Chapter 12- The conditions of Ireland and Anglo-Irish relations

When was Irelands first home rule bill defeated?

1886

When was Irelands second home rule bill defeated?

1893

When was the Crimes Act?

1887

When was the death of Charles Parnell?

1891

When was Wyndham's Land Act?

1903

When was Sinn Fein founded by Arthur Griffiths?

1905

When was Irelands third home rule bill passed by the Commons but defeated by the Lords?

1912

When was the Curragh Mutiny?

March 1914

When was the outbreak of war with Germany?

August 1914

When was Home Rule set to become law?

September 1914

When was the implementation of Home Rule Act suspended for duration of war?

1914

John Redmond

- Son of Irish nationalist MP
- Leading Nationalist politician
- Overriding desire for Home Rule for Ireland
- Believed political change by constitutional means and abhorred violence
- Redmond was a compromiser and his desire to find a solution for the Unionists almost took Ireland to civil war in 1914

Who was the dominant figure for Home Rule in 1886?

Charles Parnell

Who was Parnell leader of?

The Irish Nationalist Party, the political representatives of the Home Rule Party

Following Gladstone's conversion to Home Rule after the 1885 election what did Parnell do?

Withdrew from his brief flirtation with the Conservatives and switched back to his allegiance to Gladstone

What was an example of an Anglo-Irish family with large estates in Galway, Mayo and Dublin?

Guinness family

For how long had there been a historic, religious and economic divide with the people of Ulster and the rest of Ireland?

Since the days of William of Orange and the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, when a Protestant dominance was established in Ulster

What was there only in Ulster and not the rest of Ireland?

Industrial development

What was the poor rural economy of the rest of Ireland to weak to do?

To stimulate demand for industrial goods

Why was Ulster fearful of Home Rule?

That they would be dominated by Catholic majority government in Dublin

Where was the Unionist support in Ireland?

Mainly Protestant and centred in the province of Ulster in the north

Who were the Unionist supporters in the South?

Among the old Anglo-Irish aristocratic families- the few wealthy industrialists like Guinesses and Trinity College academics in Dublin

Although southern Irish Unionist supporters allied themselves to the northern unionists what denied them any political clout?

Their geographical isolation

What had Ulster enjoyed more than the largely poor agricultural Southern Ireland?

Economic prosperity

How had Ulster enjoyed economic prosperity?

Particularly after the great industries of the Industrial Revolution- textiles, iron foundries, shipbuilding and engineering

What did the close ties of Ulster with the British empire give them?

A British identity rather than Irish identity

What did those in Ulster fear Home Rule would do to their relationship with Britain?

It would overwhelm Ulsters special relationship with Britain and dilute prosperity

What did the Unionist harden their hearts over?

Any compromise over Home Rule leading to a polarisation between Unionists in the north and nationalists in the south

What did a number of Liberals do in 1886 in response to Home Rule?

Split from the party

Who was the key figure of the Liberal unionist?

Lord Hartington a right wing Liberal, whose brother Lord Fredrick Cavendish had been murdered in the Phoenix Park murders in 1882.

Who also left the Liberal party because of home rule?

Joseph Chamberlain

Who did the Liberal Unionist later join?

The Conservatives

What was Conservatives stance on Home Rule?

Solid opposition

What did Lord Salisbury maintain to Irish Home Rule?

A ruthless attitude believing that political and financial initiatives 'raised Irish expectations' that they would be given some form of Home Rule.

Why were Conservatives concerned that granting Ireland Home Rule would adversely impact British imperial policy?

As it would potentially weaken its tight control on the British empire and challenge its world power status

Who was one of the most outspoken Conservatives on Ireland?

Randolph Churchill

What has it been argued Randolph Churchill's vehement opposition to Home Rule in 1886 fanned the flames of?

The Nationalist/Unionist division in Ireland

What did Churchill maintain about the interests of the Ulster Protestants if there was Home Rule?

