Ireland (1798-1885) Flashcards
What does the ‘Irish Question’ refer to?
The set of political, economic, social and strategic issues that impacted anglo-Irish relations
When did Wolfe Tone’s Irish rebellion happen
1798
When was the formation of the Catholic Association?
1824
When was the County Clare election?
1828
When was the Great Famine
1845-9
When was the Young Ireland Rising
1848
When was the Irish Republican Brotherhood (The Fenians) founded in the USA
1858
When did the Fenian outrages in Britain, Ireland and Canada occur
1866-7
When did Butt form the Irish Home Govt Association
1870
When did the Irish obstruction process in the commons start?
1871
When was the Irish Land League formed
1879
When did Parnell become leader of the Irish Nationalist Party
1880
When were the Phoenix Park murders
1882
Why was the June 1885 GE significant for the Irish Home Rule Party
Because they held the balance of power in the commons after the election
Explain the system of tithes in Ireland
A tax payable to the church based on 1/10 of your property; usually paid in kind with things like animals from the land. Very unpopular
How did the majority of Irish see the English in 1798
As alien colonisers trying to exploit them
Describe the dominance of the Protestant minority class in 1798
Controlled the political system and owned more than 95% of the land and much of the limited industrial wealth
Where did the dissenters live
The North East
How did the govt respond following fears that their Irish colony might go the same way as their American colonies
They relaxed some of the stronger restrictions. Some Catholics were allowed to vote and it was easier for them to buy land by the end of the 18th century. However, many Irish felt resentful that they were being allowed by the english to buy land in their own country
What unrest occured between 1760-80 to perhaps prompt the British govt into later reforms
Agrarian violence, particularly from a group known as the Witeboys, who made some savage attacks against landlords. The govt respond with a series of coercive measures which meant the death penalty for the most serious forms of protests
Factors contributing to the outbreak of rebellion in 1798
Many saw the voting and land reforms as inadequate
The French Revolution and its principles of liberty and equality inspired many
Hatred of rule by aliens
Strong flavour of Catholics vs Protestants and the poor Irish vs the rich English
Which revolutions had Tone been inspired by
American and French
What Tone want France to do
Invade Ireland as part of their war against England
Describe how the 1798 rebellion failed
The French fleet failed to land troops and weapons due to poor weather and seamanship and the rising died out after a brief skirmish known as the Battle of Vinegar Hill. The govt passed laws that allowed imprisonment without trial. Many English thought the Irish had acted treasonably by helping the French, but the English failed to see that this was because the Irish saw them as the enemy
What did the 1800 Act of Union do
Ended the parliament in Dublin and replaced it with a system where MPs and peers were selected in Ireland and could then represent Ireland in Westminster. These MPs would have the same power and status as all the rest
Why did Pitt and his Irish Minister Lord Castlereagh think this would solve Irish problems
Because the Irish would now have the same rights as any other UK citizen and that this would therefore end opposition to English rule. Union would lead to peace and integration
Flaws in the Act of Union
Pitt and Castlereagh indicated that CE would follow. Some suggest that this was because George III refused to sign a bill that would break his coronation oath, while other historians have suggested that the two ministers did not plan to follow through on the promise anyway
It was also unlikely that the HoL would ever pass a bill allowing catholics seats in the commons
Catholics felt betrayed and conned into the deal
Only 20% of the commons MPs were Irish and Irish problems were now being looked at from London rather than Dublin
Catholics were now a minority across the UK as a whole whereas they had been a majority within Ireland
How did resentment towards the British begin to stir again following the end of the Napoleonic Wars
Poverty was more extreme during the post war economic downturn because there was no welfare system in Ireland. They had to pay the tithe to what they felt was a London based religion. Local govt was dominated by Protestant and frequently absent English landlords. It was felt that London deprived Ireland of its fair share of wealth and trade. By 1820 they began to see the Act of Union as having been little more than an elaborate trick
When was the Catholic Committee formed
1804
What was the Catholic Committee set up to do?
Designed to protect and advance Irish interests and to gain full citizenship rights for Catholics. The govt repressed this in 1811 but the idea of a united front against british rule was born again
What was the objective of the Catholic Association
To end all discrimination against Roman Catholics
Who led that Catholic Association
Daniel O’Connell
The support of which institution made the Catholic Association more significant that previous groups
The RCC
What did the CA do after the govt tried to oppress it in 1825
Reformed and still managed to attain their main objective
Why did CE not get through despite being cleared by the commons in 1825
Because it was blocked by a HoL consisting of Tories and CoE supporters
Which party would O’Connell go on to form once he had become an MP
The Irish Party
What did O’Connell’s Irish Party do?
