The Government of Ireland Act 1920—100 years of partition

Originally conceived as a ‘temporary’ amendment to the Third Home Rule Act, on the statute book since 1914, the 1920 Government of Ireland Act was presciently derided by the Freeman’s Journal as ‘the Dismemberment of Ireland Bill’—partition was the only element of it to endure.  How did it come about and what were its effects over the following century?  Listen to History Ireland editor, Tommy Graham, discuss these questions with Dr Martin Mansergh, Cormac Moore, Dr Margaret O’Callaghan and Professor Brian Walker.

 

Image: A National Army soldier and an RUC constable at the border in 1922.

 

This Hedge School is supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Decade of Centenaries 2012-2023 initiative.