Ireland's fate hung in the balance as revolutionaries gathered in Dublin to shape the nation's destiny. Amidst the tumultuous aftermath of World War I, the first democratic Irish parliament, known as the Dáil Éireann, convened to proclaim the independence of the Irish Republic, boldly defying British rule. This daring move marked the onset of the Irish War of Independence, with guerrilla warfare and British repression soon to follow. As momentum built, Michael Collins and other republicans would lead the charge against British forces, forever altering the course of Irish history.