Historical eventMay 222015

Republic of Ireland

The Republic of Ireland becomes the first nation in the world to utilise a public referendum to legalise gay marriage.

Everything on May 22Original source

In context

When
Friday, May 22 201511 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
21st century · 2010s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 2015.

What came beforeAI-assisted

Ireland was partitioned in 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, creating the Irish Free State (26 counties) and Northern Ireland (6 counties remaining in the UK). The Irish Free State was established on December 6, 1922, following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921.

The Irish Free State adopted a new constitution in 1937, which changed the state's name to Éire (Ireland) and established it as a sovereign state, though it remained within the British Commonwealth until 1949.

Catalyst / how it startedAI-assisted

The Republic of Ireland was formally declared on April 18, 1949, when the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 came into effect. This act removed the remaining constitutional links to the British Crown and established Ireland as a fully independent republic.

Who was involvedAI-assisted

Key figures included Éamon de Valera, who drafted the 1937 constitution as Taoiseach, and John A. Costello, whose government passed the Republic of Ireland Act 1948. The Irish parliament (Oireachtas) voted to enact the legislation that formalized the republic.

TimelineAI-assisted

1921: Anglo-Irish Treaty signed. 1922: Irish Free State established. 1937: New constitution adopted, state renamed Éire. 1949: Republic of Ireland formally declared on April 18.

What happened

Ireland, also known as the Republic of Ireland, is a country in Northwestern Europe. It consists of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland, with a population of about 5.4 million. Its capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island, with a population of over 1.5 million. The sovereign state shares its only land border with Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. It is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, with the Celtic Sea to the south,

May 22 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

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Also in 2015

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Everything we record for 2015 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Republic of Ireland”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/republic-of-ireland-2015-may-22, accessed October 26, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Republic of Ireland happen?

May 22 2015 — 11 years ago, on a Friday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints. Panels marked AI-assisted were filled where the sources left a heading empty.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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