1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Inauguration of James McNeill as Governor General 1928

8. 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

9. 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 it was Ireland's turn to take over chairing the League

10. 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

11. The Economic War
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

12. 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'

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

14. Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII

15. 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

16. Bunreacht na hEireann The 1937 Constitution

17. 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 (685,105 to 526, 945)

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

19. 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

20. 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)

21. 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)

22. 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.

23. 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

24. Declaring a republic 1949
The ministers of the Inter-Party Government ( ) 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 Ireland formally left the Commonwealth and became a republic