Ireland 1790 1921. How different groups viewed the division of Ireland.

Parliamentary Nationalists:

Parliamentary Nationalists believe they can gain a united Ireland by using peaceful methods.  They began their peaceful campaign in the 19th century and in the 1829 Daniel O’Conner persuaded the British Government to allow Catholics to become MP’s. In 1885 Charles Stewart Parnell led the Nationalist Party of MP’s to Westminster and then in 1886 the Home Rule Bill was debated for the first time in Parliament but was then thrown out.  In 1893 the Home Rule was debated again but thrown out but in 1912 the Home Rule Bill was yet gain sent to parliament  and in 1914 was finally passed.  However it was postponed until the end of WW1. Most people thought it would be over by Christmas of that year when infact it lasted for 4 years. After the war a settlement was agreed and Ireland was separated and became Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Unionists:

The Unionists want to stay a part of the UK and have had a much more successful history. In 1793 the Orange Order was established, the orange order is still around today and is most famous for its marches. Also with the Industrial revolution, the unionists became very rich. In 1886 the UUP was established because of fear of home rule being passed. They were relieved when the Home Rule bill had been thrown out.  In 1912 a solemn covenant was signed by 400,000, this was a promise to refuse Home Rule. They also set up the Ulster Volunteers which had more than 100,000 men.

British Government:

The British Government’s view on Northern Ireland changed depending on who was in power, usually when a Liberal government was in power they were more likely to side with the Nationalists. However if the Whigs were in power they were likely to side with the unionists. After the war ended there was a general election and the Liberals came into power.  The British lost control of the South but protestants in the North enabled them to their hold on the North.

In 1921 Ireland was divided into to two; Northern Ireland, ruled by the UK and the Republic of Ireland ruled by themselves.  The Parliamentary Nationalists would have been happy with the divide because although they didn’t have a whole united Ireland it was the closest thing they were going to get.  They also believed that they would be able through time to gain control of Northern Ireland, however this has never happened. Revolutionary Nationalists although they would be mildly happy about gaining control of the south, they would still be upset as they wanted the whole of Ireland and they knew they would never gain control of it. Unionists would have been deeply upset by the loss of the south; they did everything they could to keep the whole of Ireland part of the UK. However at least with Northern Ireland being a separate country they were no longer the minority but the majority. The British Government would be upset that they lost Ireland and the money they got from it but they would still be happy that the violence was solved for a short while.  However when the government changed their views would change because the Whigs desperately wanted Ireland o stay under British Control no matter what.