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In the lead up to the Irish war of independence a Gaelic revival occurred within Ireland, this included the revival of the Irish language, Irish traditional sports and musical instruments resulting in a greater sense of nationalism within Ireland ultimately resulting in greater support for the war. Irish nationalists seeking independence from the British forces in Ireland, the IRA utilised violence to result in British rule in Ireland to be obsolete. This was not Irelands first attempt to oppose British rule as in 1916 the Easter Rising occurred, which failed however, the treatment of the leaders of the rising by the British government led to strong anti-British sentiment within Ireland.

During the war of independence, the IRA used guerrilla warfare tactics involving hit and run technics against the British forces in Ireland, this was a successful tactic use by the IRA. Due to the British government having no knowledge of who was in the IRA, including the leader of the war Michael Collins, Collins was so successful in concealing his identity the British officials did not even know what he looked like until his appearance in the negotiations. In order to subdue to rebellion, the British government introduced the black and tans who mainly contained disbanded British soldiers. The Black and Tans in November 1920 marched into a Gaelic football match in Dublin and opened fired killing 14 and injuring 60, this event became known as Bloody Sunday.

Approximately 1,300 people died during the war of independence.

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The Anglo-Irish treaty was an attempt to end the war of independence was signed in December 1921, the main outcome of the treaty was to establish an Irish Free State grating Ireland dominion status however, the treaty did not contain the whole of Ireland six counties were not included as the British government wished to make sure that the unionists within Ulster still had a connection to the British Empire. Negotiations which lasted approximately two months features key actors in Irelands history such as Michael Collins. The treaty was seen as a compromise to full independence although as the whole of Ireland was not included in this decision resulted in lasting political division.

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The Anglo-Irish treaty led to a division within Ireland, those who were pro-treaty and those who were antitreaty. These affiliations still shape the Republic of Ireland to this day. Some were unhappy with the outcome of the war of independence as only 26 counties was granted independence rather than the whole 32 counties pf Ireland. Those who were loyal to Michael Collins supported the signing of the treaty whereas Liam Lynch convinced a majority of the IRA to join him as being anti-treaty.

The conflict kick started with the assassination of Henry Wilson who was a figure in the British military by the anti-treaty subgroup resulting in a military response from the Provisional government.

Britain continued to help finance the pro-treat provisional government in their military response against the anti-treaty IRA, as the IRA began with the use of guerrilla warfare as well as the high profile killing of Michael Collins in an ambush by the ant-treaty forces. Approximately 1,500 people died in the Irish civil war.

The war came to an end as the anti-treaty forces realised they could not win the war with the pro-treaty forces being backed by the British government. Anti-treaty leader Aiken ordered for the dumping of arms in May as the pro-treaty forces took control over the country.

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In 1924 postwar Ireland there was peace the civil war ended and there was now the creation of the Irish Free State. The Free State government organised the Tailteann games to celebrate national independence showcasing Irish identity. The Free State began to establish institutions to cement their independence from the British Empire, through the creation of defence forces which included a National Army. The government was not only interested in developing inside the state they also began with international relations as the Irish Free State gained US recognition in conducting its own foreign relations. As a diplomatic relation between the two countries began when Smiddy presented his own credentials as an ambassador to the US.

The Free State later became a republic in 1949 officially ending the countries links to the British Monarchy.

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During this time period tensions began to grow within Northern Ireland which resulted in the troubles beginning in 1968. Catholics within Northern Ireland faced discrimination on a daily basis, both socially and politically. As gerrymandering was ripe within the country, meaning that electorial lines where drawn within Northern Ireland specifically areas with Catholics majorities to give protestants with a majority in regard to elections. To vote in elections a person was required to own a house, even then only one person within the household could vote. this was another method to give protestants a majority when it came to elections as protestants were typically homeowners with multiple properties.

Catholics also faced discrimination in social aspects in terms of jobs as businessmen refused to hire Catholics viewing them as untrustworthy and a potential danger to the business. Some businessmen refused Catholics claiming them to be overqualified.

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On the 5th October 1968 the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association or NICRA held a civil rights march in Derry, this march was banned by the RIC however, the organisers of the march went ahead with it. The march was to protest against discrimination the catholic community in Northern Ireland faced, NICRA had a number of aims including one man one vote, free speech, an end to gerrymandering, to disband the b-specials who were a sub group of the police consisting of untrained officials, to repeal the special powers act and to end job discrimination.

During the march the protesters were met with violence from the RIC who continued to beat the protesters with batons. This event was seen as the marking of the troubles as there was a newsman at the march who happened to catch the response of the RIC on camera. The footage went international as people around the world became outraged at the event.

With the international outrage the British government was under immense pressure as the British government was accused of neglecting Northern Ireland.

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A year before bloody Sunday occurred, my grandparents emigrated to England in order to marry in 1971. As my granny is a catholic and my grandad is a protestant meaning if they were to marry in Ireland my grandad would be under threat of shooting from both sides. The Catholics because a protestant dared to marry a catholic girl and the protestants as they would of viewed him as a traitor to their cause.

In 1972 a peaceful protest occurred in response to internment in which many people, mainly Catholics, were wrongfully accused of being in the IRA and were placed in jail without trail. The protesters were met by a battalion of the British Army, who open fired on the protesters resulting in 13 deaths many who died were teenage boys no older than 17. One being Kevin McElhinney who was shot while crawling away from the British Soldier who killed him. The soldiers later went onto claim supported by the British government that the protesters fired the first shots meaning that their actions were justified however, only years later did the truth come out. The soldiers planted weapons and bullets on the bodies of the protesters, their identities are still being protected by the British government to this day.

