Irish Nationalism

what was the influence of the American War of Independence on Ireland

• Irish felt a shared experience with the Americans about British rule

• many Irish people went to America to find fortune

• the war educated them on republicanism

• encouraged growth of a more thoughtful and forceful naturalist perspective

Irish Volunteers

• protestant militia in Belfast

• formed in 1778

• felt vulnerable when Britain was fighting in America

• was worried France and Spain would use Ireland as a port to attack Britain

• was not seen as a act of loyalty towards Britain but a patriotic act

how many Irish Volunteers were there by 1782

• more than 60,000 were well trained and ready to fight

what happened at Irish Volunteer meetings

• members did not have to fight

• instead debated

• discussed the issue of the Act of 1720 that gave the Britain the right to legislate for Ireland

Henry Grattan

• Irish lawyer who became MP for Charlemont in the Dublin parliament in 1775

• wanted Ireland to be granted its rightful status as an independent nation under the same crown as Britain- this was blocked in parliament due the patronage from the British crown

• was protestant, but supported Catholic emancipation and legislative independence

Irish Volunteers- events of 1782

• Britain became vulnerable following poor performance in the Battle of Yorktown

• February 1782- volunteers in Ulster held a meeting a Dungannon’s Parish Church where they passed resolutions demanding legislative independence for the Irish parliament

• the new British Whig Government and humilation meant gov conceded

Constitution of 1782

• repealed the 1720 act and reduced Britain’s right to a veto

• Mutiny Act- governed actions of army- gave Irish parliament right to punish soldiers

• Irish judges could not be removed

• technically became an independent nation that shared a monarch

impact of Constitution of 1782

• little change

• Lord Lieutenant had considerable influence over Irish MPs due to patronage

Henry Flood

• November 1783- held a convention in Dublin where a more representative parliament was demanded but they refused

influence of the French revolution

• images of violence and public displays of republicanism values sent shockwaves though Ireland

• Young radicals felt that greater political autonomy could only be won with a union between Catholics and Protestant radicals to challenge the dominant coservatism

Theobald Wolf Tone

• 1791- published ‘An Argument on Behalf of Catholics of Ireland’

• wanted a reformed Irish parliament without the influence of the British crown

• committed suicide in custody after the failure of 1798 uprising- didn’t want to face British Justice

Demands of the United Irishmen

• 1794 manifesto

• Ireland would be divided into 300 parliamentary constituencies equal in population

• one man, one vote

• Catholic emancipation

• this would be achieved using public opinion to persuade the authorities of change

Bantry Bay

• 1796

• Tone negotiates with the French and 14,000 men attempt to land in Bantry Bay to eject the British occupation

• this fails due to bad weather

the 1798 uprising- the build up

• frustration due to continued British dominance after 1782 and a demand for catholic rights

• by 1797 there were more than 200,000 United Irishmen

• Tone believed he could sever Ireland’s relationship with Britain

how many United Irishmen fought in the 1798 uprising

• 15,000

why did the 1798 uprising fail

• the Irish were badly coordinated

• they were outnumbered by the British- who had 20,000 soldiers

• the British secured a key victory at Vinegar Hill outside Enniscorthy in June

• France’s priority was Egypt- they only sent 1100 men in late August

consequences of 1798 uprising

• Armed conflict in Ireland when Britain was already at war meant Britain felt that Ireland could not be relied on to govern itself

• Ireland was Britain’s back door- so needed to be stable

Act of Union 1800

• passed with support of Irish Parliament

• made Ireland a more integral part of the British state

• gave Irish representation at Westminster- 100 MPs, 32 Lords

• PM Pitt thought that Ireland would be pleased to be viewed equally

• Pitt wanted Catholic emancipation- vetoed by the king

the Tithe Wars Causes

• Catholics had to pay tithes to both the Catholic and Protestant Church

• Tithe Composition Act- was intended to make the tax more uniform but antagonised more farmers

• some farmers has significant political influence, wanted Catholic emancipation and saw the need for collective organisation

Tithe Composition Act 1823

• the assessment for Tithe was extended to pastureland as well as tillage land

• the charge became payable twice yearly by larger numbers of Irish Farms

events of the Tithe Wars

• boycott began in Kilkenny in October 1830

• followed a period of agricultural depression that saw reduced prices and less income

  was supported by the Catholic Church and senior Priest Archbishop MacHale

• June 1831- 14 resisting farmers killed in Newtownbarry by local yeomanry

• December 1831- protesters killed a Bailiff and 12 Police officers trying to enforce tithe demands in Kilkenny

how many counties got involved in the Tithe Wars

• 22

• amounted to 1 million not paid by 1833

The Tithe Wars consequences

• after June 1833, the gov abandoned the use of force to extract tithe payments- this had destabilized the countryside and alienated the rural population

• Britain felt humiliated by the passive resistance

• when seized stock was auctioned they were unable to sell it as bidders would bid unrealistically high

• Clergy Relief Fund- 1832- loans to ministers that were eventually written off by the government

