Ireland (An Honorable Retelling)

Kingdom of Ireland Ríocht na hÉireann (Irish) Kinrick o Airlann (Ulster Scots) Timeline: An Honorable Retelling
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:  Éirinn go Brách "Ireland forever"
Anthem:  Amhrán na bhFiann "The Soldiers' Song"
Location of Ireland (green)
Capital (and largest city)		Dublin
Official languages		Irish
Demonym		Irish
Government		Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
-	King	Eoghan III
-	Taoiseach	Luke Flanagan
Legislature		Oireachtas
-	Upper house	Seanad Éireann
-	Lower house	Dáil Éireann
Formation
-	War of Independence	1796-1801
-	Kingdom declared	23 October 1803
-	Popular Constitution	1922
-	Current constitution	2 November 1965
Population
-	2023 estimate	17,138,404
Currency		Irish pingin (IPN)
Drives on the		left

Ireland (Irish: Éire), officially the Kingdom of Ireland (Irish: Ríocht na hÉireann) is a nation located in Western Europe, on the island of Ireland, from which the nation derives its name from. The country shares maritime borders with France, Wales, England, and Scotland. It is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy with Eoghan III as its monarch since 2013 and Luke Flanagan as its elected Taoiseach since 2024.

Gaelic Ireland had emerged by the 1st century AD. The island was Christianised from the 5th century onwards. Following the 12th century Anglo-Norman invasion, England claimed sovereignty. However, English rule did not extend over the whole island until the 16th–17th century Tudor conquest, which led to colonisation by settlers from Britain. In the 1690s, a system of Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Catholic majority and Protestant dissenters, and was extended during the 18th century. The Irish War of Independence in 1796-1801 led to the formation of the Napoleonic Kingdom in 1805, led by Joseph Bonaparte (later Joseph I). During the 19th century Ireland formed a number of colonies, primarily Crainnia. This also coincided with rapid economic and military expansion, making Ireland a comparatively formidable power in Europe, albeit at a cost, as the country racked up large debts through purchasing large amounts of machinery and military equipment from France and Germany.

During the Third Great War, Ireland initially declared neutrality but remained friendly towards the Continental System. In 1916, the Dublin Warships incident led to Ireland declaring war on France and joining the Allied Powers. A similar situation arose during the Fourth Great War - initially the nation declared neutrality but following considerable Scottish and Columbian pressure, the government declared war on France. Irish soldiers would later be deployed to the CSC, France and Germany. During the Cold War, Ireland was a founding member of the GTO and also helped found the European Community and the Celtic Union.

Ireland is a highly developed country, with the third-largest economy in Europe after Germany and Russia. Its gross domestic product per capita is one of the largest in Europe, and its economy is regarded as highly advanced. It scores high in quality of life rankings, and in rankings for freedom of press, freedom of speech, wealth equality, LGBTQ+ rights and low in rankings of levels of corruption. Since the 1990s Ireland has seen a major influx of tourism money towards its GDP, with nearly 22 million visiting the island in 2018. Of particular note is its stance on LGBTQ+ rights- the country was one of the first to decriminalise homosexuality in 1802, the first to legalise same-sex marriage in 1994 and became a haven for English LGBTQ+ people from the 1930s until the death of Oswald Mosley in 1980, due to the regime's harsh stance on such issues and the upholding of the Offences Against the Person Act during these times. Irish culture is also world-renowned, with St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) being celebrated in multiple major cities and Guinness porter being exported worldwide.

History

War of Independence and the Treaty of Pisa-Livorno

See also: Irish War of Independence

Wolfe Tone, considered the father of modern Ireland.

Prior to the 1790s, Ireland was a part of the Kingdom of England, and had only recently gotten some form of self-governance back in 1782, before which the island had been in personal union with England since 1542. However, this new self-governance was restricted to the wealthy land owning Anglican Protestant minority elite. Frustrations were growing throughout the 1790s, especially as the French Revolution led to a wave of Liberal ideas. In 1791 Theobald Wolfe Tone founded the Society of United Irishmen, an organisation initially campaigning for universal enfranchisement of Catholics and Presbyterians. However, following the organisation's outlawing in 1793 the United Irishmen began planning, in secret, for a revolution that would hopefully create an independent Irish nation-state.

In 1796, Tone travelled to France and requested a large amount of arms, along with a considerable expeditionary force. Led by General Lazare Hoche, the fleet set off in late 1796, bound for Bantry Bay in Cork. While the weather was predicted to be stormy, it ultimately transpired to be nothing more than heavy rain showers. The fleet successfully landed in December 1796 and immediately made footholds in Cork, advancing on the city itself by New Year's. The English command immediately sent a force to counter the rebels and French. In response, more troops were sent over. The Battle of Minister's Cross on the 2nd of January marked the beginning of the Irish War of Independence.

