The Treaty splits the island, and it splits the movement too. Twenty-six counties become the Irish Free State, at the price of a civil war between men who had fought side by side. Six stay in the United Kingdom as Northern Ireland, with a parliament of their own. Two new states, back to back, each defining itself against the other.
The Civil War's losers win the state by ballot — and hand it over peacefully is proven possible.
Quick answersWhen was Partition — Free State & Northern Ireland in Ireland?
Partition — Free State & Northern Ireland spans 1922 to 1936 in this atlas. The Treaty splits the island, and it splits the movement too.
Who ruled Ireland during Partition — Free State & Northern Ireland?
Power was divided: Irish Free State (26 counties); Northern Ireland (UK) (6 counties). County boundaries are modern approximations.
What is a lesser-known fact about Partition — Free State & Northern Ireland?
Partition was supposed to be provisional. The Boundary Commission of 1925 was widely expected to transfer large nationalist areas to the Free State — but its report was leaked, suppressed, and buried by all three governments. It has only been public since 1969.
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