| Republic of Ireland Poblacht na hÉireann | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 Light green is under British occupation. | |
| Capital and largest city | Dublin |
| Official languages | English, Irish |
| Dominant mode of production | Capitalism |
| Government | Parliamentary republic |
• President | Michael D. Higgins |
• Prime Minister | Micheál Martin |
| Area | |
• Total | 70,273 km² 84,421 km² (including occupied counties) |
| Population | |
• 2021 estimate | 5,011,500 |
The Republic of Ireland is a country in Europe. Six of its 32 counties are still occupied by the United Kingdom.[1] Since the island was partitioned in 1921, Irish Republicans have been fighting for unification. On 5 May 2022 Sinn Féin, formerly the political arm of the Irish Republican Army, won the Northern Ireland Assembly election, igniting hope of unification in the near future.[2]
History
Early British settlement
In 1654, England under Oliver Cromwell conquered Ireland and ended Celtic control of the country's land.[3]
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence began on 21 January 1921, when two British constables were shot dead at Soloheadbeg in Tipperary county. The Dáil Éireann, Ireland's legislature, met for the first time and read out the Declaration of Independence and the Message to the Free Nations of the World.[4]
References
- ↑ Brendan O'Brien (1999). The Long War: The IRA and Sinn Féin (p. 167). Syracuse University Press. ISBN 9780815605973
- ↑ Steve James (2022-05-08). "Sinn Féin wins Northern Ireland Assembly election" World Socialist Web Site.
- ↑ James Connolly (1915). The Re-Conquest of Ireland: 'The Conquest of Ireland'. [MIA]
- ↑ Michael Hopkinson. The Irish War of Independence: The Definitive Account of the Anglo Irish War of 1919–1921 (pp. 85–87). Gill & Macmillan. ISBN 9780717161980