Why do Irish people call Ireland the "Free state"?

Question

I live in northern ireland and i usually call Ireland "down south" but why do some people say "Free state"? Is it that Protestants call it "down south" and catholics call it "free state"? I've always wondered...

Answer 1

I live in County Limerick and I've only ever heard it referred to as the Republic of Ireland or the Irish Republic. Free State sounds a bit strange to me now .... but I have yet to ask the Protestants I know who live in the Republic what they call it, other than home, that is.

Answer 2

At the end of its War of Independence Ireland was partitioned into the 6 counties of Northern Ire;and and the 26 counties which gained independence from England and became known as the Free State.
A civil war broke out between those who supported the Free State and sections of the IRA which wanted a 32 county republic. The army of the Free State were commonly called Staters.

Answer 3

I agree with Michael. I grew up in the Republic of Ireland and in the 80's spent alot of time in Donegal. That is the only place I ever heard the country being referred to as the 'free state'. I guess people there were differentiating between north and south---of course for them South made little sense as they were in the North of the Island (the most northerly point in Ireland is in Donegal, therefore in the 'south'!!!) and also for them saying Ulster didn't help as they are actually one of the 3 counties in Ulster that are not part of the '6 counties'.

I never ever heard anyone in the West say 'the free state'

Answer 4

The free state is the 26 counties of Ireland that is ruled by the Dail.True republicans dont reconize this Free State but all the 32 counties as one.26+6=1.

Answer 5

I've never heard Irish people living in the Republic calling it anything but Ireland .... the description "Free State" seems to be used now exclusively in the North of Ireland. However, the roots of the expression date firmly from the south.

From http://homepage.eircom.net/~johnsl/MODCOIN.HTM .....

In 1926 the government of the newly founded Irish Free State formed a coinage committee to plan for a new Irish coinage ..... The design chosen for the common obverse was of a 16 string Irish harp ..... The legend Saorstat Eireann (Irish Free State, in Irish) surrounds, and the date is divided either side of the harp ...... The change of the official name of the country from the Irish Free State to The Republic of Ireland in 1938 required a change in the legend on the obverse of the coin ....... the legend was modified to Eire (Ireland in Irish) and the date was moved to one side of the harp.

Hope this helps .... it makes sense to me

Answer 6

We were offcialy known as the Irish Free State from 1921 till 1949 when we changed to the Republic of Ireland. I know people, both prods and caths who call it down south, but the caths do also call it the free state and God's country.

Answer 7

When the southern counties of Ireland gained some independence from UK-rule in 1922, they were originally known as the Irish Free State, until 1937 when full republican independence was achieved and the nation was officially renamed as Éire.

Answer 8

only some irish people (mainly the older generation) from northern ireland call it that. I knew an old man (who's dead now)from co. down, he used to call the republic the free state. In his eyes, when the republic was born, and they forgot to take "Northern Ireland" with them. people tended to resent the republic for not trying hard enough so they called it the free state.

Answer 9

I've heard ex-UDA members call it The Free State, strangely enough. Which is probably why they're ex-members.
I imagine the replublican calls it Free as in "Free from British rule". And Loyalists call it down south like a euphemism for an unspeakable word in their taboo-dictionary.

Answer 10

i have family in Northern ireland, and their Catholics, they say the "free state"
i think its because the Republic is not ruled by the British, and therefore its Free from British Rule