• Tithe Rentcharge Act 1838

Tithe Rentcharge Act 1838

• made the Tithe payable only by landlords rather than all occupiers

• reduced agitation among the majority of tenant farmers and restored order in the countryside

The repeal association

• founded in 1940 by Daniel O’Connell

• raised funds via a ‘repeal rent’- a subscription

• aimed to mobilise public opinion and pressure Westminster into accepting the repeal

what tactic was used by Daniel O’Connell of the Repeal Association

• used ‘monster meetings’

• in 1843 more than 40 meetings took place

• several were said to have been attended by between 100,000 and 500,000

British reaction the the Repeal Association

• noticed the movement at Tara in June 1843- 750,000 were present

• parliament wouldn’t even consider the issue of repeal

• to agree to repeal would be to dismantle the empire- inconceivable at a time when the empire was thriving

Repeal association meeting at Clontarf

• the British gov banned a meeting in October 1843

• O’Connell had to choose between submitting to the government or risking violence if it took place

• being a peaceful lawyer, he called it off

consequences of the failed meeting at Clontarf

• signaled the end if the repeal association

• the failed meeting undermined the principles of the group- that peaceful organisation of the people that could force the government to change its opinion

• the government was willing to use force

• the movement declined after Clontarf

• O’Connell died in 1847

Intentions of Young Ireland

• Irish Nationality- all those who live in Ireland could be considered Irish regardless of faith

• demanded complete separation from Britain

• would use political persuasion then whatever means necessary

relationship of Young Ireland to the repeal association

• O’Connell asked them to renounce their use of force- they refused and so they left the repeal association

• in January 1847- they established their own unionist platform called the Irish Federation

What was the reaction to Young Ireland

• Older Generation thought its ideas were too naive- YI did not understand the religious dynamics sufficiently or the military capability of Great Britain

• young people liked its radical ideas

• Catholic Clergy did not support

what were the weaknesses with Young Ireland

• the support base was limited due to the large influence of the Catholic Clergy

• Charles Gavin Duffy and William Smith O’Brien advocated for parliamentary pressure

• John Mitchel and James Fitnan Laylor encouraged peasant lead rebellion to remove the British

who were key founding members of Young Ireland

• Thomas Davis- protestant barrister

• Charles Gavin Duffy- Catholic journalist

• John Mitchel- unitarian solicitor

events of the 1848 uprising

• John Mitchel was arrested and convicted for sedition in May

• planned for a coup, inspired by France, in early Summer

• British have a network of spies

• 21st July 1848- 10,000 British troops in Ireland and they suspend haebus Corpus

• the British hoped this would be enough to stop the rebellion

• instead the Young Irelanders moved from Dublin to Kilkenny and Tipperary

• Several encounters with the British Government- Killenaule, Ballingary- stand off with police and 2 rebels killed

• O’Brien deported to Australia

Legacy of Young Ireland

• 1848 signalled the demise- failed to achieve goals in the short term

• promoted independence and Irish Nationalism

• reminded people of a pre-union Ireland- linked the past and future

Irish Republican Brotherhood

• established in 1858 in Dublin

• primarily working men

• cell structure

• known as Fenians

James Stephens

• leader of IRB

• escaped Paris after Battle of Ballingary

• came back radicalised and implemented the use of cell groups

aims of IRB

• sought to create an Irish republic rather than simply repeal the union

• willing to act with violence

• wanted to take advantage of Britain being preoccupied by another war- was not big enough to take advantage of Indian Mutiny 1857

how many members in IRB by 1854

• Stephens claimed at least 80,000 members

• Phillip Loyne said it was probably closer to 54,000

Terrence McManus

• had been sent to Van Dieman’s Island in 1848

• Escaped to America

• died in 1861

• American IRB sent back his remains to Ireland in October

• public procession of McManus’ death was opposed by Catholic Church and older conservatives- fear that publicly burying a rebel may generate British hostility

• more than 50,000 people followed the coffin through Dublin

planned IRB uprising in 1865

• end of American Civil War allowed American soldiers claiming Irish heritage to return to Ireland to support a planned uprising 

• this was postponed due to only 6000 firearms for 50,000 men

1867 Fenian Rising

• March 1867- Stephens arrested- escaped and left the country

• only 1500 weapons

• Stephen’s replacement, General Francis Millen proposed a guerilla sized attack- ‘hit and run’ over pitched open battle

• was ignored by IRB commanders- they were unable to play to their strengths

• American Officer Massey turned themselves in as government informants when they knew they failed

• by April 1867 more than 200 IRB prisoners were taken and order began to be restored

Manchester Martyrs

• Many Irishmen in Manchester were arrested- of 26, 5 were charged and put on trial

• William Allen, Michael Larkin and Michael O’Brien- executed in November 1867

• more than 8000 watched the execution with 2500 police officers to surround the prison

Isaac Butt

• protestant barrister

• wanted home rule- a subordinate Irish Parliament that governed domestic affairs only

