue to sign legislation but to keep a low profile, not live in the Viceregal Lodge and refuse all invitations thus making this symbolic role an unimportant insignificant position In 1936 De Valera abolished the position of Governor General DOMHNALL O'BUACHALLA

Ireland and the League of Nations The Irish Free State had joined the League of Nations in 1923 De Valera played and active role when in 1932 it was Ireland's turn to take over chairing the League

De Valera stops paying land annuities 1932 As part of the Treaty the Irish government had agreed to make payments called annuities each year for money that had been spent on Land Purchase schemes in Ireland The British government reacted by putting tariffs or taxes on Irish products being imported into Britain (20% on agricultural products which were 90% of Irish exports to UK) This inflated prices and made Irish produce less attractive to British consumers and reduced Irish farmers incomes

The Economic War 1932-1938 De Valera reacted by putting a 20% tax on British coal coming into Ireland This marked the beginning of the 'Economic War' or the 'Anglo-Irish Trade War' which lasted till 1938 The war harmed the Irish economy far more than it did the British economy In 1935 the Coal-Cattle Pact both governments agreed to remove tariffs on those products The Economic War ended with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement 1938

The Anglo-Irish Agreement 1938 Tariffs were abolished The Irish government agreed to pay a £10m one off payment to compensate Britain for loss of land annuities Britain agreed to withdraw its forces from and give up control of the three 'Treaty Ports'

The Abdication Crisis 1936 King Edward VIII adbicated and his brother 'Bertie' became King George VI

Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII

Removing the King as Head of State In 1936 Edward VIII abdicated after coming under pressure to choose between being King and marrying his girlfriend Wallis Simpson (an american woman who had been divorced) The day that Edward abdicated the Dáil voted to remove any references to the King and the Governor General from the Irish Constitution The Dáil also passed the External Relations Act changing the relationship of the IFS to the Commonwealth In 1937 these changes were integrated into a new Constitution

Bunreacht na hEireann The 1937 Constitution

Background to Bunreacht na hÉireann 1937 Original constitution 1922 1936 De Valera took advantage of abdication of King Edward VIII Passed Constitutional Amendment Act and External Relations Act (1936) This removed King as head of state for Ireland New constitution passed by referendum July 1937 (685,105 to 526, 945)

Fundamental rights covered by the constitution Personal Rights The Family Education Private Property Religion

The Institutions of the state State to be known as Éire Oireachtas (Dail & Seanad) PR voting system to elect TDs Head of State: president (Uachtaran na hEireann- to hold office for 7 years) Head of government: taoiseach Irish to be 1st official language English to be 2nd official language Courts, local government and international relations also covered by constitution

Controversial articles in original 1937 Constitution Articles 2 and 3: territorial claim on Northern Ireland (removed 1998) Ban on divorce (removed 1995) Catholic Church not made official church of state but given ‘special position’ as majority in state were catholic (removed 1973)

The Constitution and Northern Ireland Article 2: Claimed Northern Ireland Article 3: The laws of Ireland limited to 26 counties ‘pending the reintegration of the national territory’ These articles angered unionists Constitution DID NOT establish a Republic (perhaps because Northern Ireland still separate from Irish Free State)

Article 2 The national territory consists of the whole island of Ireland, its islands and the territorial seas. Article 3 Pending the re-integration of the national territory, and without prejudice to the right of the parliament and government established by this constitution to exercise jurisdiction over the whole territory, the laws enacted by the parliament shall have the like area and extent of application as the laws of Saorstat Éireann and the like extra- territorial effect.

The Emergency Anglo-Irish Relations during WWII Ireland followed a policy of 'neutrality' Sometimes described as 'pro-allied neutrality' Churchill's offer of 'a nation once again' The bombing of Belfast: help from the IFS De Valera's visit to the German Embassy to offer condolences on death of Hitler Churchill vs. De Valera radio broadcasts The IRA and the Germans

Declaring a republic 1949 The ministers of the Inter-Party Government (1948-1951) led by Fine Gael's John A. Costelloe discussed leaving the commonwealth To do this they would have to repeal the 'External Relations Act' The taoiseach John A. Costelloe was asked by journalists while he was visiting Canada if Ireland planned to leave the Commonwealth He confirmed this and the following year in 1949 Ireland formally left the Commonwealth and became a republic