Monument to the pikemen of Vinegar Hill, Wexford Town.

Although at a numerical disadvantage against the English, the United Irishmen had significant military and technical support from France. Continual pouring in of French troops to the island also helped swing the advantage towards the rebels. Guerillas, linked to the rebel forces, would also harass English forces across the country.

By 1798, the counties of Cork, Kerry and Waterford were firmly in Irish hands. A provisional government was declared in January 1797, which would be replaced in February 1798 by a formal declaration of the Irish Republic. That summer saw rebels move into Wexford, to support an uprising begun by Father John Murphy. The county was under rebel control by September, thanks to a significant victory at the Battle of Vinegar Hill allowing for the capture of Wexford, and rebel-French forces began moving into Wicklow to support guerillas in the Wicklow Mountains.

The arrival of 18,000 more French troops in October 1798 allowed for Tone's plans for a push through the Midlands to encircle Dublin would finally be able to be realised. Throughout 1799 and 1800, rebel forces pushed through the Midlands, taking Limerick by the end of January and then rapidly advancing through Tipperary, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford. By 1800 most of Leinster and Connacht was under rebel control, putting more territory under the control of the Cork-based republic.

An 1876 painting of the Battle of Dunboyne, which determined the wider battle for Dublin.

By now, the English administration in Dublin was absolutely terrified. Reports of failing lines in Wicklow, Kildare and Meath led to fears of encirclement and destruction. With this knowledge, in December 1800 the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Charles Cornwallis, evacuated Dublin. General Lake, Commander of the English Army in Ireland, was ordered to flee to Ulster and mount a defence. With virtually nil opposition or resistance, Dublin was taken on Christmas Day, 1800. The capital of the Irish Republic was subsequently moved to the city, becoming the capital of independent Ireland.

Ultimately, with heavy French support, the English were doomed. As 1801 rolled on, the United Irishmen won territory across Ulster. Ultimately, at the crushing Battle of Mazetown in January 1802, a large English force was routed and annihilated. With Belfast now in sight, the English were forced to abandon Ireland and sue for peace. In the Treaty of Pisa-Livorno in July 1802, the entire island was to become independent and Britain would have to pay considerable compensation to the new nation. However, on their way out, massive amounts of arms had been dumped by retreating British regiments. In the following months after the defeat of the British, multiple rebel groups appeared across Ulster, made up of Ulster Scots and English settlers. In May 1802, Bonham’s Rebellion, or the Ulster Scots Rebellion, began, led by a charismatic former soldier named Jeremiah Bonham. Initially successful in capturing territory and gaining support, by early 1803 the rebellion was failing in the face of continued French military support to government forces. Bonham was captured in April 1803, and was tried and hung for treason soon after. Following this, a great exodus of Ulster Scots and loyalists followed to Scotland and England.

Napoleonic kingdom

Niall I, king of Ireland 1805-44.

With independence secured, Tone would begin to build the foundations of Irish democracy. The 1803 Constitution was considerably liberal for a Napoleonic state, including plural parliamentary democracy. However, such optimism would be overshadowed by the contentious issue of huge debts to France. During the War of Independence, Ireland borrowed millions from France to buy weaponry. Now, the French were looking for their money back. Knowing the debts could not be paid, Tone was forced to compromise. Joseph Bonaparte was appointed King of Ireland in return for the debts being forgiven by France. In January 1805, Joseph was crowned Niall I of Ireland in Dublin Castle.

Factories dot the skyline of the Dublin suburb of Inchicore, 1885.

Throughout the 19th century, Ireland's scope and significance in global politics increased. The Industrial Revolution, coupled with an expamsion in international trade links, resulted in Ireland’s economic and military boom. In 1820, Nafarroa sold its colony in Muqaddas to King Niall I for around 20,000 pinginí, a considerably cheap price. Ireland would quickly begin to encourage Irish settlement, building infrastructure and managing settlements. Tensions quickly arose with Basque settlers, however, leading to the Dirty War(1833-93) which saw ethnic tensions in Eire Nua reach unforeseen levels. Niall I would die in 1844, succeeded by Niall II, who improved on Ireland’s international reputation. Eoghan I(1861-87) was a more expansionist, militaristic king, who fought a war with the Netherlands to expand Eire Nua and gained a protectorate in Cambodia, as well as expanding the Navy and Army.

