Irish Independence

• Political events leading to Irish independence


  • Act of Union 1801 - creation of "Great Britain"
  • Very "laissez faire" government- didn't protect citizens
  • Year of Revolution 1848 - revolutions throughout Europe, government imposed Treason Felony Act - promoting / harbouring
  • Young Ireland Rebellion 1848 = unsuccessful attempt to get independence
  • IRB Rebellion 1867 - British government was aware so in 1865 confiscated funds sent from the US + arrested leaders
  • Fenian Rising 1867 - many arrests + executions but gained many supporters
  • Gladstone as PM in 1868 = wanted to "pacify" Ireland
  • Disraeli as PM in 1874 = one-nation conservatism
  • Land League formed in 1882 - legislative independence + land reform
  • Sinn Fein formed in 1905 but gained support in 1912
  • Easter Rising 1916 - British involvement in WWI as opportunity for independence, Sinn Fein gained many supporters, 250,000 members in 1917
• 1750-1850 little industrialization, Ireland remained rural agricultural
• After 1815 war with France, Ireland faced many economic hardships, with 1 million landless labourers
• In 1845 potato blight first arrived, in November 1.5 million tons was lost
• • 1847 there was massive starvation + death "black
  • 1848-1852 the blight returned and British government did nothing 1 million died, 4.5 million emigrated, population dropped by 25%
• First Irish Land Act 1870 = fixity of tenure, fair rent, free sale
• Land war 1879-1882 - poor harvests, cheap US imports, issues of rent resurfaced
• Second Irish Land Act 1881 - to deal with growing unrest
• In response, government implemented Coercion Act to deal with Land League protest
• Parnell's Plan of Campaign 1886 to force down rent
• Social movements for Irish independence


  • Catholic Association 1823 peaceful methods for political rights for Catholics
  • 1826 General elections Tories won against Catholic emancipation
  • 1828 general election O'Connell won = government granted Catholic emancipation as they feared violent repercussions
  • Catholic Emancipation Act 1829 = Catholics allowed to sit in parliament
  • Tithe War 1831-1836 - peaceful non-payment but turned violent when police joined, 12 dead, 20 injured
• Key leaders of Irish independence movement


  • O'Connell = Catholic emancipation, Irish Nationalist leader
  • Collins revolutionary leader, guerrilla leader, Bloody Sunday contributor
  • Parnell = president of Irish National Land League 1879, wanted land reform
  • Griffith-funded Sinn Fein 1905, contributed to Anglo-Irish Treaty 1921
  • Davitt formed land league, wanted home rule, radical leader
  • Butt = leader of Home Rule League in 1870
  • de Valera president of Sinn Fein in 1917
  • Biggar = in House of Commons 1874-1885, used obstructionism
• Key independence movements


  • United Irishmen 1791 - society inspired by French Revolution
  • Repeal Association 1840 = aimed to revoke Act of Union (O'Connell)
  • Young Ireland Movement 1842-inspired by repeal movement but more radical, used violence especially after Great Famine
  • Irish Tenant League 1850 = rent + compensation for evicted tenants
  • Fenian Brotherhood in New York + Irish Republican Brotherhood in Dublin, 1858 = worked together to raise funds for political and military actions
  • Home Rule League 1878 - used peaceful methods (Butt)
  • National Land League 1879 = led by Parnell (peaceful) and Davitt (radical), used direct actions, had 200,000 members