Exactly one year after the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, on December 6, 1922, the Irish Free State officially came into existence. This new dominion comprised 26 of Ireland's 32 counties, marking a significant step towards Irish self-governance after centuries of British rule. The establishment of the Free State, however, was met with considerable internal conflict, as anti-Treaty forces opposed its terms, leading to the devastating Irish Civil War. The Free State eventually evolved into the modern Republic of Ireland.
