Genealogical Gems

It was On This Day in 1922 that Arthur Griffith was elected President of the newly established Irish Free State . Griffith , in 1905, founded Sinn Fein, which was dedicated to the independence of all of Ireland . The political power became almost synonymous with militant Irish groups who struggled to end the British rule. In 1918, despite the party being able to establish an independent Irish Parliament and despite declaring Ireland a sovereign republic, the British still ruled. In 1919 the Irish Volunteers (preamble to the Irish Republican Army) began a guerrilla like campaign against the British. A cease fire was finally declared in 1921. In 1922 Griffith and other Sinn Fein leaders signed a treaty with Britain for an autonomous Ireland . The six northern counties however would remain under British rule. The Irish Free State continued until 1937. That year a new constitution was voted on and approved. It named the country Ireland , as we know it today. Source Griffith ...

“A country without a language is a country without a soul,” said Ireland ’s Patrick Henry Pearse. It was On This Day in 2007, that the European Union (EU) finally recognized Ireland . Irish became the 23rd Official Language of the EU on this day. This meant that all key legislation would now be translated into Irish and that Irish could now be spoken at council meetings. Ireland has been a member country of the EU since 1 January 1973, according to the EU. There are currently 28 member countries. Sources January 2. Ireland Calling. www.ireland-calling.com/january2 On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.                  © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016