Irregulars

The term "Irregulars" refers to a faction of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) that opposed the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty. This treaty ended the Irish War of Independence and established the Irish Free State, while Northern Ireland remained part of the United Kingdom. The Irregulars, led by Éamon de Valera, refused to accept the treaty, particularly the oath of allegiance to the British crown and the partition of Ireland.123

This division within the IRA led to the Irish Civil War (1922–23), in which the Irregulars fought against the pro-treaty faction, which formed the basis of the Irish Free State Army. Although the Irregulars were defeated in the civil war, they did not disband and continued to advocate for a united republican Ireland through armed resistance and other means. Later, splinter groups like the Real IRA emerged, continuing to use violence against the peace process established by the Good Friday Agreement.124