Ireland and Northern Ireland today

The Republic of Ireland

After separating from Britain in 1921 and becoming independent, Southern Ireland established itself as a republic and began to experience political and economic growth. The Republic of Ireland joined the EU in 1973 together with the UK.

The Republic of Ireland saw significant economic growth from 1995 onwards, gaining the nickname “the Celtic Tiger” and becoming a very wealthy country. The country’s growth came primarily from foreign investment and from a real estate bubble that burst with the economic crash of 2008.

As a result, Ireland was greatly affected by the economic crisis, leading to high unemployment levels. Since then, Ireland has been on course for recovery; in 2015, it was ranked as one of the fastest growing EU economies.

In general, the Republic of Ireland also has a good record on freedom of the press, lib...