• force was no longer a viable option

• placed greater value on what a positive relationship with Britain could bring

• wanted to diffuse the militant separatist tendencies the IRB had brought about 

Home Rule League

• 1870- established as Home Government Association\

• name changed to Home Rule League in1873

• won 60/101 seats in UK parliament in 1874 election

• pressed for home rule in parliament- was not taken seriously

• continues failure caused opposition against Butt in the Party

Division within Home Rule League Party

• Deliberate opposition- practiced by Joseph Gillis Biggar and Josh O’Conner Power- slowed parliament down by not ending debates and meaningless long speeches- aim was to force the league to give what it wanted

• Catholic Nationalists wanted more conservative action

Charles Stewart Parnell

• young MP- had a strong family name and personal charisma

• was born to a Nationalist sympathising father and Irish American mother

• was elected to Home Rule Confederation of Great Britain
  

Irish Parliamentary party

• Butt dies in 1879- Parnell adopted leadership pf Home Rule League in 1880

• renames it Irish Parliamentary Party

• ‘the pledge’- all IPP members had to vote and act as they were told by Parnell and the party heirarchy

• would be a strong influence and could guarantee effective opposition

how many seats did IPP win in 1885

• 86/103 seats 

• was often courted for its support from other parties

Parliament under William Gladstone 1885

• the liberal party had 335 seats

• conservative party had 249 seats

• IPP had 86 MPs

• liberal party had exactly half- IPP had balance of power

• if Gladstone gave Home Rule, the liberal party could always majority with IPP

First Home Rule Bill

• 1886

• would grant a new parliament to Ireland that could take responsibility for all domestic affairs in the country

• would remain part of empire

• parliament would be called an assembly

• Britain would retain control of defense, foreign affairs and coinage

reactions to first home rule bill

• Nationalists were unhappy- felt this was not enough independence

• Parnell recognised limitations- but saw the bill as an opportunity to improve upon

• was opposed by conservative party and unionists in the North

why did the first home rule bill fail

• conservatives and unionists voted to block the bill

• 311 in favour

• 341 opposed- including 93 liberals

• was viewed as a positive step despite failure

Parnell’s downfall

• Parnell survives the ‘Phoenix Park Letters’- is accused of murder but proven false

• 1889- William O’Shea divorces wife Katherine- cites affair with Parnell

• Catholic Church condemns him, IPP splits

• Parnell loses support in rural Ireland

• Parnell refuses to give up party leadership

• all the IPP’s power diminishes

• Parnell dies in 1891

the orange order

• a political club founded in 1795

• committed to the memory of William III and his Protestant victory over the Catholic King James II in 1688

• celebrated Protestant Ascendancy over Catholics during 18th and 19th century

• reduced mif-19th century- subject to public scrutiny due to the threat of public order

• the threat of home rule saw a resurgence of the Orange Order

• had a strong network of grass-root support that proved instrumental in the growth of the Ulster Unionist Party

• could be organised to have public opposition to any proposed legislation

Gaelic Athletic Association

• 1884

• restored Irish pride in traditional sports

• e.g. curling

Gaelic League

• 1893

• intended to restore cultural traditions

• like the language

how many schools was Gaelic being taught in by 1903

• 1300

Ulster Unionist Party

• Set up in the North of Ireland in 1886- to protect their interests

• Protestants were worried about home rule

• they feared that Catholicism would be forced upon them through an Irish Parliament

• led by Edward Carson after 1901

• blocked second home rule bill in 1883 along with conservatives

• third home rule bill was 1912- UUP was less likely to block it due to power of IPP

Sir Edward Carson

• Dublin born barrister

• Unionist MP for Trinity College

• well respected- represented the Marquis of Queensberry against Oscar Wilde in the famous libel case in 1895

• leader of Ulster Unionist Party

Population of Ulster in early 1900s

• 1.58 million

• 890,880 were protestants

The Ulster Covenant

• 28 September 1912

• Declaration that the signatories would oppose home rule and use what ever means necessary to stop it

• 471,414 signed it

• very public gesture to highlight strength of the feeling

• Belfast factories closed

• special church services were held

• appeal to conservatives in Westminster

Ulster Volunteer Force

• January 1913

• militia to defend the province

• more than 90,000 men

• mainly retired British Army officers

• British Gov allowed paramilitary organisations to exist

The Curragh Incident

• March 1914- Third Home Rule Bill looked to be passed

• British Army Officers garrisoned at Curragh country Kildare were concerned they would be used against their fellow Britons and threatened to resign their positions

• many were protestant and unionist

• British Army was meant to be a neutral party- but was clear that even it couldn’t avoid political and religious influence

• strengthened growing divisions

Second Home Rule Bill

• PM Gladstone

• Irish Parliament- would be subordinate to Britain

• passes house of commons

• not house of Lords

• 419 to 41

Parliament Act

• 1911

• states House of Lords can delay the passing of a bill by 2 years but can’t stop them

Third Home Rule Bill

• PM Asquith- Liberal Party

• keep Lord Lieutenant

• supported by Redmond’s IPP

• has to allow for N. of Ireland to not be ruled by Irish Parliament

• passes House of Commons

• fails House of Lords 326 to 89