Ireland 1884-1914 Flashcards
How many people were catholic?
77%
How many people were protestants or presbyterians?
23%
Nationalists
Catholics. Believed the nation should be united and people should govern themselves.
Radical nationalists
Many of the radical nationalists belonged to the IRB. They were willing to take extreme actions to make Ireland a republic.
Constitutional nationalists
Wanted to do things peacefully through government discussions. The largest nationalist party was the Home Rule party.
Cultural nationalists
Promoted Irish culture through songs, sport, poems ect.
Unionists
Protestants and Presbyterians, Wanted to maintain the link with Britain.
Why did unionists not want a republic?
Economic, religious, political and symbolic reasons.
Economic reasons
Fear of loosing their jobs e.g Harland and Wolf/Linen Industry.
Religious reasons
Home rule is Rome rule’ and they would be discriminated against and ruled by the pope.
Political reasons
Loss of power and land ownership.
Symbolic reasons
Planter ancestors had sacrificed and suffered.
Cultural nationalism (2)
In the late 19th and early 20th century, cultural nationalism began to emerge. They tried to stop the anglicisation of Ireland.
Cultural nationalism
The Gaelic League and The Irish Literary Revival
GAA foundation
By 1880, English sports such as cricket, soccer and rugby were very popular and were well organised with clear rules. However, Irish sports such as hurling and football were in decline and were poorly organised with unclear rules.
Who set up the GAA?
Michael Cusack
Where was the GAA set up?
Thurles, Co. Tipperary
When was the GAA set up?
1st November 1884
Why was the GAA set up?
For the “preservation and cultivation of our national pastimes”.
GAA development
Clubs were formed countrywide and worldwide, Games were organised for Sundays (previously not allowed), Playing both Gaelic sports and foreign sports was banned, New rules were agreed.
GAA problems
The IRB used GAA clubs and games as a recruiting ground for new members. As a result of this, many people left the GAA.
GAA revival
In the early 1900’s the GAA became popular again because: the IRB were not as prominent at this time, new rules appealed to people and new grounds were built e.g Jones’ road (Croke Park).
GAA impacts
Social and physical outlet for people, revived Irish sports, linked sport and nationalism, recruitment ground for Home Rule and IRB, members were involved in gaining independence in the future.
What were the political parties and organisations in Ireland in 1910?
The Irish parliamentary party, Sinn Féin, IRB and Unionist party
Irish Parliamentary Party
Constitutional nationalists, declined in popularity after the Parnellite split, but were refined under John Redmond in 1900, had little power but steady support.
What did the Irish Parliamentary Party want?
Home rule, for the king/queen of England to be the king/queen of Ireland.
Who supported the Irish Parliamentary Party?
The liberals in england
Sinn Féin
Founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith.
What did Sinn Féin want?
A dual monarchy: the king/queen of england would be king/queen of ireland, develop Irish industry by having tariffs put on goods transported internationally, achieve these things by parliamentary abstention.
IRB
The Irish Republican Brotherhood, radical nationalists
What did the IRB want?
Full independence and a republic Ireland.
What did the Unionist party want?
To retain the Act of Union and keep their strong link with Britain.
Who supported the Unionist party
Conservatives in England
The Parliamentary Act of 1911
Put into place in 1911, stated that the House of lords could not fully veto any bill but could only delay it from passing for 2 years. This meant that Home Rule was a possibility in the near future.
The Third Home Rule Bill of 1912 (b/g info)
The Home Rule Bill had been tried to be passed twice before (1886 and 1893), but had been vetoed by the House of Lords. In 1912, Herbert Asquith (the leader of the Liberals) put forward the third Home Rule Bill. Because of the Parliament Act, the bill could not be vetoed, and home rule would become a law in 1914.
What did the Third Home Rule Bill of 1912 state?
Ireland would have its own parliament in Dublin for internal affairs, Westminster would deal with foreign affairs.
Unionists actions to stop the Home Rule Bill.
Organised demonstrations and protests, signed petitions (the Ulster solemn league and Covenant was signed by 200,000 men and there was a separate declaration for women), founded the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force), started to import guns and ammunition from Germany: in April 1914, 35,000 guns and 5 million rounds of ammunition was smuggles into Ulster in the Larne gun - running.
Nationalist reaction to Unionist’s opposition
Eoin MacNeill founded the IVF (Irish Volunteer Force): in November 1913, it had almost 100,000 members, they smuggled guns and ammunition into Howth from Germany, but much less.
World War 1 and the Home Rule Bill
On August 4th 1914, Britain declared war on Germany, which began world war 1. The Home Rule Bill became a law on the 8th of September, but was immediately suspended because of the war.
The split in the IVF during WW1
Carson and the Unionists supported the British war efforts and encouraged people to join the war, John Redmond of the Irish Parliamentary Party asked IVF members to join the British Army, as he hoped this would benefit Ireland with Home Rule negotiations after the war. The IVF was split on whether to support Britain or not. People thought the war would be short but it ended up lasting 4 years.b
