ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Ireland–United Kingdom relations

Alright kiddo, let's talk about the friendship between Ireland and the United Kingdom! Imagine that Ireland and the UK are like two friends who sometimes argue, but they still love and support each other.

A long time ago, Ireland used to be a part of the United Kingdom. But later, in 1921, Ireland got its own government and became a separate country, except for the northern part of the island which stayed with the UK.

This caused some tension between the two countries, especially because some people in Northern Ireland wanted to be a part of Ireland instead of the UK. This led to some fighting and problems over the years.

Nowadays, though, things are much better. Ireland and the UK are both members of the European Union, which helps them work together and cooperate on things like trade and travel. They also have good relationships in other areas, like culture, business, and sports.

But just like with any friendship, there can still be disagreements sometimes. Recently, there has been some tension between the two countries over Brexit, which is when the UK decided to leave the European Union. Ireland is still a member of the EU, so this has caused some issues with trade and the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Overall, though, Ireland and the United Kingdom have a close and important relationship, even if they don't always see eye-to-eye.