Section 11 - Political Developments In Ireland Flashcards
Who were landlords?
Landlords were mostly descendants of english planters. They lived in big houses and rented land to ta ant farmers
Who were tenant farmers?
Tenant farmers could be quite wealthy but most were poor. They lived in single story houses and consumed mainly potatoes and milk. Tenant farmer paid rent 2 times a year on “gale days”. If a tenant farmer dos not pay rent he could be evicted.
Who were cottiers?
Cottiers were very poor. They worked for tenant farmers. Some cottiers may take an acre of land off a tenant farmer in conacre (an 11 month lease). Cottiers lived in tiny houses. They ate potatoes.
Name 2 causes of the famine.
1) The subdivision of land
2) The dependence of potatoes
What disease caused the famine?
Potato blight
Mention 3 methods that victims of the famine were helped.
1) The British PM, Sir Robert Peel imported Indian corn from America to sell cheaply to those hungry in Ireland.
2) Workhouses provided emergency aid to people. However this was a last resort because the workhouses were dull and overcrowded.
3) Soup kitchens set up by charitable organisations such as the Quakers provided bread and soup to hungry people.
Mention 3 effects of the famine.
1) About 1M people died due to diseases such as typhus and the dropsy.
2) About 1M people emigrated to UK and USA on coffin ships.
3) The subdivision of land ended. Farmers now left their land to only 1 son, forcing the others to emigrate.
Under what act was Ireland ruled by the British Parliament in Westminster?
Act of Union
Who were unionists?
Unionists wanted Ireland to remain as part of the British empire. About 25% of Irish people were unionists. Most unionists were from Ulster.
Who were nationalists?
Nationalists wanted to break free from the British empire.
Who were constitutional nationalists?
Constitutional nationalists were represented by the home rule party. They wanted Ireland to have its own parliament to deal with internal affairs while Westminster ruled over Ireland in national affairs.
Who founded the home rule party?
Isaac Butt
Who were republicans?
Republicans supported the IRB. They wanted a full Republic free from British rule entirely. They used violence to achieve their aim.
Name 2 nationalist organisations.
1) The GAA was set up to promote Irish sports such as hurling and football.
2) The Gaelic League was set up to promote the Irish language. Its first president was Douglas Hyde.
3) Sinn Fein party, founded by Arthur Griffith. He believed that Ireland should have its own parliament while the king of England continued to be the king of Ireland.
What became the home rule party’s most influential leader?
Parnell
Why did the home rule party divide?
It came to light that Parnell was having an affair with a married woman.
Who reunited the home rule party?
John Redmond.
How did the home rule part have a home rule bill introduced?
In 1910 the liberal party needed the support of Redmond’s home rule party to gain power. Redmond agreed but on the condition that the liberals have the home rule bill introduced. The liberals agreed and in 1912 the bill was passed by the House of Commons but rejected by the House of Lords. The bill was due to come into effect in 1914. Days
Mention 2 reasons why unionists didn’t want home rule.
1) They thought that they would be discriminated against by a catholic parliament. They thought home rule would be Rome rule.
2) Ulster has economically prospered under the union and they thought that home rule would ruin this prosperity.
Name two unionists who opposed home rule.
1) James Craig
2) Edward Carson
What was the solemn league and covenant?
An agreement signed by unionists to promise to fight home rule with force.
Name the army set up by Craig and Carson to fight home rule.
The Ulster defence force.
What was the name of the army set to to fight the Ulster defence force. Who set this army up?
The Irish volunteers set up by Eoin MacNeil.
What problem did workers face on 1913?
They were poorly paid and could not decent food, clothing or houses.
What was the name given to those who wanted to get workers better pay and working conditions?
Socialists such as Larkin and Connolly
How did Connolly and Larkin go about getting better wages?
They organised strikes
What is ITGWU?
The Irish transport and general workers union set up by James Larken in 1908. It was set up to get fairer working conditions and pay.
What was the Dublin Lockout?
Employers, backed by government, tried to destroy the ITGWU by refusing to let employees return to work until they left the union.
Who set up the Irish citizen army and why?
James Connolly. To protect the workers involved in the Dublin lockout from police.
How many workers were involved in the lockout?
20’000
What was the result of the lockout?
After months, workers had to give up. Larkin went to America and Connolly took over socialist activities.
Why was home rule postponed?
WWI broke out in 1914
What was the IRB’s reaction to Britain fighting WWI?