King Connor, reign 1889-1920.

From 1887-1889, Ireland would experience a crisis known as the Three Kings Era, where the country went through three kings in three years: Eoghan II, Niall III(1887-89) and his younger brother, Connor(1889-1920). King Connor, described as "the greatest Irish monarch ever" by historians, was immensely popular amongst the populace, presiding over the Irish Golden Age (1890-1915), massive economic growth and improving relations with the United States, England and Scotland(a nation which was already one of Ireland’s best allies). At the same time, Ireland would move away from France. Connor was utterly abhorred by French expansionist policies, preferring to stay away from such practices. However, simultaneously Ireland’s military was upgraded with French and German equipment via massive loans from France, which would become a major point of contention as global tensions increased.

Third Great War

An Irish soldier uses a machine gun on the Eastern Front, 1917.

Surprisingly for a nation with strategic, economic and military links to Scotland and the Continent, Ireland elected to remain neutral at the onset of the Third Great War. At the time, the Oireachtas was dominated by the Irish Democratic Party (IDP, as Gaeilge: Páirtí Daonlathach na hÉireann/PDE) led by John Redmond, who strongly opposed entry into the War, however the elite of Ireland were more sympathetic to the French thanks to their links to the Continent, leading to tension between the Oireachtas and the elites and monarchy of Ireland. Ultimately, King Connor would refuse to join either the Allies or the Continental System, citing the aforementioned differing views of the government and also the wish to pursue an independent foreign policy. Both sides would respect this, at least until further events negated the agreement.

This was all well and good for the next three years, but by 1916 the Allies were desperate for more support. Irish factories were churning out war materiel for the Continental System, thanks to the country’s elites preferring the French. The United States, looking for new allies, saw Ireland and Scotland to be useful allies, but both countries were firmly neutral. The US President, WR Hearst, had a genius idea: send the recently-released Navy First Fleet to Ireland and Scotland to "persuade" them to join. The morning of the 19th of January, 1916, saw a shocking development: US dreadnoughts were headed to Dublin Port, and the Royal Irish Navy was nowhere to be seen. In reality the Royal Navy had been told to stand down by the King, fearing the United States might have declared war on them if a shot was fired. Redmond was outraged. Irish sovereignty was being attacked in his eyes, however government indecision meant the country could not act. The Twenty Days Crisis followed, where the destroyers stayed put, blocking shipping and guns pointed at Dublin, effectively holding the capital of one of the most prosperous countries in Europe hostage.

Irish recruits at Curragh Camp ready to ship out to Schleswig-Holstein, 1918.

The conditions from the US were simple: end neutrality and join the Allies if they wanted the dreadnoughts to leave. There was a limit of 21 days on the ultimatum, otherwise Ireland was to be regarded as a Napoleonic belligerent and the capital would be shelled. Redmond, enraged, resigned, to be replaced by King Connor, ruling by decree. The deadline was extended to March to allow for rushed general elections, and to the shock of all, the pro-Allied Celtic National League headed by W.T. Cosgrave won in a landslide election. Cosgrave, an explicit nationalist and anti-French politician, had taken advantage of the populace’s distaste of supporting the French and a recent amendment that had granted universal suffrage to all men and women over 20. Franco-Irish relations were also in the doldrums, over long-standing debts, and upon Cosgrave taking power, the French demanded full repayments of these debts. In response Cosgrave began secret negotiations with the U.S, Russia, Lublin, Rhomania, Mali and England to join the Allied Powers, coming to an agreement that would absolve any Irish debts to France and allow them to join the Allied Powers. On the 16th of March, Ireland joined the Allies, declaring war on France and Germany, plus their allies. King Connor would also take the opportunity to denounce his Bonaparte origins, as detailed in a official statement from Dublin Castle and the Oireachtas, in which the royal family's name was changed from Bonaparte-O'Neill to simply O'Neill.

Irish destroyer LRÉ Naomh Phadraig fires a broadside of its licence-built QF 3-inch guns during the Battle of Brest, May 1920.

From mid-1916 on, Irish troops were redeployed to the Northern, Southern and Eastern Fronts to aid Allied nations in the fight against France. Following the start of the German Revolution in November 1919, the Northern Front was taken out, and as a result more Irish troops could be used for the invasion of France in 1920. The campaign would see Irish destroyers shell the ports of Brest and Nantes, causing great damage and nearly 2100 casualties, mostly civilians. Irish soldiers played a crucial role in the capture of Paris, storming through the Flanders countryside using the latest tank technology against the formerly all-conquering French tanks.