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Hunger Strikes play a big role in Irelands history not only did IRA prisoners use this method against the British government in 1981 it was also used in 1916 in the Easter Rising. IRA prisoners wished to be classified as political prisoner in order to get the benefits that come from this classification such as being allowed to wear their own clothes and receive parcels from home although, the special category had been abolished by Harold Wilson in 1976. The hunger strike was not the first method used to achieve their demands they had previously refused to clean the chamber pots instead smearing waste on the walls of their cells, however, this gained little sympathy from the public. By 1981 they became ready to sacrifice their lives.

The face of the hunger strikes was bobby sands who was a leader in the IRA who was followed by nine other members. While ten prisoners starved themselves, the Prime Minister of the British government at this time Margrett Thatcher seemed content to letting them starve and would not compromise. Bobby sands died on the 5th May, approximately 100,000 people attended his funeral demonstrating the public support for the prisoners. As friends and family pleaded with the British government to come to some comprise so that their loved ones could live the British government relented leading to an increased anti-British sentiment in Northern Ireland. while Bobby sands was classified as a martyr Margaret Thatcher was classified as a murderer.

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The Good Friday Agreement officially ended the troubles in 1998, by this time all parties involved become sick of the violence and needed an end. The British government were under increasing pressure internationally to resolve the conflict, and the public in Northern Ireland seeks an end to the blood shed from both sides of the conflict.

The Good Friday Agreement allowed for cooperation between the two communities in Northern Ireland, nationalists mainly Catholics and the unionists/ loyalists mainly protestants, through the creation of a Northern Ireland government representing all within the country. The Agreement also states that people rights are to be respected regardless of the community they come from, as well as paramilitary groups (IRA and the UVF) agreeing to dispose of their weapons as a gesture of a truce. One of the main aspects of the Agreement was self determination, meaning that the general public of Northern Ireland can decide whether or not to be a part of the UK or have a united Ireland.

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In 2016 the British government held a referendum to leave the European Union and in 2020 they officially left the Union. Although, while the British public and officials were driven by English nationalism, they did not realise the potential consequences of their actions the public and officials in Northern Ireland tried to reason with them. As a substantial number of those living in Northern Ireland voted against leaving. The British government did not take onto account the possibility of a second troubles happening in Northern Ireland when they made this decision.

There was a fear in the air in Northern Ireland of a potential second troubles, as Northern Ireland is close to the Republic of Ireland who still remains in the European union. The fear was whether or not there was to be a physical border in Northern Ireland again, which may have led to the reemergence of the IRA in Northern Ireland should this have happened.

The Windsor framework was introduced as a way to solve this problem of where the border should be placed, the framework stated that there would not be a physical border in Norther Ireland again by allowing Northern Ireland to stay in the customs union.

This essentially puts the Republic of Ireland in a unique position that no other country has in the European Union, which is a back door into UK market.

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In 2022 Northern Ireland held a general election which has historic significance, as Sinn Fein a nationalist party won a majority of the votes for the first time in Northern Ireland. One of Sinn Fein`s ultimate goals is to help succeed in the creation of a united Ireland. Due to this being Sinn Fein`s reason for being, many unionists within Northern Ireland become scared, as the Democratic Unionist Party or the DUP refused to take their seats in parliament after the result of the election was released, placing the government on hold.

This demonstrates the British influence that is still ripe in Northern Ireland to this day, with the fear of a potential united Ireland the DUP refused to take part in parliament halting all possible advancements to the country while they were absent.

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In 2024 we see the second revival of the Irish Language only this time with more focus in Northern Ireland, By looking through Ireland`s history we can see how the previous generation has influenced the next. As the Wolftone rebellion influenced the Easter rising and the Easter rising influenced the war of independence. As previously stated, the war of independence carried out the first revival of the Irish language which created a greater sense of nationalism within the country.

In 2024 Kneecap, an Irish language rap group from Belfast Northern Ireland made a movie inspired by events which lead to them created their music group. The movie as meet with a wave of admiration. Not only was the movie successful in Northern Ireland it was a success internationally, which is also a great success for the Irish language as a majority of the movie is spoken in Irish allowing for greater recognition of the language on an international scale.

Kneecap can be seen as the face of the movement, they are vocal on their political standpoint as they previously sued the British government as they blocked an arts grant to the band claiming them to be anti-British the band claimed that the case was "never about the money" but for freedom of expression, granted by the Good Friday Agreement for equality for all of those in Northern Ireland. They won the case receiving £14,250; after winning the case and receiving the money they donated a percentage of the money won to both Catholic and Protestant youth services in Belfast.

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On the 1st October 2025 the Belfast city council passed a new bill, the Irish Language Policy. This policy is the incorporation of the Irish Language on all street and road signs in the Belfast area of Northern Ireland. While this policy is seen by many as a step towards equality and cultural recognition while many Unionists and Loyalists who live in Belfast were not happy by the passing of this policy of threatening to destroy the new signs posted, as well as Unionist councillors stating that they will fight the policy tooth and nail as they view it to be disgraceful.

The passing of the policy is significant as it allows Irish nationalists Northern Ireland to have a stronger cultural identity, as many nationalists in Northern Ireland feel as though they struggle to identify as Irish than that of those who live in the Republic of Ireland. Since the Irish language plays a big role in the Republic of Ireland.

The reaction of the unionist and the loyalists show the British influence that is still strong within Northern Ireland. As the British government views on the Irish language were strongly negative, we can trace this back to British colonisation of Ireland on where the British government bans the use of the Irish language in 1367, in which those who were caught speaking the language would ave been killed.