They felt that “England’s difficulty was Ireland’s opportunity”. They began to plan a rebellion on Easter Sunday of 1916.
What steps did the IRB take to prepare for the rising?
1) They persuaded James Connolly to support with his Irish citizen army
2) They tricked Eoin MacNeil into believing that the government was going to arrest leaders of the Irish volunteers so he would provide his army.
3) They sent Rodger casement to german to get arms.
How did the IRB’s plans go wrong?
1) Rodger casement was captured by the British and the arms were seized.
2) Eoin MacNeil realised that he had been tricked and so withdrew his Irish volunteer army.
When did the rising begin?
Easter Monday 21st of April 1916
How did the rising begin?
1500 men from the IRB and the Irish citizen army took over several key buildings in Dublin. James Connolly and Patrick Pearse took over the GPO. Pearse read the proclamation from the steps of the GPO.
How did the British respond to the rising?
The British responded quickly by sending artillery and soldiers into Dublin while a gunship called the Helga attacked the rebels from the Liffey.
How long did the rebels last out?
5 days
Mention 2 reasons why the rising failed?
1) The rebels were outnumbered 20 to 1.
2) The rebellion was only in Dublin which made it easy for the British to surround them
Mention 2 effects of the rising.
1) 500 were killed and 2500 were injured. Dublin was in ruins.
2) When the British began to execute the rebels public opinion changed and the public no wanted a full Republic, not just home rule.
After the rising why did Sinn Fein win the election?
1) They had been falsely accused of being behind the rising.
2) Eamon de Valera had replaced Arthur Griffith as the leader of Sinn Fein.
3) The British army wanted to impose conscription, Sinn Fein opposed conscription.
Mention 3 things the Sinn Fein did when they first got into parliament.
1) They demanded that Ireland become a full republic independent of Britain.
2) They refused to take their seats in Westminster and instead set up Dáil Éireann in Dublin.
3) They announced that they might use violence to get Ireland’s independence.
How did the British react to Sinn Fein in parliament?
They banned them from parliament.
How did the war of independence begin?
The IRA attacked a police barracks in Soloheadbeg in 1919
Name the two groups of soldiers that Britain sent to Ireland to fight the war of independence.
1) The black & tans
2) The auxiliaries
What was the name of the IRA group that used guerrilla warfare tactics against the British?
The flying columns set up by Tom Barry.
Who was in charge of the IRA’s activities?
Michael Collins
What was the name of the group of assassins that Collins set up?
The squad
How did the Black and Tans respond to the guerrilla warfare tactics employed by the IRA?
The British found it hard to deal with the tactics used by the IRA and often responded by killing civilians. For example; in 1920 they burned down the centre of cork city in response to a flying column attack at kilmichael, cork.
Mention 3 terms of the Anglo Irish treaty.
1) The 26 counties would be called the free state
2) The free state would be part of the British commonwealth so TDs would have to pledge allegiance to the king.
3) The British would be given three naval bases: 1) Lough Swilly 2) Bere Island 3) Spike Island
When the Dail debated the treaty they were deeply divided. Name the leaders of the two sides.
Collins led the pro treaty
deValera led the anti treaty
Mention two arguments put forth by Collins.
1) The treaty gave more than home rule
2) The treaty was a stepping stone to independence
Mention two arguments put forth by deValera.
1) No Irish TD should have to pledge allegiance to the king
2) The treaty did not give Ireland the Republic that it had fought and died for.
What was the name of the pro treaty army?
Regulars
What was the name of the anti treaty army?
The irregulars
How did the civil war begin?
A group of irregulars took over the four courts and were bombarded by the regulars who had guns from the British.
How did Michael Collins die?
Collins was ambushed and killed by irregulars in cork.
Why did they civil war end?
The regulars, under the control of W.T. Cosgrave had killed many irregular leaders and imprisoned 12’000 people without trial. By 1923 the regulars controlled most of the country and the irregular leaders such as deValera declared a ceasefire.
Mention 2 results of the civil war.
1) More than 900 people were killed and £30M worth of damages were caused.
2) The civil war left a lasting bitterness between the Irish people.
What party entered the Dáil Éireann after the civil war?
Cumann na nGaedheal led by W.T. Cosgrave
Mention 3 achievements of Cosgrave’s Cumann na nGaedheal government.
1) They set up the Garda to replace the RIC
2) They set up semi-state companies such as the Irish sugar company
3) They persuaded the British government to pass the statute of Westminster which allowed them to change any laws imposed on Ireland by Britain.