Interwar period

The state funeral of King Connor passing down Drogheda Street, 20th January, 1922.

The Third Great War ended in French defeat in 1921 following the Battle of the Napoleon Line, which saw the French defensive lines guarding the passageway to the South of France crushed in a series of swift attacks against the lightly armed sections of the Line. Ireland would emerge a victorious nation, inheriting a sizeable portion of the French fleet and an occupation zone in the country. Tragedy would unfortunately strike the country immediately after the end of war. King Connor had suffered a stroke in late 1921, and had been bedridden and in a declining condition since. On the 11th of January, 1922, Connor succumbed to heart failure aged 78. He would be succeeded by his daughter, Grainne, who was crowned in February. Grainne’s reign was initially marked by considerable constitutional changes: the 1923 constitution, otherwise known as the People’s Constitution, reduced the powers of the monarchy significantly (down to a mere figurehead, transforming Ireland from a semi-absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy), and gave more power to the Taoiseach and Tanaiste. However, from then on Ireland had a boom period. The years from 1924-30 saw huge growth in the economy, especially in the manufacturing sector. Ford Motor Company opened up its European operations in Cork in 1926, with a 600,000pn upgrade for the plant, built initially in 1917 to produce French Nieuport 17 planes for the Royal Air Corps, as the RIAF was known then. More and more investment was placed into the manufacturing hubs of Sligo, Cork and Galway, with the heavy industry of Ulster being somewhat neglected and in considerable decline, however still reasonably competitive. In 1926, Raidio Éireann launched, the country’s first radio station, and in 1937, the first official RTÉ television broadcast aired. The Roaring Twenties was a magical era for the country, with an increasingly numerous middle class resulting in huge expansion of large cities such as Galway, Cork and the capital of Dublin. The train network had never been busier, the Dublin, Cork and Belfast metros were expanding quicker than the suburbs and generally all seemed well. The Irish film industry was also rapidly developing, with authors such as WB Yeats turning their hands to directing.

Queen Grainne lying in state in Dublin Cathedral.

However, the 1930s would prove to be a very different decade. Firstly, the world economy entered slowdown in 1930, and then into recession as 1931 and 1932 came and went. And then, the nation was struck by royal tragedy. On the 7th of October, 1932, at Collinstown Airport, the Queen’s de Havilland aircraft crashed on an attempted takeoff. Nine were killed, including Queen Grainne and her son, Phadraig. Weeks of national mourning were mandated, many wore black and during the funeral procession down Drogheda Street hundreds of thousands turned out to pay their respects to the popular monarch. In her place, her brother, Prince Ruaidrí, was crowned as king. While not intended to be monarch, Ruaidrí would prove to be just as popular as Grainne and an extremely competent monarch, especially in the years to come.

The 1930s also saw the rise of extremism throughout the world. The 1933 election of the Homeland Front in France, the Arrow Cross Coup in Hungary in 1934, the rise of Theodore Bilbo and Savitri Devi in the Sovereign States and Bharat respectively, Mosley winning the English Civil War and the remilitarisation of France worried the free world, and Ireland was no exception. The decade saw huge militarisation and modernisation projects to the Army, Navy and Air Force, equipping all three branches with modern small arms, tanks, artillery, fighter aircraft and destroyers. This was mostly overseen by John A. Costello of the Christian Democrats, Taoiseach from 1934 to 1947. Ever conscious of fascism, Costello enacted a policy of armed neutrality, wishing to keep out of a potential fourth Great War but support the United States and Russia if they were invaded. Ireland would quickly find itself drawn into conflict in Europe again, however.

Fourth Great War

Brendan Finucane, the top Irish fighter ace of GW4 with 69 confirmed kills.

When France invaded Walloonia-Luxembourg in Operation Brochet in 1938, starting the Fourth Great War, Ireland was quick to condemn the invasion but would not declare war on France, wishing to keep out of conflict. This brought immediate scorn from neighbouring Scotland and the United States, who both had declared war on France, with some in Congress calling them "Napoleon sympathisers". This would continue for ten months, until threats of an intervention in the country led to Costello caving. On the 2nd of March, 1939, Ireland declared war on France, thus beginning Irish involvement on the Allied side of the Fourth Great War. The first deployment of Irish soldiers was to Columbia, part of the 16th Infantry Division, or the Appalachian Angels as they would be nicknamed by the Columbian press.

Troops on patrol in Naomh Lazarus, July 1941.

