Home Rule and World War One

The outbreak of World War One in August 1914 was perceived to push the Home Rule crisis into the background.

Impact of World War on Home Rule

Leaders like Carson and Redmond were compelled to put aside their differences regarding Home Rule.
Both pledged their support for Britain and the war due to the escalating international crisis.
Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey referred to Ireland as the "one bright spot in this very dreadful situation, " indicating a temporary peace among party leaders.

In early September, Prime Minister Asquith decided to enact the Home Rule legislation but with a Suspending Act, delaying its application until after the war.
Asquith assured that the legislation would only take effect once the Ulster question was resolved through an Amending Bill.
On September 15, 1914, the Prime Minister officially made this decision known to the House of Commons.
By September 18, the Home Rule Bill received royal assent and was scheduled for inclusion on the statute book.

Carson and Bonar Law perceived the legislative decision as a betrayal.
The opposition in the House of Commons walked out during Asquith’s announcement on September 15.
Redmond and Nationalist MPs expressed joy, believing that Home Rule was finally within grasp, fueled by optimism about a quick war resolution.
Redmond's gratitude towards the Liberal government for advancing Home Rule contributed to his call for Irish volunteers to join the British Army in the war effort.

Carson and Craig engaged with Lord Kitchener to offer a division of trained men from the Ulster Volunteers (UVF) for the British Army.
They successfully negotiated to form the 36th (Ulster) Division, allowing the UVF to function as a cohesive unit.
Recruitment for the Ulster Division was not limited to Protestants or exclusive to Ulster residents.
By October 1915, the division was sent to France and suffered significant casualties at the Battle of the Somme, with 5,500 men reported dead, wounded, or missing shortly afterward.

The connection between Ireland and Belgium, both small Catholic nations threatened by powerful neighbors, was influential.
Redmond viewed the war against Germany as justified, seeing Germany as a threat to freedom and peace.
He believed that supporting the war would prompt the British government to address the Home Rule issue, which he thought was a step towards justice for Ireland.
On August 16, Redmond appealed to Irish Volunteers from both Unionist and Nationalist backgrounds to unite for home defense.

Initially, Redmond pledged that Irish Volunteers would remain to defend Ireland; however, by September, he encouraged members of the Irish Volunteer Force (IVF) to enlist in the British Army.
In his notable speech on September 20 at Woodenbridge, Redmond called upon Volunteers to serve for Ireland and beyond.

Home Rule's enactment may have contributed to Redmond’s gratitude to the British government and prompted a change of heart.
Carson's call for Ulster Volunteers to enlist led to a rivalry and desire for Nationalists to respond in kind.
A split had emerged within the IVF concerning support for the war; some factions opposed Redmond's decisions.

MackNeill and about 11,000 extreme Nationalists broke away from Redmond's IVF, forming a faction known informally as the "Sinn Fein Volunteers."
Among this minority, radical IRB members saw the war as an opportunity to organize a rebellion against Britain.

Senior IRB figures held influential positions within the IVF and secretly orchestrated plans for rebellion while keeping most Volunteers, including MackNeill, unaware of their actions.

An overwhelming majority supported Redmond's call, leading to the formation of the National Volunteer Force (NVF) with approximately 25,000 enlisting in the British Army.
Overall, 200,000 Irishmen (including both Unionists and Nationalists) served in the British military, representing about 10% of the eligible Irish male population.

Officially, enlistees aimed to fight for small nations' freedom, though motivations varied, including adventure and employment.
Enlistment fluctuated; 43,000 men enlisted from August to December 1914, followed by 37,000 from January to August 1915.