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• repealed the 1720 act and reduced Britain’s right to a veto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

Suspensory Act

• 1914

• suspends everything unrelated to the war effort during the length of the war

who was involved in the Easter Rising

• Sinn Fein

• Irish Republican Brotherhood

• Irish Volunteers

• Irish Citizen Army

• small military army

Sinn Fein

• means ourselves alone

• established in 1905

• wanted complete independence but with a shared monarch figurehead

• ran a parliament in Ireland

Irish Volunteers (Easter Rising)

• small anti-war group

• about 11,000 men

• led by Eoin MacNeill

• preparing for their own uprising in the south before joining Easter Rising

Irish Citizen Army

• private army organised in 1913 by Transport and General Workers Union to protect workers on strike from police

• led by James Connolly

members of Easter Rising military council

• Patrick Pearse

• Joseph Plunkett

• Sean MacDermott

• Eion Ceannt

• Thomas Clarke

why did the Easter Rising happen

• Younger nationalists were getting frustrated by IPP- move support to Sinn Fein

• they wanted a more direct approach to independence

• wanted to end the union

how many people seized the GPO

• 1000 Irish Volunteers

• 200 Irish Citizen Army

• led by Pearse and Connolly

key events of Easter Rising

• Pearse announced birth of Irish Republic

• Provisional government was established

• most key buildings in Dublin were in the hands of rebels

• most citizens were confused or hostile- felt rebels were traitors while Irish men died in France

• Irish Volunteers stopped provincial military activity

• rebels did not receive military help from Germany as expected

• British shelling set GPO on fire- rebels were forced out

• Pearse surrendered on 29th April

how many rebels were executed

• 15 of the 90 that were condemned

how many people were arrested after the Easter Rising

• 3000

• around 160 had prison terms

long term impacts of the Easter Rising

• Martial law proclaimed in Dublin

• wholesale arrests, imprisonment and internment

• Turned more Irish people to a nationalist cause- the felt alienated by the British

Michael Collins

• 1890-1922

• from County Cork

• joined IRB in London, took part in Easter Rising

• Elected as Sinn Fein Candidate for the Dail in 1918

• involved with the Irish Volunteers as a military commander and organised its intelligence network

• one of the negotiators in the July 1921 truce and Anglo-Irish Treaty

• sided with the Free State

Causes of the Anglo-Irish War

• 1918 General election- IPP 6 seats; UUP 26 seats; Sinn Fein 73 seats

• Sinn Fein created the Dail and carried out obstructionism

• Britain responded by trying to break up the parliament and assert authority

• War started when 9 Irish Volunteers killed 2 police officers in County Tipperary in January 1919

key events of the Anglo-Irish War

• IRA employs guerilla warfare

• Britain sends two new regiments to Ireland- the Auxiliaries and Black and Tans

• Bloody Sunday

• Kilmichael Ambush

• 1921- truce

Bloody Sunday

• 14 British undercover agents are killed and 6 are wounded in public

• the Auxiliaries retaliate by infiltrating Croke Park and opening fire- 12 killed and 60 injured

Consequences of the Anglo-Irish War

• Anglo-Irish Treaty

• treaty was initially rejected by Sinn Fein, but after a vote in the Dail, it was ratified

• people in the South of Ireland were not happy- lead to Civil War

Anglo-Irish Treaty

• 6th December 1921

• gave more freedom to achieve freedom

• conceded dominion status

• many unionists did not like the idea of partition

• Ulster allowed its own government institutions rather than being forced to be part of a new Irish state

• PM George conceded fiscal autonomy

• was formally accepted by the Dail 64 to 57 in January 1922 

Civil War

• Sinn Fein and IRA nationalists felt treaty was inadequate

• Liam Lynch organised anti-treaty armed force

• planned to overthrow elected Irish Government

• forced Ireland into Civil War

• anti-treaty irregulars were weaker in combat than gov troops

• reverted to Guerilla Tactics

• Liam Lynch killed in April 1923

• replacement Frank Aiken called a ceasefire and ordered IRA to lay down in May 1923

Government of Ireland Act background

• Lloyd George’s coalition government had an overwhelming victory- nearly 400 MPs

• he was supported by the conservatives and some of the liberals

• opposition was the rest of the liberals, led by Asquith, and the Labour Party

• after WW1- emphasis on self-determination

• Conservatives who had previously opposed home rule now realised they had to accept it

• UUP held 22/37 Northern Irish seats in Westminster- largest Irish voice there as Sinn Fein did not attend

• UUP were not happy about the act (as they did not think Ireland should be partitioned) but saw it as the best opportunity to get what they want

Terms of the Government of Ireland Act 1920

• Two separate parliaments representing the North and South, with House of Commons (elected) and senate with government

• proportional representation required to safeguard minorities

• similar parliamentary powers to 1914 Home Rule Act. Imperial Government still held control and no jurisdiction over foreign affairs

• UK parliament still supreme to justify intervention in Irish Affairs

Fail of Government of Ireland Act

• was a dead letter in the South- no elections were contested

• 124 were unopposed out of 128 candidates

• Sinn Fein boycotted the new parliament- Ulster was now committed to home rule

• Irish nationalists now wanted full independence

• was trying to solve the Irish problem as it was in 1914- not in 1920