On the eve of the centenary of the foundation of the Northern Ireland state in 2021, this significant work examines the major political developments of this short and momentous period in Irish history. By necessity, it also explores the multi-faceted nature of the communal violence that blighted the North in its early years.The author concludes by investigating the 1925 findings of the Boundary Commission, as well as assessing the legacy of what was to become Northern Ireland.