Initially, Irish involvement was limited to deployment of troops in Lublin and Cordoba, plus the creation of a Home Guard to protect the nation from invasion. During the summer and autumn of 1940, Ireland would fight over the skies with Scotland against French fighters and bombers during the Battle of the St. George’s Channel. The country was subject to frequent bombing raids by France, which brought large loss of life. In 1941, Irish troops would be sent to Asia to assist Scottish troops in the defense of Naomh Lazarus, while also fighting in Russia and Iberia. Ireland also contributed to the Battle of the Atlantic, helping sink French submarines and ships, notably the French warship Richelieu in the Celtic Sea on the 23rd of November 1943.

Irish-operated Sherman Firefly tank in Nantes, 1945.

In the latter stages of the war, Eire Nua would be used as a port for supply ships, having previously been used as a naval base against the Confederacy. In 1945, Ireland was used as a springboard for the multi-directional invasion of France, and would contribute massively to the final push on Paris, ultimately acquiring an occupation zone in northwestern France. As well as this, Irish farmers and factories helped churn out materiel for the war effort.

Cold War

See also: Atlantic Nuclear Deterrent, Ireland and weapons of mass destruction, Irish membership in the GTO, Project Prussian Blue

Noel Browne, Taoiseach from 1950 to 1955 and possibly one of Ireland’s most influential leaders.

Ireland was one of the major powers (including China, the U.S., Russia, Germany, Rhomania and Scotland) who met to plan the post-war world; it was a founding member of the LTEP and became one of the permanent members of the LTEP Security Council. It worked closely with the United States to establish the IMF, the World Bank and the GTO. The war left Ireland weakened and financially dependent on US economic aid but it was spared the total war that devastated Europe.

The immediate post-war years would see reconstruction of the country. Shattered by French bombings, the country became a massive benefactor of the Marshall Plan and Russian aid. The foundation of the SDLP in 1946 from the merger of the Social Democrats and the Irish Labour Party would see a new challenger to the traditional Centre-CD party dominance, and by 1950 they were in power with Nöel Browne. Browne reformed the country thoroughly, creating a government-funded free national health service, extending women’s rights and, significantly for the time, LGBTQ+ rights and pushing through welfare bills establishing unemployment and sick pay, plus 21 days paid leave for each full time worker in the country.

The three components of the Cold War Irish nuclear triad: a Dassault Mirage IV bomber, a LM-245 Gillespie MRBM and a A-600 class ballistic missile submarine.

In 1953, Ireland and Scotland signed a memorandum of understanding that would begin atomic research and, possibly, the development of an atomic and hydrogen bomb. However, the commencement of England’s High Explosive Research in 1954 led to a further memorandum that would initiate the joint development of nuclear weapons under Project Prussian Blue. Using Malian, Colombian and Russian technology shared through the GTO’s Nuclear Aid and Research Programme, in 1956 the atom bomb ARMA-1 was detonated in the Pacific Ocean, the first bomb to be detonated by Ireland and Scotland. Two years later, ACKA-1 would be the first hydrogen bomb test. Scotland would renounce its rights to its stockpile of warheads in 1982, however would still be allowed to house and deploy them and continue joint research on new missiles and bombs.

Troops being inspected in Camp McNally, Borneo, 1964.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, the scope of Ireland’s role in international affairs would recede gradually. In 1957, Ireland would formally withdraw from Eire Nua, and the country quickly collapsed into civil war. Irish troops, under Operation Greenhouse, were redeployed to fight guerillas in 1958. This deployment caused consternation from the international community, especially from Germany, despite the government of Crainnia asking for assistance. This would lead to the Crainnian Crisis and a LTEP intervention into the nation. In 1962, Ireland would begin sending troops to Borneo to aid Scottish and American forces there, a move railed by many. After four years of needless losses, Prime Minister Sean Lemass would withdraw troops. Many believe his decision to withdraw from Borneo was due to upcoming general elections the next year, in which Lemass, a Christian Democrat, would lose to Terence O’Neill of the Centres.

Postcard depicting Drogheda Street, 1970.

In August 1971, King Ruaidri died of heart failure at age 87, having led a long life. His successor, Eoghan II, was nowhere near as popular a monarch, being seen as a playboy and having little connection to the population. In 1974, terrorist groups funded by China and Britain would detonate three car bombs in Dublin and Monaghan, killing 56 and injuring hundreds. As a result, the Irish military was deployed to Ulster to fight a six-year long campaign against ultranationalist groups. Through immigration from Asia and Africa in the 1960s and 1970s, Ireland would become a multicultural and multiethnic society. The country was and is a strong supporter of European integration. In 1960, it was one of the founding members of the European Community, and pushed heavily for GTO and EC integration. Following economic slowdown and later stagnation in the late 1970s, the Centre Party government of Charles Haughey initiated austerity policies which would prove unpopular.

