How effectively did Irish Catholic and nationalist leaders advance their cause in the years 1801 – 1921?

In 1800 Catholics were persecuted under the Penal Laws they could not vote, sit in Parliament or hold public office this was unusual because this persecution affected 6/7 of the majority of the Island. Nationalist leaders set out to change status quo. Wolf Tone stated, “Ireland is for the Irish” through this nationalism was born. There are two predominate strands of Nationalism throughout this period in Irish history. Constitutional nationalism, which was to work within the British Parliamentary system in achieving an Irish self-governing body, which would deal with Irish domestic leaving Foreign affairs to Westminster known as Home Rule, leaders such as O’ Connell, Parnell and Redmond are commonly known as constitutional nationalists. Republican Nationalists felt differently in methods in achieving Home Rule. Republicans felt that working within British politics would achieve nothing so Republicans turned to violence to achieve their aims such as Wolf Tone and the Patriots, Mitchell/Stephens and the Fenians, Collins/De Valera and the IRA all these Republican leaders setting up paramilitary organisations to achieve their aims however which strand of Nationalism proved to be more effective in achieving their cause?

Daniel O’ Connell a professional Barrister set out to advance the Catholic cause. The British government seen Catholic’s as a threat and felt loyalty lay with their Catholic Pope rather than the Hanoverian dynasty, O’ Connell set out to change this with setting up the Catholic Association in Dublin to mass an Emancipation campaign. Britain offered a quick concession of a “veto” yet O’ Connell rejected stating, “20 years have passed and we are still slaves”. O’ Connell stepped up his campaign by famously introducing “Catholic Rent”, which created strong connections with Irish peasantry. O’ Connell, the Association and the Catholic Church in 1828 ran and won the County Clare Election however O’ Connell could not sit in parliament forcing the Duke of Wellington, to change the law thus granting Catholic Emancipation. O’ Connell had now opened the opportunities for Catholic’s to gain posts in the Civil service however high middle Catholics would only benefit because MP’s were not paid at this time, nonetheless it was name as “one of the greatest bloodless revolutions”. O’ Connell’s long-term aim was to repeal the Act Of Union. He never proved successful. A ‘tithe war’ broke out in the 1830’s, which created unrest in the Irish peasantry on refusal of paying Tithes to the Anglican Church, which they did not belong. Another reason O’ Connell never gave in any detail what would replace the union, which lead to confusion in Ireland and the Whig government found restoring law and order in Ireland was their main priority. O’ Connell worked within the British constitution to advance his cause. O’ Connell’s main achievement was “Catholic Emancipation” however he did fail on repealing the Act of Union nevertheless the significance of Emancipation was to set the foundations of Irish Nationalist leadership in years to come.

In 1845 “the Great Famine” had begun. All the Irish crops had become disease and became uneatable. The situation in Ireland was starvation. From 1845-50 millions died or immigrated to America. The nationalist cause was non-existence in this period because of the current situation. The Famine did highlight the fundamental flaws in British leadership, which helped the Nationalist cause. In 1850 John Mitchell a Protestant after the 1848 rebellion set up a Republican organisation the Young Irelanders who set out to “get the British out of Ireland” his campaign was a failure on the whole. Nationalist leadership was difficult ...

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Charles Stewart Parnell had taken over from the relatively unsuccessful Isaac Butt. Butt set up the Home Rule association in 1870 in Dublin in aims for advancing the Nationalist cause of Home Rule.

Parnell was elected as leader of the IPP in 1880, although a constitutionalist, he was also President of Land League, which was notorious for its use of violence. This plan fully capitalised on the importance of land in Ireland, both historically and politically because inevitably ownership featured in all discussions for Irelands future. Michael Davit an ex-prisoner arranged the famous meeting between himself, John Devoy and Parnell. Here they came to an agreement on tenet Rights and self-government. Gladstone the British Prime Minister pushed through the land bill, which granted Irish tenets rights Parnell, was the “uncrowned King” of Ireland. However Parnell was discovered to be living with a married woman the Church denounced him along with Gladstone in retired in 1889 and later died 1891.

Although the first two bills had been defeated in the House of Commons and the House of Lords respectively, they were seriously flawed pieces of legislation that would have probably hindered the peace process. However, most people were beginning to realise some form of devolution was necessary in Ireland, just as Gladstone had done in the early 1880s. The fact that these two Bills actually got this far bears testimony to the fact that people were beginning to debate how a Home Rule Bill should be composed, not whether there should be one. The Third Home Rule Bill seemed to confirm to Nationalists that Ireland’s day had come; it looked like a lasting settlement to the question of Ireland. Unlike the first two bills, it was a well thought out piece of legislation. Parnell had achieved what O’ Connell or any Republican movement before him i.e. Fenians and Young Irelanders had dreamed off. Parnell’s had got Home Rule through Parliament however it was to be rejected by the House of Lords. Parnell had came to his peak he had achieved so much for the nationalist caused through the British parliamentary procedure however 1889 Parnell was found to having an affair with Kitty O Shea Gladstone and the Catholic church both condemn him, which ended his career he later dies in 1891. Parnell had achieved so much for the nationalist cause until 1888 he was considered a nationalist hero he had brought Home Rule to the brink however IPP was in ruins after his death until the leadership of Redmond.

