Irish Home Rule Flashcards
Outline the timeline of key events in the attempt of Home Rule
1886 - Gladstone’s first HR bill fails
1892-3- Gladstone’s second attempt HR bill fails
1910- INP holds balance of power in House of Commons
1911- Parliament act
1912 - Third HR bill
1912-13 Ulster crisis - Ireland on brink of civil war
March 1914 - Curragh Mutiny
1914 - Irish Question suspended for duration of war
How did the Liberal government fall in 1886?
Debates about the HR bill split the party
How keen were the Liberals for Home Rule in 1906?
- Liberals were determined not to allow Irish affairs dominate their admin
- not abandoned but not primary objective
- gov not dependant on their support
- HR never aroused much support/ interest in English electorate
Why did Bannerman and Asquith fear Home Rule 1906?
They feared that HR would provoke a constitutional crisis that might result in the loss of majority at the general election
Outline why the Constitutional Crisis put Home Rule at the top of the Liberal agenda
Jan 1910 election saw Libs lose majority in commons
- INP held balance of power
- followed passing of parliament act 1911
- deprived H of L power to veto legislation
- HR at top of political agenda
- John Redmond based his support for gov on assurance that HR would be a priority
- > made it clear that if HR remained on the shelf Irish would disrupt gov
Why did Asquith support Home Rule 1910 and what were the consequences of it?
- Didn’t want to risk calling Redmond’s bluff
- Liberals became committed to HR
- Asquith knew he would face fanatical opposition in Ulster + Unionist (cons) in GB
Outline the terms of the 3rd Home Rule Bill?
- Irish parliament with an elected H of C + senate with limited powers + restricted in financial affairs
- 42 MP’s sit at westminster
- Ulster to be included in new HR parliament
Why was the 3rd Home Rule Bill unacceptable?
To Redmond it was too little, for Unionists it was unacceptable because of inclusion of Ulster
Was the 3rd Home Rule bill passed?
It was passed in the commons in Jan 1913, but reversed by the H of L. By Aug 1913, the bill passed once more through commons but rejected by the peers.
- Sir Edward Carson would accept excluding 9 counties in Ulster -> impossible for Redmond
Outline Unionist resistance to Home Rule
Sept 1912 - Solemn League + Covenant -> Over 470k people signed
Jan 1913 - Ulster Volunteer Force set up -> 100k men
- Irish Nationalist Volunteers set up to counter
Dec 1913 - Asquith banned importation of arms/ammo to Ireland (by Royal Proclamation)
What was the Curragh Mutiny?
Ulster volunteers encouraged to arm themselves.
April 1914 - series of landings of armaments along Ulster coast
- no interference from authorities -> Ulster volunteers transformed to a well armed + formidable army
June 1914 - guns for Nationalists in Dublin but authorities intervened
How was Home Rule resolved?
Constitutional conference - Buckingham palace 21 July 1914
Discussions broke down at first stage
WW1 overtook HR