Artillery firing on Surinamese positions in Crainnia, 1981.

In July 1981, Surinamese forces invaded Crainnia, a former Irish colony. Due to most of the country being descended from Irish settlers, the country was very close with Ireland and had good relations with its former colonial power. By December, the situation was so perilous that Surinamese forces were shelling the outskirts of Crainnia’s capital of Murascaill Marfach. In response to please for military assistance, Ireland dispatched thousands of troops, a carrier strike group and multiple fighter squadrons as part of Operation Linebacker. Suriname's ill-equipped army stood no chance against both countries combines, and within seven months of Irish troops being deployed initially, Irish and Crannian tanks were rolling through the streets of Paramaribo, ending fascist rule in Suriname and decisively winning the Crannian War.

Cork’s financial district as seen from Lough Mahon, 12 April 2022

Recent history

Since the end of the Cold War, Ireland has receded somewhat from world headlines, but occasionally makes reappearances on the front page. It was one of the countries to sign the Powers Agreement in 1991 that formalised the reunification of France, and contributed heavily to the GTO intervention in Hebron in 1993, under the codename Operation Castletown. Ireland would also participate in Operation Deliberate Force, the NATO intervention into the Helvetian Wars in 1995, and Operation Nazareth Strike, part of the Palestinian Wars, and was the primary force behind Operation Agatha, the 1997 military intervention into Crainnia to stabilise the nation and to spur on democratic development, as well as Operation Genghis in 1992, the Irish intervention in the Chinese Civil War.

Ronan Ó Riagáin, Taoiseach of Ireland 1983-88.

The end of the Cold War saw a normalisation of relations with England and Germany, thanks to their democratisation and willingness to work with the other great powers. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the governments of the time practiced free market policies, with the Dublin Docklands seeing major investment and new skyscrapers popping up, notably the World Trade Center, which opened in 1973 but really boomed in the 1980s under Taoiseach Ronan Ó Riagáin, who began economic liberalisation measures and advocated for a hawkish foreign policy. In 1983, following suspected constitutional interference, Eoghan II abdicated and his sister, Siobhan, took up the throne as the first queen of Ireland in 51 years.

Irish tanks patrolling woodlands in the Caucasus Mountains, December 2008.

In recent history, Irish troops, despite massive rioting and protests, would, in partnership with Russia, lead the 2004 intervention into Cossackia, which was overall a controversial global event justified only by rebel forces endangering the country’s capital. Such anti-war protests included the country’s largest anti-war protest since 1966, and one of the largest ever in Europe. Irish involvement continued until 2011, after which it was forced to withdraw troops thanks to international pressure from, notably, the United States and Germany, and the country has been accused of destabilising the fragile nation further. In 2013, Queen Siobhan would abdicate, citing personal reasons plus her declining health. Her son, 31-year-old Eoghan III, would be crowned in April 2014.

Government and politics

Eoghan III, King since 2013

Luke Flanagan (Ind.), Taoiseach since 2024

Ireland is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. The Oireachtas is the bicameral national parliament composed of the two Houses of the Oireachtas: Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives) and Seanad Éireann (Senate). Dublin Castle and Castletown House are the two official residences of the monarch, while the houses of the Oireachtas meet at Parliament House in Dublin, beside Trinity College. The Taoiseach resides in Leinster House on Kildare Street.

The monarch of Ireland serves as head of state. The monarch is primarily a figurehead, but is entrusted with certain constitutional powers with the advice of the Council of State. The office has absolute discretion in some areas, such as referring a bill to the Supreme Court for a judgment on its constitutionality. Eoghan III became the 10th monarch of Ireland in 2013.

The Taoiseach (Prime Minister) serves as the head of government and is appointed by the monarch upon the nomination of the Dáil. Most Taoisigh have served as the leader of the political party that gains the most seats in national elections. It has become customary for coalitions to form a government, as there has not been a single-party government since 1992.

The Dáil has 202 members (Teachtaí Dála) elected to represent multi-seat constituencies under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The Seanad is composed of seventy members, with eleven nominated by the Taoiseach, six elected by two university constituencies, and 53 elected by public representatives from panels of candidates established on a vocational basis.

The government is constitutionally limited to fifteen members. No more than two members can be selected from the Seanad, and the Taoiseach, Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) and Minister for Finance must be members of the Dáil. The Dáil must be dissolved within five years of its first meeting following the previous election, and a general election for members of the Dáil must take place no later than thirty days after the dissolution. In accordance with the Constitution of Ireland, parliamentary elections must be held at least every seven years, though a lower limit may be set by statute law.

