On January 21, 1919, the First Dáil, an Irish republican parliament, met in the Mansion House in Dublin and issued a Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the Irish Republic. The Dáil's declaration was a direct challenge to British authority and marked the beginning of the Irish War of Independence. The Dáil's establishment was a key moment in the struggle for Irish independence, demonstrating the determination of Irish nationalists to create a sovereign state.

The First Dáil's proclamation is a central event in Irish nationalist poetry, with writers celebrating the birth of the republic. The Dáil's declaration is often contrasted with the earlier failures of the Easter Rising, suggesting a new phase in the struggle. The poetry of the period reflects the hope and determination of the independence movement, which would soon lead to the Anglo-Irish Treaty.