ABSTRACT
The relationship between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland has been even more complex than that between the two states. Irish nationalists have rejected the legitimacy of Northern Ireland ever since the Government of Ireland Act of 1920, whereas the unionist majority in Northern Ireland rejected the nationalist claim and repressed the nationalist minority within Northern Ireland. However, policy toward Northern Ireland was not a seamless garment. The Cumann Na nGaedheal government (1923-1932) sought to secure gains from Britain through conventional diplomatic means, in some cases with considerable success (Harkness 1969). The response among the political elites in the South after 1969, in keeping with mass opinion, was to move toward a more confrontational and traditional position on Northern Ireland. The readiness to support constitutional change has been reinforced by a parallel development among the political parties in the Republic.