Ireland has been a member state of the European Community since its founding in 1960. Citizens of Scotland, Wales, and England can freely enter the country without a passport due to the British Isles Common Travel Region, which is a passport-free zone comprising the islands of Ireland, Great Britain and the Isle of Man. However, some identification is required at airports and seaports.

Administrative divisions

Ireland is divided into four provinces, which are subsequently divided into counties and local districts. These were established initially by the Local Government Bill (1834), with it being superseded by the Lemass Constitution of 1965, which enshrined the system into the constitution. Each province is self-governing to an extent(devolution), only answerable to the Oireachtas or the Courts of Justice.

Dublin is governed as a capital territory, and certain cities have been granted self governing rights, the most recent being Athlone in 2011.

Provinces

Province name	Flag	Provincial capital	Cathaoirleach (Chairman)	Registration code
Leinster		Drogheda	Imelda Munster (FALD)	LR
Munster		Cork	Mick Barry (FALD)	MU
Ulster		Belfast	Alex Maskey (PDSE)	UL
Connacht		Galway	Liam Carroll (PN)	CO

Counties

• Leinster: Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
• Munster: Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford
• Ulster: Armagh, Antrim, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Down, Fermanagh, Monaghan, Tyrone
• Connacht: Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo

Political parties

Irish elections usually revolve around the Big Three parties, which are the:

• Centre Party: The major centre-right party along with the Christian Democrats, nominally the successor of the Irish Republican Party and the United Irishmen. Formed in its current state in 1898 by remnants of the Irish Republican Party merging with the Association of Irish Liberal Democrats. Socially liberal but economically conservative and favours free market policies.
• Social Democratic and Labour Party: The major left-wing party in the Oireachtas, founded in 1946 with the merger of the Irish Labour Party and the Social Democratic Party of Ireland. Socially and economically liberal, and promotes regulated markets and extensive welfare programs.
• Christian Democrats: The other major center-right party in Ireland. Founded in 1864, making it the oldest major party in the Oireachtas, it is socially conservative, although economically more in line with the SDLP.

Law

Ireland has a common law legal system with a written constitution that provides for a parliamentary democracy. The court system consists of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court, the Circuit Court and the District Court, all of which apply the Irish law and hear both civil and criminal matters. Trials for serious offences must usually be held before a jury. The High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court have authority, by means of judicial review, to determine the compatibility of laws and activities of other institutions of the state with the constitution and the law. Except in exceptional circumstances, court hearings must occur in public.

The Garda Síochána (lit. Guardians of the Peace), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí, is the state's civilian police force. The force is responsible for all aspects of civil policing, both in terms of territory and infrastructure. It is headed by the Garda Commissioner, who is appointed by the Government. Half of uniformed members do not routinely carry firearms. Standard policing is traditionally carried out by uniformed officers equipped only with a baton and pepper spray, although in the last twenty years use of firearms by police has jumped significantly.

The Military Police is the corps of the Army responsible for the provision of policing service personnel and providing a military police presence to forces while on exercise and deployment. In wartime, additional tasks include the provision of a traffic control organisation to allow rapid movement of military formations to their mission areas. Other wartime roles include control of prisoners of war and refugees.

Military

Typhoon jet fighter of the Air Force.

Delbaeth Mk2 main battle tank of the 70th Armored Regiment.

LRÉ Ruaidrí (C38), background, and LRÉ Setanta (C25), foreground, on joint exercises in the Mediterranean.

See also: Irish Armed Forces, List of equipment of the Irish Armed Forces

The Irish Armed Forces (Fórsaí Armtha na hÉireann) are the military and paramilitary forces of Ireland, under the monarch as supreme commander, with the commander in chief underneath him/her as the general commander of the armed forces. The armed forces consist of the Royal Irish Land Forces (Fórsaí Talún Ríoga), the Royal Irish Navy (Cabhlach Ríoga) and the Royal Irish Air and Space Force (Fórsa Aer agus Spáis). Together, they comprise one of the largest militaries in the world. In 2022, military spending was at 3.1% of GDP. Conscription was abolished in 2008, but it may be reactivated in times of war.

Ireland possesses nuclear weapons and has done since the 1950s. It is a party to the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, but is not a party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Ireland’s nuclear force, the Tactical Strike Force, is divided between the Air and Space Force and Navy. The Air Force controls two groups of tactical strike aircraft, which can carry B97 and B70 freefall nuclear bombs, as well as MRCM-2A air-launched standoff cruise missiles. Regular units also have access to such weaponry. Meanwhile, the Navy controls the four Creidhne-class ballistic missile submarines carrying SM270 SLBMs.

