P5 - Ireland part 1

Tension in 1851

-Irish saw themselves as different as Br controlled Irish gov and had no say

-religious tensions - most were Catholic but Ireland protestant

-land ownership

• Potato famine 1948 - 1 million died

Fenian Movement

“Irish brotherhood Movement”:

-Stephens and Moloney were young Irish exiles in the US

-Militant group (violent) of nationalists who wanted the repeal of union with BR

-funded by the wealthier for the movement, and got support in Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow

didn’t get much support in Ireland as did not get the backing of Irish catholic church + many didn’t want a rebellion

Fenian activity

1866 - invaded Canada (Br colony) to try cause tension with BR and USA - failed

1867 - rising in England and Ireland - short term failure, but BR gov treatment to them aroused sympathy

-Thomas Kelly (Fenian) Kidnaped in London In September 1867 led to death of a police officer+ execution of 3 ring leaders ( Manchester Martyrs)

-Bombings at Clerkenwell prison to rescue another Fenian failed as a row of flats were destroyed and people killed

Gladstone - 1868

Became PM and knew he couldn’t ignore the Irish issue

-”Mission to pacify Ireland”

-His religious principles guided him to seek to achieve basic freedoms and fair treatment for Irish Catholics

1870 - Irish Church Act

Disestablishment and disendowment of the Church

-Anglicanism no longer the official religion of Ireland, and could no longer charge tax (tithes) so lost a quarter of its property and wealth

• fuelled future reform, and suggested violence was key to Fenians

• HoL (Conservative dominant) and Queen Victoria opposed initially but Disraeli saw little point opposing

1870 - Irish Land act (First)

-Designed to solve the problem of unfair treatment of rural population by absentee landlords (leasers mainly in BR) and the damage to the economy of subletting

-Gladstone didn’t fully get involved due to Laisse faire belief

-based on an Ulster system (Ulster Custom), giving tenants more rights and encouraged them to make improvements to the land

Land act Focuses

-Idea of fair rent had been established but subjective and undefined

-Compensation given to tenants for improvements or evicted or they moved

-cant be evicted if rent paid

-tenants can sell lease as long as landlords approved

-Loans available for Irish to buy rented land from gov loans

tenants still poor and oppressed

1870 - Coercion act

Response to the unrest over the land act

-gave police more power to arrest and imprison ppl

took away trust the Irish had of Gladstone and hope

DEC 1870 - released Fenians from prison

1873 - University act

Attempt to create Unis in Dublin for Catholics + Protestants

-rejected in HOC due to objections by both extremist religions

led to Gladstones gov resigning, with the loss of election in 1874

Disraeli 1874 - 1880

passed no legislation for Ireland as was focused on social reform and foreign policy

-Home rule idea developing, as in 1874 59 Home rule MPs elected showing the issue of wanting greater freedom. Had 105 Irish MPs in total

Home rule party

Wanted Constitutional nationalism, getting Home rule peacefully

-Leader “Butt” lacked charisma to keep the issue going in the HOC

Once “Butt” died he got replaced by Parnell in 1875 with a by-election

Land League

Michael Davitt (Fenian) created it in 1879 due to:

-bad harvests , made so ppl couldn’t pay rents and were evicted

-fear another famine in 1877

-American grain flooded the market and decreased Irish grain price

Land league aims

Was a pressure group wanting to achieve the 3F’s:

-Fixed tenure - can’t be evicted as long as rent paid

-fair rent

-Freedom to sell their interest in land

tactics

-Arson , murders occurred, but the more common was threatening letters, withholding rent + boycotting from landlords who unfairly evicted tenants or rent rackers

General Boycott - copied this idea, with local ppl would not cooperate or would work with/trade with Lords, agents, rent grabbers

Charles Parnell

led land league in 1879 + Irish Parliamentary Party in 1880

-ensured the land issue remained at the forefront of BR politicians

• used tactics like filibustering and obstructionism

New Departure

Began in Irish politics, with the Feinains and land league campaigning outside of Parliament and Parnell + Home rule MPs

-All wanting constitutional change

Second Ministry

Gladstone’s second Ministry 1880-85:

-Knew he can’t ignore the increasing violence of Land League

-Adopted a policy of coercion + reform - carrot and stick

Coercion act 1881

To Deal with the tactics of the land league, Chief Secretary of Ireland - Forster:

-Can hold ppl of the suspicion of intimidations

Davitt and other land League members arrested, led to Parnell to complain in the HOC that he go expelled

act had passed after a filibustering of 41 hours

Second Land act - 1881

Addressed the 3Fs

took 58 reading in the commons to pass. Shows Gladstones determination

• fixed tenure

• fair rent - fixed by a land court and for 15 years

• Freedom to sell their interests

-Parnell thought his tactics were working, and some radical members in Parliament though it wasn’t enough

Parnell arrest

Due to continued violence of the Land league, Parnell arrested under the Coercion act

-turned him into a martyr , and violence increased

Kilmainham treaty

Gladstone agreed with Parnell of his release, on the condition Parnell tried to eliminate violence of the Land League

-still determined to get a measure of political independence for Ireland

-promised tenants who fell behind rent won’t be evited

Irish sec “Forster” resigned as hePj= disagreed with concession, and was replaced by Lord Cavendish

Phoenix Park murders

Not orchestrated by Parnell of land league but the “Invincibles”

-hacked Cavendish and Burke (second in command) to death

Convinced the BR ppl that the Irish Nationalist were savage. Made it as tho Parnell was losing control of his party.

Tougher Coercion acts were passed

Irish Parliamentary Party / Irish nationalist party

Gladstone held secret talks with Parnell, and was convinced Parnell had been converted to change his policy

-Parnell disciplined to create a effective independent Irish party, that would back any side moving to Home rule

Influenced Gladstone to in 1890

June 1885 - Conservatives

Lord Salisbury took office with a minority gov

They maintained Irish support with 2 concessions:

-Coercion ended

-Land Purchase act provided £5 million to allow more tenants to buy holdings

November 1885 - election

Parnell called for the Irish to vote conservative as though Salisbury might back Home rule

-Salisbury played along to win the election and had no intention for it as he opposed Home rule due to:

• fear empire break

• Ulster voted conservatives

• fear of civil war

• Ulster protestant dislike Catholic rule

Hawarden Kite

Dec 1885 - Gladstone had converted to Home rule

-He became PM after Salisbury resignation due to losing a vote on the Queen’s speech. No election was called so Gladstone PM for 3rd time

Home rule Bill 1886

-Ireland run its own parliament and domestic affair, while BR run foreign, defence, external trade

-Gladstone has 313 liberals in favour, but Joe Chamberlain and 343 liberal unionists loyal to him form the radical side of the part defected

split the liberal party, and caused Conservative dominance for 20 years

Liberal Unionist

Defected group, that split from the Liberals who opposed with home rule

-feared the break up of the UK empire

-in the future, they voted with the Conservatives who opposed Home rule

Gladstone had not kept Joe Chamberlain informed with his plans of Home rule