The Republic of Ireland cannot be adequately examined without including the important role played by the Catholic Church in the political development and policy development. The Catholic Church has established itself as an influential institution since the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. The original intent of the invasion was to expand the papacy, and with Ireland the Church would become without arguably the most Catholic country in the world. world. The Republic of Ireland has evolved over the centuries to become a true Irish state. The Anglo-Irish War proved important in achieving the latter goal by ridding the southern sector of Ireland of centuries of grueling oppressive rule and discrimination under British law. However, the freedom achieved hampered a power struggle plagued by a divided island and the continued influence of religion. Therefore, the Irish Civil War illustrates the continuing battle 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, its strong influence has resulted in 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 allowed Ireland to catch up with its European counterparts. Ireland's political development and public policymaking in the 19th and 20th centuries struggled to emerge with a distinct Irish identity due to the underlying Catholic influence which remained dominant until Vatican II. The Anglo-Irish War, or Irish War of Independence, was an outcome that happened after the middle of the article......rks CitedCitationsMARTIN, D. (2013). A post-Catholic Ireland? America, 208(17), 11.EDITORIAL. (2004). Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 12(1), 5-14.FULLER, L. (2005). Religion, politics and sociocultural 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:10.1177/0010414004267983GRAY, CS (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 articles on politics and public administration, (5), http://www.ul.ie/ppa/content/files/258567748.pdf