Ireland’s defence industry is vast and a big part of the Irish economy, with its aerospace sector being one of the largest in Europe. The country produces most of its own military equipment, including the Delbaeth tank, CV-2000 armored fighting vehicle platform, Short combat aircraft, aircraft carriers, submarines and missiles. Ireland is a major arms exporter, with most of its military equipment avaliable for export. Weapons exports accounted for around 14% of Irish GDP in 2020. Major defence companies based in Ireland include Short Brothers, FN, Timoney, Darracq Defense, McGrath-Arthurs, Cockerill & Co. and Harland & Wolff.

Structure of the Land Forces, 2024.

Economy

The World Trade Center in the Docklands, the tallest building in Dublin and a symbol of Ireland’s economic prowess since its completion and opening in 1972.

The Irish economy is a highly developed one, with the third largest economy on the continent and the 12th largest exporter in the world thanks to its island location at the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean. The economy is characterised by low unemployment, high GNP and an extremely productive workforce. Ireland’s main imports are raw materials, machinery, nuclear fuel, transportation equipment and chemicals, and its main exports are automobiles, computers, smartphones, foodstuffs, minerals, aircraft, ships and energy. The country has shifted somewhat towards services since the 1970s, however a significant portion of the economy is in manufacturing and industry.

The Irish stock exchange, colloquially known as the Gardiner Exchange, is the most prominent Western European stock exchange. Successful Irish companies include Short Brothers (aerospace and defence), Harland & Wolff (shipbuilding), Ford, MG Motors, Darracq Automobiles and McArdle (automobiles and trucks), Waterford Crystal Group (glassware), Gallagher Group (tobacco), Kerry Group (dairy), Guinness (alcohol and drinks), Moy Park (meats and poultry), Eir (telecommunications), Natcem Group (chemicals), Dunlop (rubber products), Calor (natural gas), Certa (fuels), Penneys (retail) and Ulster Bank, BOI Group, AIB, Permanent TSB, Norbank, INBS and EBS (finance and banking).

Transport

Shannon Airport, near Ennis, houses one of Europe's two US preclearance facilities...

... the other being in Dublin Airport in Swords.

The country's main international airports at Dublin, Shannon, Aldergrove and Cork serve many European and intercontinental routes with scheduled and chartered flights. The London to Dublin air route is the ninth busiest international air route in the world, and also the busiest international air route in Europe, with 14,500 flights between the two in 2017. In 2015, 4.5 million people took the route, at that time, the world's second-busiest. Aer Lingus is the flag carrier of Ireland, although Ryanair is the country's largest airline. Ryanair is Europe's largest low-cost carrier, the second largest in terms of passenger numbers, and the world's largest in terms of international passenger numbers.

Kildare Street station on the M1 line, the IFT's oldest metro line.

Railway services are provided by Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail), which operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the country, with major subsidiaries including Great Southern Railways, Midland-Great Western and NorthRail. Dublin is the centre of the network with two main stations, Dublin-Kingsbridge and Dublin-Amiens, linking to the country's cities and main towns. The whole of Ireland's mainline network operates on track with a gauge of 5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm), which is unique in Europe and has resulted in distinct rolling stock designs. Dublin's public transport network is extensive, and includes the IFT, or the Dublin Metro, DART, LUAS and Dublin Bus. Cork and Belfast also have similar public transport systems.

Motorways, national primary roads and national secondary roads are managed by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, while regional roads and local roads are managed by the local authorities in each of their respective areas. The road network is primarily focused on the capital, but motorways connect it to other major Irish cities including Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway. The first Irish motorway, the M1 betwwen between Dublin and Belfast, first opened in 1960. As of 2015 the motorway network was 1450km long.

Demographics

The population of Ireland stood at 17,138,404 in 2023, an increase of 8% since 2016. As of 2011, Ireland had the highest birth rate in the European Community (16 births per 1,000 of population). In 2014, 36.3% of births were to unmarried women. Annual population growth rates exceeded 2% during the 2002–2006 intercensal period, which was attributed to high rates of natural increase and immigration. This rate declined somewhat during the subsequent 2006–2011 intercensal period, with an average annual percentage change of 1.6%. The total fertility rate (TFR) in 2017 was estimated at 2.3 children born per woman, remaining considerably below the high of 4.2 children born per woman in 1850. In 2018, the median age of the Irish population was 36.9 years.