The Irish War of Independence (Irish: Cogadh na Saoirse), Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed to a ceasefire (or "truce") in July 1921. The post-ceasefire talks led to the December 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty. This treaty ended British rule in most of Ireland and, after a ten-month transitional period overseen by a provisional government, the Irish Free State was established. However, six northern counties remained within the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland, with its own devolved parliament. After the ceasefire, political and sectarian violence (between republicans and loyalists, and between Irish Catholics and Protestants) continued in Northern Ireland for many months.
The IRA that fought in this conflict is often called the Old IRA to distinguish it from later groups that also used the name.
Read more about Irish War Of Independence: Truce: July–December 1921, Treaty, The North-east, The Propaganda War, Casualties, Post-war Evacuation of British Forces, Compensation, Memorial, Films, Music and Television
Famous quotes containing the words irish, war and/or independence:
“I went to a very militantly Republican grammar school and, under its influence, began to revolt against the Establishment, on the simple rule of thumb, highly satisfying to a ten-year-old, that Irish equals good, English equals bad.”
—Bernadette Devlin (b. 1947)
“The war is dreadful. It is the business of the artist to follow it home to the heart of the individual fighters—not to talk in armies and nations and numbers—but to track it home.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)
“There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no independence quite so important, as living within your means.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)