Mention 2 failures of the Cumann na nGaedheal government.
1) They failed to stimulate industry so unemployment remained high
2) They seemed satisfied with the British rule over Ireland and did nothing to make Ireland a republic.
What was the name of the party that deValera set up to enter parliament?
Fianna Fáil
Why were the blue shirts set up?
The blue shirts were set up to prevent Cumann na nGaedheal meeting from being disrupted by Sinn Fein supporters.
What were the blue shirts originally known as?
The army comrades association
Who organised the blue shirts into a fascist group?
Eoin O’Duffy
Mention 3 ways that the blue shirts were fascist?
1) They held military style parades
2) They were anti-communist
3) They gave fascist salutes
What was the result of the blue shirts march on Dáil Éireann?
There wasn’t a march, deValera banned it.
What government did the blue shirts join with?
The blue shirts joined with Cumann na nGaedheal to form Fine Gael.
Who was the first leader of Fine Gael?
Eoin O’Duffy but he was quickly overthrow by Cosgrave.
What led to the decline of the blue shirts?
In 1936 O’Duffy led the blue shirts into the Spanish civil war to fight for general Franco.
What caused the economic war?
Irish farmers had to pay land annuities to the British government. These were repayments of loans farmers had received to buy their land from landlords. When deValera and Fianna Fáil got into power, he stopped the payment of land annuities.
How did the British government react to deValera not paying land annuities?
They increased tax of Irish exports into Britain.
How did deValera react to Britain increasing taxes on Irish exports into Britain?
He increased taxes on British exports into Ireland.
What effect did the economic war have on farmers?
It had a bad effect on farmers because they could no longer sell cattle as exports.
What ended the economic war?
The Anglo Irish agreement of 1938. Ireland paid £10M to pay for land annuities while Britain gave back the naval bases that the Anglo Irish treaty had given them (lough swilly, Bere Island, spike island).
What was the Emergency?
The term used to describe Ireland during WWII
Why did deValera choose to take a neutral stance?
1) It saved people from suffering the effects of war
2) It showed that the country was really independent of Britain
What steps did deValera take to show neutrality?
1) Newspapers and radio broadcasts were censored so as not to support either side of the war.
2) The offences against the state act was passed which allowed 500 IRA members to be interned. 3 died on hunger strike while 6 were hanged for murder.
What did the government do to ensure the safety of the people?
1) The Irish army expanded to 250’000 men
2) A state shipping line called Irish Shipping was set up to import supplies. Other supplies were rationed
What was a ration book?
People were given ration books which allowed them to buy basic supplies such as food and tea
What was the name of ration officers?
Glimmer Men
What effect did the war have on employment?
Many industries closed did to lack of raw materials. This caused widespread unemployment. Many Irishmen went to Northern Ireland for employment and others joined the British army
Name on location the Germans bombed in Southern Ireland.
Dublin, they believed it was Belfast and later apologised.
What effect/role did Northern Ireland have with WWII?
Northern Ireland was still part of Britain, they were heavily involved in the war. Belfast was bombed 3 times. The British and American armies trained for D Day in Northern Ireland
Name two parties involved in the inter party government.
1) Labour
2) Fine Gael
Who was the Taoiseach of the IPG (Inter Party Government)?
John Costello of Fine Gael
Mention 4 achievements of the IPG
1) Ireland was declared a republic and broke its final links with the British commonwealth
2) Over 1’000 authority houses were built
3) An Anglo Irish Trade agreement was signed to get better prices for agricultural exports to Britain
4) Dr. Noël Browne (of Clann na Poblachta) eradicated TB
Describe the Mother and Child Scheme.
In 1951 Dr. Noël Browne introduced a scheme to give free medical care to mothers and their children. Government ministers objected to the cost. The Church objected to it in the grounds that it was socialist. Doctors feared it would lower their income. The government gave into this opposition. Browne resigned in disgust followed by members of Clann na Poblachta. This led to the downfall of the IPG
Mention 3 achievements of Fianna Fáil.
1) Sean Lemass, Minister of industry and commerce set up semi state companies, gave grants and taxed foreign imports. This stimulated industry.
2) Social Services were improved. Social welfare, old age pensions etc were increased. Houses were also built for those on low incomes.
3) Ireland moved towards being a republic: the oath of allegiance was abolished and the post of Governor General was scrapped. DeValera also drew up a new constitution; Bunreacht na hÉireann. This declared that Ireland was a republic in all but name.
