The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann [sˠiːɾˠsˠˈt̪ˠaːt̪ˠ eːɾʲən̪ˠ]; 6 December 1922 – 29 December 1937) was the state established in 1922 as a Dominion of the British Commonwealth of Nations under the Anglo-Irish Treaty signed by British and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand. As expected, Northern Ireland immediately exercised its right under the Treaty to remove itself from the new state.