Hello everyone, welcome to Dan Snow's history.

Big important anniversary episode is the centenary of the truce in the Irish War of Independence.

100 years ago, the 24th of June, the British government, reluctantly decided to propose

peace talks with the leader of Sinn Fein, the Irish nationalist force that was fighting

British Crown forces in Ireland.

David Lloyd George wrote to Aiman Develeira, the leader of Sinn Fein, as the chosen leader

of the great majority in southern Ireland, when he suggested a conference.

It was thought that if Develeira accepted it might get this terrible war finished.

If he refused, it would legitimize a British escalation, a more draconian aggressive response

to getting the war done, getting Ireland pacified.

Develeira agreed and the two sides decided on a truce.

It was signed on the 9th of July, 1921, and it came into effect on the 11th of July.

Negotiations continued and eventually over the winter 100 years ago, the 26 counties

of what would become today's Republic of Ireland broke away from the United Kingdom,

which then changed its name to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern

Ireland, because of course, six counties in Ireland remained part of the union.

This is obviously a huge series of events and anniversaries, so we have been covering them

in some detail on history here, as you will have heard.

You can go back and listen to all the episodes about Ireland and the War of Independence

there, some really good episodes, particularly the one on the anniversary of the British

troops opening fire in Crock Park in Dublin, the original Bloody Sunday.

You can go to history.tv and listen to all those.

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