They would be ignored and the Nationalist Catholic interests would be served

On a visit to Belfast what slogan did Churchill use to encourage Ulster unionists?

'Ulster will fight, Ulster will be right'

When was Gladstone's first Home Rule bill?

February 1886

What did Gladstone do undeterred in his pursuit for Home Rule?

Undeterred by the lack of support from the right-wing of the party, but without first securing the support of Joseph Chamberlain, Gladstone's heir apparent and leader of the Radical wing of the Liberals

What did the first Home Rule propose?

- Ireland should have its own parliament in Dublin and take charge of all internal affairs
- Foreign affairs, defence and external trade would be left under the control of the government at Westminster
- There would be no representation of Irish MPs at Westminster

What was the first Home Rule bill met with?

Opposition on all sides

How was there opposition on all sides to Gladstone's first home rule bill?

- Randolph Churchill let the Conservative attack by stirring up divisions between the Protestant Irish in Ulster and the Catholic-dominated south
- Chamberlain of the Liberals resigned his Cabinet post and led a devastating attack on the Bill

What were the number of votes for and against Gladstone's Home Rule bill?

Defeated by 343 votes to 313

What was the failure of the first Home Rule bill for Gladstone and the Liberals?

It was a huge blow for Gladstone and split the Liberal party

What did the defeat of the first Home Rule bill do for Irish politics?

It created the conditions for an increasingly bitter divide between those who wanted independence from Britain and those who wanted to stay in the Union

Who was the failure of the First Home Rule bill a setback for?

Parnell and the Home Rule bill movement, as Parnell was not in good health

What did Parnell believe threatened the stability of the Home Rule movement?

Agrarian unrest in rural Ireland and the subsequent 'plan for campaign'

How had the Conservatives strengthened the Home Rule movement?

The policy of coercion and vain attempts to discredit Parnell's reputation

What remained an important part of Parnell's Home Rule strategy?

Alliance with the Liberals

What were Gladstone and Parnell in by 1889?

Serious talks to discuss future plans for Home Rule

When was Parnell rebuffed by Salisbury?

When in 1886 he put forward two proposals to Parliament to ease the distress of the Irish tenants, who were suffering continued effects of the agricultural depression

In Ireland what was a 'plan of campaign' seized by?

Seized on by two Nationalist MPs, John Dillon and William O'brien in December 1886

What was the plan of campaign by Nationalist MPs, John Dillon and William O'Brien?

All the tenants of one landlord would act together to refuse to pay the high rents demanded and give support to anyone who was evicted as a result- it was almost a re-run of the land wars

What did the split of the Liberals over Home Rule allow for Salisbury to do?

Form a second government after the general election in July 1886

What did Salisbury enter office determined to give Ireland?

A 'resolute government'

During Salisbury's minority government in the previous year what did he appear to be considering?

Some form of home rule for Ireland but he was a only playing along to gain Parnell's support

What had Gladstone dealt with Ireland with?

A policy of coercion and conciliation hand-in-hand

What did Salisbury believe the government had gone too soft on?

Ireland and he adopted a hard-line policy from the start, planning to use tough action to real with the perpetrators of the violence and unrest

According to Salisbury when would it become appropriate to address the problems of Irish grievances?

Once Salisbury had used tough action to deal with the perpetrators of the violence and unrest

What there main lines of policy did Salisburys pragmatic approach to Home Rule lead him to do?

- Firmness, through Coercion Acts to deal with anyone who resisted paying due rents
- 'Killing Home Rule with kindness' through a number of Land Purchase Acts between 1886 and 1905
- Attacking Parnell's reputation

What was the idea behind the programme of land purchase acts between 1886 and 1905?

That it would satisfy the Irish tenants by enabling them to buy land on favourable terms and thus weaken support for Home Rule

Who did Salisbury splint as Secretary for Ireland in 1887?

His nephew Arthur Balfour

What did Balfour as Secretary for Ireland first introduce?

A generous Land Act in July 1887 to demonstrate to the Irish tenants the Government's desire to address their main grievance

What did Balfour land act in July 1887 improve on?

