Ireland's independence process involved several key dates:
- On January 21, 1919, Irish politicians declared the Irish Republic independent and set up its own government in Dublin, marking a pivotal moment in the struggle for self-determination and the start of the Irish War of Independence.
- The war ended with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty on December 6, 1921. This treaty established the Irish Free State on December 6, 1922, as a self-governing dominion within the British Commonwealth, officially ending British rule in most of Ireland, while Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom.
- The Irish Free State gradually moved towards full sovereignty and became the Republic of Ireland in 1949, fully independent from the British Commonwealth.
Thus, Ireland's independence declaration was in 1919, but official independence as the Irish Free State came in 1922, and full republic status was achieved in 1949. December 6 is often considered Ireland's Independence Day in formal terms.