Successfully campaigned for tariff reform and brough down Peel’s govt in 1835 following the Lichfield House Compact. Important in maintaining the Whigs in power after 1835. Led the campaign for the repeal of the Act of Union in the 1840s
Got the London govt to reform Irish local govt and stop the payment of tithes
What organisation had O’Connell founded in 1840
The Repeal Association
What was the Repeal Association actively committed to doing
Repealing the Act of Union and setting up a separate Irish parliament
How did Peel respond to the agitation of O’Connell?
O’Connell was arrested in 1844
Peel put forward reforms to pacify the growing Catholic middle class in areas such as landlord-tenant relations, Catholic education and the education of Catholic Priests
The emergence of the Young Ireland movement showed that Peel wasn’t totally successful
What was Young Ireland
A radical group of nationalists founded in 1842
How did divisions split Young Ireland
Split between those who wanted to work with O’Connell and others who saw him as too moderate and those who wanted to use violence and those who did not. Division was often a reason that campaigns like this were unsuccessful
How did the Great Famine raise nationalist sentiment
They felt bitter and abandoned by the fact that the richest country in the world seemed to have done little to help
How did Irish MPs fare following the 1852 GE
At least 40 of the Irish MPs backed major social and economic reform. This group formed the Independent Irish Party from 1850-9. However, they were divided between those who were willing to work under British rule to improve things and those who were not. For instance, two Irish Mps, Keogh and Sadlier joined the Whig-Peelite coalition led by Aberdeen (1852-5)
Describe how unity among Irish opposition groups improved in the 1850s
The Irish Tenant League was set up in 1850 by Charles Duffy, determined to gain for Catholic Irish tenants the same tenure rights enjoyed by the English and the Protestant in the North
The Catholic Defence Association was then founded in 1851 and it allied with the Irish Tenant League. It was the linking of such pressure groups that gave anti union sentiment such force
What had many of the key figures in the IRB also been a part of
The Young Ireland Rising of 1848
Who was the key figure in the IRB
James Stephens
What were the objectives of the IRB
Aimed to overthrow English rule, by violence if necessary. It had no social or economic programme, just wanted to set up a free Irish Republic separate from English rule
Where did the IRB embark on their campaign of violence
The USA, Canada and Britain
When did the IRB begin to decline
1867
When was Parnell elected an MP
1875
What did Parnell do as an MP
Support a policy of violence and obstructionism in order to achieve home rule. Became president of the Nationalist Party in 1877. His approval of and involvement with the Land League led to his imprisonment in 1881
Why did the economic downturn in the 1870s lead to renewed home rule calls
Because England was seen as the cause of the economic problems and therefore the social distress
Why was the system of land tenure in the south of Ireland particularly hated
Because it gave landlords (usually Protestant, English and absent) much greater control over their tenants than was the case elsewhere
Which two powerful PGs joined forces in the 1870s
Charles Stuart Parnell’s Home Rule League and Michael Davitt’s Irish Land League
What did some of the legisaltion from G’s first ministry do for Ireland
Removed some of the worst grievances, but the official opinion in England went too far, believe that this legislation had sorted the problem of Ireland
Why was the Ballot Act the Gladstonian legislation that perhaps had the greatest impact for the Irish
Because it enabled the Irish to vote freely without fear of eviction by their pro-union landlords. In 1874 there were therefore a large group of Irish MPs committed to home rule
Who led the Home Rule Party
Initially led by Butt, who favoured a federal solution to the Irish Problem, with an Irish devolved parliament with substantial powers . Parnell, a more dynamic and charasmatic leader, replaced him in 1880, with William Shaw the leader between them
How did Parnell give a boost to the home rule movement
Used obstructionist tactics to force the issue into the view of the commons. Worked closely with the leaders of the Land League to make sure that every tactic was used, from peaceful protest through boycotting landlords and violence to ensure that land reform was successful
With what piece of legislation were the demands for land reform mostly met
The 1881 Land Act
Why was the June 1885 GE so positive for Parnell and the Home Rule League
Because he held the balance of power in British politics and nearly every Irish seat was held by a committed nationalist
What did the 1881 Land Act do?
Gladstone’s 1881 Land Act, also known as the Irish Land Act of 1881, was a significant piece of legislation aimed at addressing the issues of land ownership and tenant rights in Ireland. The act introduced the concept of the “dual ownership” of land, recognizing the rights of both landlords and tenants. It established fair rent commissions to determine reasonable rents for tenant farmers, provided security of tenure, and allowed tenants to sell their interest in leases. Additionally, the act aimed to reduce evictions by providing compensation to tenants who were unjustly evicted. While it did not fully satisfy the demands of Irish nationalists, the Land Act of 1881 marked a significant step towards land reform and the improvement of tenant conditions in Ireland.
