Ireland, Republic of
Country occupying most of the island of Ireland, which it shares with Northern Ireland. Its capital and largest city is Dublin.
Note
The continuing conflict between Irish Roman Catholics and Protestants began when Henry VIII of England imposed the Protestant Church of Ireland upon a largely Catholic population.
Note
The Easter Rebellion of 1916, although unsuccessful, became a symbolic impetus for Irish nationalists struggling against British rule.
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In 1918, Catholic nationalists proclaimed an Irish republic, and in 1920, two separate parliaments for Catholic Ireland and Northern Ireland were established.
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A treaty with Britain in 1922 established the Irish Free State. The Republic of Ireland was proclaimed in 1949.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
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