During the 19th and 20th centuries, Ireland made several unsuccessful attempts to gain independence from England. However, each attempt at rebellion ended in ultimate failure. The causes for the failure of these rebellions ranged from being completely outclassed by England's superior army to suffering from a natural disaster such as the potato famine of 1845. Due to the poor condition of England during World War I, Ireland attempted to rebel again with some success, however. the nation was divided and tensions still exist today between the two factions. Prior to the 19th and 20th centuries, Ireland was treated as second-class citizens by the British, which was manifested by the lack of aid received during the potato famine of 1845. The Irish Army was too weak to hope to fight the superior British army until the First World War. Although England was not weakened in World War I, its army was divided. This was a beacon of hope for Ireland as the Irish knew that the British could not fight two wars at once. There was a problem, however, and it belonged to some of the Irish. Around 210,000 Irish served in the British forces during World War I (Jeffery). Additionally, approximately 140,000 of these soldiers were actually volunteers (Jeffery). These men may have joined the group for a variety of reasons, some because they believed in the cause and others because they simply wanted a job. In Ireland, which in 1914 was deeply divided between Britain loyalists and rebels, more local considerations may have played an important role for many individuals. In Ireland, these were some key figures who helped spark the rebellion on the home front. One of the major figures was a man named Sinn Fein who encouraged the Irish people to refuse the...... middle of paper ...... IRA) fought Protestant organizations. Since 1969, England has sent several army divisions to end the fighting, and more than 20,000 people have been killed or injured (Pomeray). In November 1985, hopes for peace were raised when the Irish government introduced the Anglo-Irish Agreement. This agreement was to give the republic a voice in Northern Ireland in return for recognition of England's long-term sovereignty in the north. This agreement did not work and violence increased sharply. To this day, the British army remains on guard and the IRA continues its guerrilla war. » Works Cited Jeffery, Keith. Ireland and the First World War. BBC News, February 10, 2011.Web. 15, May 2014. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/ireland_wwone_01.shtmlPomeray, JK Ireland. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1999. Print.