One hundred years ago today, the Dáil voted to ratify the Anglo-Irish Treaty. After a passionate, sometimes ill-tempered debate lasting three weeks, the vote in favour was extraordinarily close: 64 votes to 57.
The vote paved the way for the new Irish government to take power from the British, but also set in motion the events that led to the Civil War six months later.
The vote took place exactly a month after the signing of the Treaty in London.
The Treaty had to be ratified by a vote of the British parliament in London and the Irish parliament in Dublin.
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