Ireland after World War II until the declaration of a Republic, Irish History, Leaving Cert.

1. After the War, to a Republic
By Ms M Heffernan, Mayfield C.S.

2. 1945-48 Post War
Problems
After the War, the economy was in difficulty;
• Inflation rose rapidly after war time wage
restraints ended- strikes were rife
• 1946 a bad harvest resulted in bread being
rationed for the first time
• Bitterly cold winter 1946 -47 resulted in
shortages and much hardship

3. Forming the First Inter-
party government
• All of this made Fianna Fail very unpopular but initially the
opposition seemed too divided to form a credible alternative.
• In 1946 however, Sean MacBride, son of Maud Gonne and former
leader of the IRA, formed a new party: Clann na Poblachta. It was a
republican party with a more socialist agenda and attracted a lot of
young people.
• It grew quickly and won several by-elections in 1947.
• To stop the Clann before they got too popular de Valera held a snap
election in 1948- they lost 8 seats.
• Fianna Fail could have still formed a government but instead Fine
Gael quickly formed a government with the other opposition parties,
including Clann na Poblachta.
• John A. Costello of Fine Gael became Taoiseach and Sean MacBride
became Minister for External Affairs.

4. Declaring a republic
• By 1948 only the External Relations Act of 1936 bound Ireland and Britain.
• Sean MacBride had campaigned for the repeal of this act for many years but Fine Gael seemed
cautious.
• Then on a trip to Canada, Costello, without consulting the cabinet, told reporters Ireland was
going to leave the Commonwealth and declare a Republic.
• The following year, 1949, Ireland passed The Republic of Ireland Act and officially became a
republic at Easter 1949.

5. Britain’s Reaction

6. Impact
• Ireland had moved from Dominion Status
within the Commonwealth in 1922 to a
Republic outside the Commonwealth in
1949.
• Partition between the North and South
was strengthened by both The Republic
of Ireland Act and The Ireland Act of
1949.
• The First Inter-Party Government began
an anti-partition campaign but the efforts
of Irish delegates to speak about it at
International conferences failed.