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Irish Free State

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Irish Free State
Saorstát Eireann
1922–1937
Location of the Irish Free State
Location of the Irish Free State
CapitalDublin
GovernmentConstitutional monarchy
• 1922-1936
George V
• 1936
Edward VIII
• 1936-1937
George VI
Governor General 
• 1922-1927
Timothy Michael Healy
• 1927-1932
James McNeill
• 1932-1936
Domhnall na Buachalla
President of the Executive Council 
• 1922-1932
W.T. Cosgrave
• 1932-1937
Éamon de Valera
LegislatureOireachtas
Seanad Éireann
Dáil Éireann
History 
• Anglo-Irish Treaty
6 December 1921
• Constitution of the Irish Free State Act
6 December 1922 1922
• Bunreacht na hÉireann
29 December 1937 1937
ISO 3166 codeIE
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Southern Ireland
Irish Republic
Republic of Ireland

The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) was the name of Ireland from 1922 to 1937. It replaced both the Irish Republic and Southern Ireland.

The government was called the Executive Council, and it was headed by the President of the Executive Council, instead of a Prime Minister.

Until 1927 it was ruled by a Governor General on behalf of the King of the United Kingdom. After a row between the Governments in London and Dublin it was decided that the Governor General represented the King of Ireland, not the King of the United Kingdom, even though they were the same person.

The change meant that the King and the Governor General were advised by the Irish government about what to do in Ireland, and stopped the British government from having any control over Irish affairs.

The constitution of 1937 changed the name of the country to the Irish language Irish: Éire, or English: Ireland, but the King stayed head of state until 1948.

Preceded by
Irish Republic
1919 - 1922
Irish Free State
1922 – 1937
Éire
1922 - date
Preceded by
Southern Ireland
1921-1922