Home rule movement

One of the movements during the time of Irish emancipation after the formation of the Union in 1800, a time in which two questions emerged: a struggle for land or national independence. Furthermore, it was an important question whether to follow a constitutional and parliamentary or a revolutionary and conspiratorial way and to what degree the Catholic Church should be involved.

The Home Rule Movement focused mainly on the question of national independence and political self-government and at first not very much on the struggle for land, since the situation of a number of tenants improved, also due to the first Land Act (1870) initiated by William Ewart Gladstone who tried to pacify Ireland by reforms. Furthermore, this movement, founded by Isaac Butt in 1870, was a movement which intended to win independence once again by constitutional means after the Tenant League in the 1850s and their aim of the “three Fs” failed and led to doubts about constitutional methods. However, since the revolutionary way by the Fenian movement also failed as its leaders were arrested for conspiracy, Isaac Butt intended a compromise of a subordinate parliament that would give Ireland the right to control domestic affairs, but national and international affairs would remain in the hands of the government in London. Since this compromise seemed more realistic than complete independence, it was not only supported by the main Catholic middle class, but also by some of the influential Fenians. The Home Rule Movement therefore became a coalition of all Irish religious and political groups with a majority of Protestant leadership and formed the Home Government Association (HGA).

In the first secret election in 1874 Butt´s party won more than 50% of the Irish seats and for the next five years Butt showed persuasion and patience in parliament and respected the traditions of the House of Commons. His method was to conciliate and convince, but his claim was not taken seriously by any British Party. This and the fact that those candidates of the movement were most successful who also spoke out in favour of religious education and a good solution for the tenants led to changes within the movement: on the one hand the influence of the Catholic Church became stronger and thus the Protestant influence weaker and on the other hand the radical wing of the HGA became stronger.

This radical wing was mainly represented by Charles Stewart Parnell who believed both in a constitutional and an illegal character of the organisation. In 1875 he was elected MP and exerted a policy of obstruction in parliament. This policy brought him support by converts among the Fenians, also those in America (Clan na Gael) and in addition Parnell received much financial support. Thus he unified militant radicals and constitutional nationalists. The radicalism of the movement grew after a major economic crisis in 1878/79 which threatened the population of the rural regions. This led to a partnership between Parnell and Michael Davitt, who founded the Irish National Land League. This League combined all kinds of agrarian movement nationalists and also brought the support of most Catholic parishes and a number of bishops and its task was the organisation of resistance to landlords. From this developed the “land war” (1879-82), a major mass movement. These uprisings on the one hand forced Parnell (Kilmainham Treaty) to return to the parliamentary way and to distance himself from the illegal wing and on the other hand made it obvious for statesmen from both British parties that the landlord system could not remain the same and a second Land Act (1881) was passed by Parliament.

The movement under Parnell (then National League) therefore returned to the national question and steered towards self government by act of parliament. Parnell scored a success in the election of 1885. This success made Gladstone believe that home rule was a just cause and intended to give home rule to Ireland. His Home Rule Bill in 1886 failed due to the House of Commons but he continued to fight for home rule to the end of his career in 1894 and attempted a second Home Rule Bill in 1893 which failed due to the House of Lords. The movement of Parnell, although a deep split in the party was created in the 1890s, “created conditions that prepared the way for the final stages in the struggle for independence” (see Moody 2001: 244)

Sources:

Kramer, J. (2007): Britain and Ireland - A concise history. London. Routledge.

Niedhart, G. (1996): Geschichte Englands im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. München. Verlag C.H. Beck.

Noetzel,T.(2003): Geschichte Irlands- Vom Erstarken der englischen Herrschaft bis heute. Darmstadt.Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft.

Moody T.W. (2001): "Fenianissm, Home Rule and the Land War 1850-91". In: Moody, T.W. & Martin, F.X.: The Course of Irish History. Dublin. Mercier Press, pages???.