The Republic of Ireland cannot be adequately examined without including the extensive role played by the Catholic Church in political development and policy making. The Catholic Church had established itself as an influential institution since the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. The original intent of the invasion was to spread the papacy, and with Ireland, the Church would come to arguably become the most Catholic country in the world. world. The Republic of Ireland has evolved over the centuries to achieve a truly Irish state. The Anglo-Irish War proved significant in achieving this latter goal, freeing the southern sector of Ireland from centuries of grueling oppressive rule and discrimination under British law. However, the resulting freedom stymied a power struggle plagued by a divided island and the continuing influence of religion. Consequently, the Irish Civil War exemplifies the ongoing struggle to accept a divided but predominantly Catholic state instead of a united Irish state. Although the role of the Catholic Church has not always directly influenced political decisions in the Republic of Ireland, the strong influence has created a country with a distinct and conservative social agenda compared to other democracies. The Second Vatican Council proved to have a positive influence on social reforms and enabled Ireland to catch up with its European counterparts respectively. Ireland's political development and public policy making in the 19th and 20th centuries struggled to emerge with a distinct Irish identity due to the emphasis of Catholic influence which remained dominant during Vatican II. The Anglo-Irish War, or Irish War of Independence, was an outcome that came after c...... middle of paper ......rks CitedCitationsMARTIN, D. (2013). A post-Catholic Ireland?. America, 208(17), 11.EDITORIAL. (2004). Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 12(1), 5-14.FULLER, L. (2005). Religion, politics and socio-cultural change in twentieth-century Ireland. European Heritage, 10(1), 41-54. doi:10.1080/1084877052000321976KISSANE, B. (2004). DEMOCRATIZATION, STATE FORMATION AND CIVIL WAR IN FINLAND AND IRELAND. Comparative Political Studies, 37(8), 969-985. doi:10.1177/0010414004267983GRIGIO, C.S. (2007). The Anglo-Irish War, 1919-21: Lessons from an irregular conflict. Comparative Strategy, 26(5), 371-394. doi:10.1080/01495930701750208Adshead, M; Millar, M., (2003). Ireland as a Catholic corporatist state: A historical institutional analysis of health care in Ireland. imerick papers in politics and public administration, (5), http://www.ul.ie/ppa/content/files/258567748.pdf