Constitutional Nationalists in the 19th century were the main beneficiaries to Home Rule and the Nationalist Republicans although existed however never had a real voice or direction until the 20th Century.

A new strand of Nationalist had been discovered in Ireland, which was Cultural Nationalism this was forgetting about politics and concentrating on being on the Irish heritage. This Gaelic revival did start until the late 19th century and were concerned about Irish sports, Irish culture and Irish language it is still present in Ireland today.

Home Rule under new Irish nationalist leadership entered dangerous territories. Redmond an Irish nationalist leader became chief of the pro-Parnell group in 1900. When the Liberals came to power in Britain in 1905, Redmond had no choice but to support them even though the policy they then advocated was one of “devolution” or merely administrative Home Rule for Ireland. He gave them particularly strong support in their effort to limit the power of the House of Lords, which strongly opposed Home Rule this Passage of the Parliament Act of 1911, which allowed the House Of Lords to delay any bill for two years, made feasible the introduction (1912) of the third Home Rule Bill. Redmond in astounding position in 1912 found that Liberals and Unionists were in a hung parliament. Redmond effectively could choose Britain’s new Prime Minister. Redmond “advancing the nationalist cause” by achieving its fundamental goal set by the Republican Wolf Tone and his organisation the Patriots was able to strike a deal that Redmond and Home Rule party would give their 84 seats to the Liberals in exchange for Home Rule. H.H. Asquith agreed to the deal making him Prime Minister got the Third Home Rule through Parliament and the House of Lords would delay it for two on basis of principle, theoretically in 1914 Home Rule would be fact. Redmond in effect had taken the “Irish nationalist cause” to the hilt and achieved what no ever before him or after him could that was Home Rule for all 32 countries which would be effect by 1914. However Redmond like all Nationalist leaders under estimated Ulster. Ulster wanted to remain loyal to Britain. Ulster now had two years to change status quo. Edward Carson a Dublin Barrister was the leader of Irish Ulster Parliamentary Party he mobilised the resistance of Protestants against Home Rule setting up the Irish Volunteers Force IVF threatened to fight to remain in Britain. William Craig a rich whiskey brewer allied himself with Carson and funded the IVF. The Liberals found that they had under estimated Ulster and were in a serious dilemma. However the out break of World War took priority and the Liberals to ease the tension promised, Redmond Home Rule after the war and told Carson there would be no Home Rule he wanted both of them to concentrate on the war effort.

In 1916 the Irish Brotherhood felt that they would advance the Irish cause. They felt Home rule was taking to long so Tom Clarke, Sean Mc Dermott, Patrick Pearse and James Connolly all highly educated men took to Dublin castle and declared Ireland as a Republic. Britain dumbfounded by this ordered British soldiers to put down the uprising. The Irish people did not support this rebellion until the British shot all twelve key figures over twelve days. The public out cry was so great that it improved the nationalist caused. This is the first example that Irish people have given support in the polls to Republicism. Sinn Fein with its leader Eamon De Valera set out to “remove the British from Ireland” Wolf Tones nationalist concept 1798. De Valeria imprisoned and then broke out and went to America to gain nationalist support. Anglo – Irish war broke out in Ireland from 1918-1920 this war was directed by Michael Collin an army commander an excellent stagiest. Sinn Fein set up parliament in the Doyle directly defying the British known as Government of Ireland. From 1916 Republican nationalists achieved a lot more than constitutional nationalists in that in the Anglo – Irish war De Velar in 1920 was able to set up negations with British Prime Minister. Lloyd George Prime Minister would never held these negotiations if it hadn’t been for the Anglo-Irish war. De Valera voted by the Irish people to serve the Irish sent O’ Connell to the negations with Arthur Griffith founded of Sinn Fein 1907. O’ Connell achieved what was known as “Dominion Status” for 26 country’s. Ireland had complete control over 26 countries and had to remain loyal to the King. William Craig also at the negotiations wanted the whole Ireland to remain to Britain yet he negotiated 6 counties that were under direct control from Britain. The nationalist cause ignored the British parliamentary system from 1916 –1921 yet ironically it achieved Home Rule for 26 countries. The reality was no one got what they wanted. The nationalist cause advanced Sinn Fein and key figures such as Michael Collins and Eamon De Valera who were described by Lloyd George “trying to put up mercury with a fork”.

The history of the nationalist cause is a complex issue. The nationalist cause had been lead on two main fronts Constitutional Nationalism and Republican Nationalism yet with out one or the other I feel partition in 1921 would never of happened. The 19th Century, seen Nationalist leaders working within the British parliamentary system, yet Nationalism under a new banner of Republicism now in the 20th Century abandoned such methods seeking Home Rule. Parnell and Redmond had worked with the British parliamentary system and on both occasions were rejected by the House of Lords Ireland found that new extremes were needed. Nationalism is stages through out Ireland’s history and through out each stage one man has developed the nationalist cause thus bringing it further to its fundamental goal, Home Rule.