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Period: to
Ireland
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Irish Emancipation
Aiming at removing restrictions on acts against Roman Catholics such as the Penal Laws. Most important was the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 which removed the most substantial restrictions on Roman Catholicism in the United Kingdom. Connected with the Irish Question: the issue debated primarily among the British government from the early 19th century until the 1920s of how to respond to Irish nationalism and the calls for Irish independence. -
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell: As an Irish catholic lawyer he became political leader of Ireland's Roman Catholic majority in the first half of the 19th century. His mobilisation of Catholic Ireland (Catholic Association 1823), down to the poorest class of tenant farmers secured the final instalment of Catholic emancipation in 1829 and allowed him to take a seat in the United Kingdom Parliament to which he had been twice elected. O'Connell was critisised for his political compromises.
Also an abolitionist. -
The Great Famine
https://www.britannica.com/video/171551/overview-Great-Famine-Ireland
The Great Famine, also known as the Great Hunger (Irish: an Gorta Mór) or the Irish Potato Famine, was a period of starvation and disease in Ireland lasting from 1845 to 1852 that constituted a historical social crisis and subsequently had a major impact on Irish society and history as a whole.
Approximately 1,5 Million people died and the same number left for emigration. -
Irish Republican Brotherhood
After the famine: Irish Revolutionary movement grew again. The Young Ireland movement (critical on O'Connell) wanted an insurrection, most got arrested.
In 1858 some of them joined the IRB. A secret oath-bound organisation dedicated to the establishment of an independent democratic republic in Ireland. Its counterpart in the United States of America was the Fenian Brotherhood.
Easter Rising: Together with the Irish Volunteer Army and Irish Citizen Army (1913).
In 1924 it was disbanded. -
Land War
The Land War: period of agrarian agitation in rural Ireland that began in 1879 and lasted with periodical uprisings until 1923. The agitation was led by the Irish National Land League and aimed to secure fair rent, free sale, and fixity of tenure for tenant farmers and ultimately peasant proprietorship of the land they worked.
Especially the problem of eviction caused much protest. The story of the isolation of General/Sir Charles Boycott is an interesting story in the period of Land War. -
Home Rule
Home Rule movement: a movement that campaigned for self-government (or "home rule") for Ireland within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was the dominant political movement of Irish nationalism from 1870 to the end of World War I.
One of its leaders was Charles Stewart Parnell that made a first Home Rule possible in 1886 with the liberal Gladstone. However this was rejected. A third was was accepted in 1912 but suspended because of the outbreak of WWI. -
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916.
The Rising was launched by Irish republicans (the IRB, Irish Volunteers (Pearse), Irish Citizen Army (Connolly)) with the aim of establishing an independent Irish Republic. Sixteen of the Rising's leaders were executed starting in May 1916. The nature of the executions, and subsequent political developments, ultimately contributed to an increase in popular support for Irish independence. -
The IRA
Various resistance organisations in Ireland.
The original (old) Irish Republican Army (1919–1922), was raised in 1917 from members of the Irish Volunteers, the Irish Citizen Army and by formerly Irish soldiers in the British Army. In Irish law the army of the revolutionary Irish Republic as declared by its parliament, Dáil Éireann, in 1919. Many splitt-offs: each insisting to be the original IRA's only legitimate descendant.
Official IRA and Provisional in 1969
CIRA 1986
RIRA 1997
New 2012 -
The War of Independence and the Anglo-Irish Treaty
War of independence 1919-1921 (Anglo-Irish War) - between IRA and British forces and RIC
Main actors: Michael Collins, De Valera, Arthur Griffith, Lloyd George. Fourth Home rule bill: Government of Ireland Act 1920 was implemented only in Northern Ireland and rejected in the south; led to military resistance of Sinn Fein/IRA and finally to partition with the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. Photo: Burning of Cork December 1920 -
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) was established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between the forces of the Irish Republic – the Irish Republican Army (IRA) – and British forces.
The Free State was established as a dominion (with a Governor General) of the British Empire. It comprised 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland. Northern Ireland, exercised its right under the Treaty to opt out of the new state. -
The Civil War
The establishment of the Irish Free State was followed by the Irish Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923) between the Provisional Government of Ireland and the anti-Treaty Irish Republican Army over the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The Provisional Government (Free State) supported the terms of the treaty, while the anti-Treaty opposition saw it as a betrayal of the Irish Republic that had been proclaimed during the Easter Rising of 1916.
The Civil War was won by the pro-treaty National Army. -
Post War Irish Republic
Constitution 1937: Establishment Irish Republic
Taoiseach: Eamon De Valera
Politically divided over the Treaty (1921):
Sinn Fein: anti-treaty (use of violence accepted)
Fianna Fail: anti-treaty
Fine Gael: pro-treaty
Economically protectionist/decline, later Celtic Tiger
Emigration country
Investment in education (Irish language)
Strong alliance with the Catholic Church, until 1990s (scandals)
Slowly modernising -
Post War Northern Ireland
Home rule since 1921: Ulster Unionist Party founded to ensure Union with Britain. One-party rule until suspension in1972.
Economic decline until the 1990s. Segregation.
The Troubles; from 1960s - civil rights movement against discrimination against Catholics on housing, voting, employment. Seen as nationalist plot and suppressed. RUC, troops.
Politics
Nationalist:
IRA - 1970s split-offs
Sinn Fein
SDLP (1970)
Unionist:
UUP
DUP (1971)
(UKUP, PUP, UDP)
Paramilitaries: UDA,UVF
Alliance (neutral) -
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The Peace Process
Since 1969 deployment of British troops and from 1972 Direct Rule from London. 1974: Sunningdale agreement: agreement on a power-sharing Executive and Council of Ireland failure - UK/UUP/SDLP/Republic. Failed.
1985: Anglo Irish agreement: Unionists feel betrayed
1993: Downing Street declaration: determination of own future, decomissioning, USA-influence
1994: Ceasefire IRA/Loyalists
1998: Good Friday Agreement: devolved Assembly, culture, vague on several issues,
2006: St. Andrews agreement -
Brexit
With the leaving of the UK from Europe a trade deal in Northern Ireland is necessary because of the border with the Republic of Ireland (EU). Border issues are a sensitive topic in Northern Ireland because it might lead to instability.
A deal in 2021 did not pass and the power-sharing administration (DUP) fell over it.
In February 2024 there is a new deal stating that there will be no routine checks on British items being sold to consumers in Northern Ireland. Unionists agreed.