Gladstone's act of 1881 and allowed for further rent review

What did Balfour follow his land act of July 1887 up with?

A new crimes act to outlaw the plan of campaign, giving police and magistrates special powers to deal with troublemakers

What happened when violence escalated sign a riot in Mitchelstown in September 1887?

The police shot and killed three of the demonstrators

What did Balfours policy of coercion-the crimes act 1887 propose?

- Boycotting, intimidation and resisting eviction were illegal
- Incitement to commit an act was illegal
- Examinations by magistrates could be made in private oath
- Trial could be held away from the area where acts were committed
- Any organisation could be made illegal with immediate effect
- Punishment was six months' hard Labour with right to appeal

What was Balfour nicknamed because of his tough measures introduced?

'Bloody Balfour'

What was there shock at the imprisonment of?

A well-known Irish poet, Wilfrid Blunt, for flouting the new law

What happened to violence and rents under Balfour?

Violence subsided and rent paid

What did Balfour do in 1890?

Relaxed the crimes act and tried to inject a rescue plan to deal with distress and unemployment by introducing public works

What Board did Balfour set up?

The Congested Districts Board that gave grants for industrial development in overpopulated western areas

What was constructed when Balfour was Secretary for Ireland?

Light railways opening up remote parts of the country

How did Balfour further reward the Irish peasantry?

With further financial assistance for the voluntary land purchase scheme

What was set aside in 1891 to guarantee tenants' loans for buying land?

£33 million was set aside

By the 1890s how were conditions improving in Ireland?

Prices were rising again, lower rents and more peasant proprietors

In 1890 how did Parnell fall from grace?

When he was embroiled in a divorce scandal and Gladstone stated he would withdraw Liberal support for Home Rule unless Gladstone resigned

How did Parnell respond to Gladstone's ultimatum that he would withdraw Liberal support for Home Rule unless Parnell resigned?

Parnell refused and created a bitter split in the party, but suddenly died a few months later

What did the Times newspaper suggest in several articles about Parnell?

That he was involved in inciting violence in Ireland

What did the Times print supposedly written by Parnell?

A forged letter

How did Parnell respond to the Times forged letter?

He vigorously denied the accusation

When was Parnell cleared?

When a special commission early in 1890 investigated the case and the forger was uncovered, that Parnell was cleared

Why was Parnell's triumph of his clearing of the Times forged letter shortly lived?

As a few months later he was named a co-respondent in Captain O'Sheas divorce from his wife Kitty

What happened to the Home Rule campaign after Parnell's involvement in the O'Shea divorce case?

The campaign was severely jeopardised

Who did the O'Shea affair upset?

Catholic Church and weakened its support for Home Rule

What did Gladstone refuse to do?

Work with the Irish Nationalists as long as Parnell stayed as leader

Who was Captain O'Shea?

An MP in Parnell's party

What had Captain O'Sheas wife been doing for several years?

Secretly living with Parnell for several years and they had children together

What is it inconceivable about Captain O'Shea in the affair?

That he was unaware of the relationship and in any case the O'Sheas had lived apart before Parnell and Kitty met

What does O'Sheas motive for divorce appear to have been?

To get a share of his wife's fortune

What did the public know nothing of?

Parnell's private life

When the news broke to the Victorian public about Parnell's affair how did they react?

They were scandalised and Parnell's reputation was ruined

When did Parnell die?

His health was broken and he died in October 1891

When Parnell refused to resign what did it lead to?

A split in the Nationalist party throughout the 1890s, between the Parnellites and the majority who followed a new leader, Justin McCarthy

Who picked up the leadership of the minority Parnellite Nationalists after Parnell's death?

John Redmond

Who were the majority of the Nationalists led by?

Justin McCarthy who had been Parnell's right-hand man

How did the Nationalists remain for the rest of the 1890s?

Utterly demoralised, quarrelled constantly and remained divided

What election did Gladstone return to power?

1892