While the transfer of power took place between Britain and the Free State, life for many people continued without change. However, many others could not accept the new state. Those who fought for Irish independence felt that this was not the state that they fought for, and many emigrated. The Catholic ethos of the new state also led many Protestants to leave.


HA:2014.15: WWI British Army compass and Irish Free State passport of Michael Heaslip, who served in WWI, the Clonmel IRA, the Free State Army, and the Irish Army.

NMI: Receipt book pages from the National Museum of Ireland stores, with ‘On His Majesties Service’ over-stamped with ‘Saorstat Eireann’.

HE:EW.852a.9: Anti-Treaty leaflet.