How important were the attitudes of Britain's PMs and politicians to the question of increased Irish independence?

Why did Pitt introduce the Catholic Relief Act 1793?

Why did Pitt introduce the Catholic Relief Act 1793?

prevent Irish Catholics turning to the French Republic, leading to French invasion

How did Pitt fail to improve the Irish issue during the 1780s?

tried to implement free trade to improve economic relations, ambitions blocked by his own party and Tories who preferred to maintain economic dominance

Why did Pitt propose the Act of Union?

better opportunity for investment into Ireland by British capitalists, raising living standards and improve Catholics position, reduce fear in Protestant communities because they would be the majority

What message did Pitt's actions send to nationalists?

Change obtainable if sought in a determined manner

What were Pitt's intentions with Catholic emancipation?

prevent further losses to the empire in the wake of defeat in America

How successful were Pitt's actions?

led to greater agitation by nationalists, made Britain more vulnerable to them in the future (although did make them more moderate), ensured Ireland survived FR and defeated UI rising

How great a role did Pitt play in Catholic emancipation?

introduced idea of a closer relationship with Ireland, one of few Conservatives who supported emancipation

Why did Asquith present a HRB?

political necessity- Irish representatives earned power so demands could no longer be ignored

What failures did Asquith's HRB have?

failed to address Unionists by offering a single Parliament and ignored anti-HR sentiment in Ulster, failed to ensure it didn't provoke political unrest (increase of paramilitary groups)

How did Asquith's reliance on the IPP lead to weakness in regard to unionists?

refused the right of exclusion from HR even when Carson proposed it in 1913

What gun-running incidents were there in Asquith's premiership?

Larne and Howth- unionists and nationalists relatively

What happened at the Buckingham Palace Conference in 1914?>

met with George V, Asquith, Unionists and Nationalists- nothing achieved

How did Asquith influence the ER?

exercised some influence to prevent the execution of more of the rebels

Why did Gladstone believe the system of Tithes to the Prot church by Catholics need to change?

epitomised inequality in Ireland, needed to change to improve Anglo-Irish relationship

What was the Irish Church Act 1869?

disestablished the Protestant Church of Ireland to make it equal to the Catholic Church- opposed by Conservatives and the Queen

What was Gladstone's view on the Land War?

wanted to improve Irish lives through education and landownership

What was the Land Act 1870?

gave legal protection and rights to tenant farmers (eviction compensation, right to buy land they rented with gov loans) and prevented rack renting

Who ran university education prior to Gladstone's Universities Bill 1873?

Protestant Dublin University (accepted Catholics after CRA but remained Protestant) Catholic University of Ireland Secular Queen's University

What was Gladstone's view on Ireland's university system?

aimed to secularise higher education to reduce religious tensions, improve Irish lives through education

How successful was the Universities Bill 1873?

failed to pass by 3 votes as opposed by Conservatives and criticised by the Churches- but failure mitigated by earlier successes and 1880 Land Act

What was the significance of Gladstone's HRBs?

demonstrated Br gov wasn't anti-Irish and could make progressive policy, greatest success was Liberal Party's manifesto commitment to HR

How was DLG involved in Irish politics pre-1918?

asked to resolve differences between unionists and IPP after ER, persuaded Redmond to exclusion of Ulster but not Unionists

What was the impact of SF abstentionism on DLG?

increased pressure as it reflected a more radical sentiment

What was DLG's role in the partition of Ireland?

set up committee in Oct 1919, proposed Dec, formalised Feb 1920

What did both sides need for DLG to appease them?

prevent Catholic government in protestant Ulster, greater freedom for nationalists

What role did DLG play in increasing aggression from Britain in the Anglo-Irish War?

recruited ex-soldiers in the RIC- black and tans

What was DLG's Restoration of Order in Ireland Act 1920??

IRA members trialled by court-martial, hoped this would speed up convictions

What was DLG's role in negotiating the Anglo-Irish treaty?

organised conferences- stood firm in giving no more than dominion status, wore down Irish negotiators, agreed to boundary commission, threatened to resume hostilities