Who was the first state(s) to recognize Irish independence as of their revolt in the early 20th century? Why?

by dluminous

I searched the sub "first state to recognize Ireland" and got nothing. Who first recognized Ireland, and what were their reasons?

theirstar

The revolutionary Irish Republic from 1919 to 1922, before the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the formation of the Irish Free State came closest to recognition by the Soviet Union, mostly due to pro-labour, socialist and soviet sympathies within the Irish Republic. However, no formal recognition took place as the Soviet Union did not wish to threaten trade relations with the United Kingdom.

As the 1922 Irish Free State was a dominion within the British Commonwealth, you could say that the United Kingdom was the first foreign power to recognize the Free State.