When did Northern Ireland achieve independence?

Actually, all these folks are wrong. Northern Ireland has always been a part of the British UK; it has never been an independant state

North Ireland was *created* in 1921. Northern Ireland has never declared independency from the UK. South Ireland became independent in 1922. Read the second paragraph: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Ireland

The answer is correct. The partition took place on 3 May 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. Today the former is still known as Northern Ireland and forms part of the United Kingdom, while the latter is now a sovereign state also named Ireland and sometimes called the Republic of Ireland.

We lived in England for 3 years and I know Northern Ireland is part of the UK.

ibuycacmarbles, It became a "separate legal entity" on May 3rd 1921 but is still part of the UK.

ibuycacmarbles, no it didn't you're thinking southern ireland

Not Northern Ireland. Only the Southern part. ibuycacmarbles,

The South is independant, the North is not.

Veronica Luby-Hoey, I'm not Irish, and I'm laughing as well! :)

Wow! Try reading the facts. It clearly says “Northern Ireland,” which is NOT a separate country.

Cliff Occomore, It is 6 counties of the Province of Ulster which was broken up to appease a Protestant minority

I’m a joint British and Irish citizen. Northern Ireland is already ‘independent’. It is part of the independent United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

jaclyn, wrong, the pro British loyalist minority didn't want to live within a united Ireland free of British rule so threatened war with their own government and the y wanted to keep the province of Ulster, ( 9 counties) but becathey would be the minority they decided to go for the 6 north eastern counties to give themselves a false majority. They then created a NI government that was racist sectarian from the setup. " A protestant parliament for a protestant people ". Was their motto. From then on the " minority " Irish catholic where treated like second class or worse, in their own country.

"NI" was set up to appease a small minority of pro British settlers that where given stolen Irish land, the vast majority of Irish people voted for independence free from the British crown in 1918, TIME for reunification of the whole island of IRELAND

Cedric Walters, Couple things. a) The question was not when Michael Collins became independent (maybe the day he was assassinated), b) The question had to do with the result of the Anglo-Irish War from 1916 to 1921, when Ireland was partitioned into North Ireland and Southern Ireland, which became the Irtish Free Irish Republic. The partition (say it with me now) (par-tish-shun) created two countries where there had been one. So you can say a portion is free, depending on which part you mean and what you mean by "free." Not sure I would call that nonsense.

Jacqueline Tattam, perhaps you should swap the later part of your last sentence. The country is mostly referred to as the Republic of Ireland (Eire) but is sometimes called "Ireland"

It took place on 3 May 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920.

Brv, a great deal of the people of Northern Ireland wanted to remain as part of the UK a debate that still rages today!

The Government of Ireland Act 1920, which came into effect on 3 May 1921, provided for separate self-governing parliaments for Northern Ireland (the six northeastern counties) and Southern Ireland (the rest of the island), thus partitioning Ireland.

I think you will find that in ten years Brexit will be a success. Why is EU so desperate to keep UK of in their control, might be EU need Britain more than we need them. The debate is over we're leaving.deborahpmercer,

Technically, it's not a country, but a province.

Southern Ireland is also called the free state.they sold out the people of northern ireland for they're own freedom.

This is where my ancestors are from...

ibuycacmarbles, stop shouting, and believe the Irish people who have written their comments about their own country... or simply google it!

Criona Walsh When Irish eyes are smiling