The condition of Ireland and Anglo
Irish relations 1851-86
Key dates
1801- acts of union made Ireland part of the UK
1829 – catholic emancipation gave Catholics more rights
1845-49 – the Irish potato famine, cost the lives of 1 million Irish peasants
and cause 1.5 million to emigrate to the USA or Canda
1850 – Irish citizens emigrate over to the USA
1867 – Fenian disturbances in England and Ireland
1870 – the land act which stated that tenants could claim compensation for
improvements made to a property and proposing that the only cause for
eviction was the non-payment of rent, it also proposed heavy financial
penalties for landlords who carried out evictions without just cause, The
bright clause allowed tenants to borrow 2/3 of the value of their small
holding from the government and pay it back at 5% over 35 years
1873 – home rule league is founded by Isacc butt
1879 – Charles Parnell becomes leader of the Irish nationalists
1879 – Lan league founded by Micheal Davitt, funded by Irish America and it
opened branches throughout Ireland the tenants flocked to join it as they
promised to improve their living conditions
1880 – Irish nationalists hold power balance in parliament
1881 – 2nd land act and coercion act the coercion act allowed anyone who
was suspected to be involved with these groups to be arrested without trial
but the land act set up fair courts to establish fair rent and that this rent was
to be fixed for 15 years
1882 – arrears act meant that the government would settle all tenant arrears
in Ireland
1885 – land purchase act this set aide £5 million to help tenants buy their
holdings
1886 – first home rule bill is defeated by 343 votes to 313
Key Figures
, Parnell: he was the son of an Anglo Irish land owner who had a deep dislike
of the English, he became president of the land league in 1879 but initially
failed to condemn their illegal activities and he gained huge support in
Ireland
Micheal Davitt: he was the son of a struggling catholic tenant from county
Mayo. They moved to Lancashire where Davitt aged 11 lost his right arm in a
mill accident. He joined the Fenian movement and was imprisoned for his
part in this in 1876. When he left prison he became a founding member of
the land league that was established in 1879
Isaac Butt: he was an Irish lawyer who saw the poor relationship between the
landlord and tenants as one of the root causes of Irelands inefficient
economy. He believed that the solution to Ireland problems lay in
constitutional nationalism and he established the home rule party in 1873.
When he refused to join the obstructionist tactics in parliament in 1878 there
was an attempt to oust him as party leader but he died the next year
Gladstone: was prime minister from 1880-86 and 1868-74 and passed many
acts relevant to home rule such as the 2 land acts which tried to normalise
the ulster custom and allow tenants to buy their holdings and sell their
interest he also was afraid of the Irish nationalists so passed 2 coercion acts
which aimed to imprison Irish nationalists
Irish peasants: During the potato famine the peasants had lost both their
income and their food and they often lived in small holding or parcels of land
rented to them by landlords but they often charged vast amounts meaning
that the peasants were left poor and in constant starvation
Landlords: they were often British protestants who may have never visited
Ireland to see their holdings. They were only interested in making money
from their land so would raise the rent and evicted tenants without warning
in order to place new tenants on the land who would pay more
Thomas Kelly: The was president of the Irish republican brotherhood between
1866-69 and emigrated to the USA in march 1851. He moved up through the
ranks of the IRB especially after the rescue of James Stephens from Prison in
Dublin in 1865. He also helped to lead the Fenian uprising ordering raids
such as Chester castle in November 1867. He was arrested in Sep 1867
however as they were being transferred, they were rescued by some 30
supporters and after emigrating back to the US were never captured again
Irish relations 1851-86
Key dates
1801- acts of union made Ireland part of the UK
1829 – catholic emancipation gave Catholics more rights
1845-49 – the Irish potato famine, cost the lives of 1 million Irish peasants
and cause 1.5 million to emigrate to the USA or Canda
1850 – Irish citizens emigrate over to the USA
1867 – Fenian disturbances in England and Ireland
1870 – the land act which stated that tenants could claim compensation for
improvements made to a property and proposing that the only cause for
eviction was the non-payment of rent, it also proposed heavy financial
penalties for landlords who carried out evictions without just cause, The
bright clause allowed tenants to borrow 2/3 of the value of their small
holding from the government and pay it back at 5% over 35 years
1873 – home rule league is founded by Isacc butt
1879 – Charles Parnell becomes leader of the Irish nationalists
1879 – Lan league founded by Micheal Davitt, funded by Irish America and it
opened branches throughout Ireland the tenants flocked to join it as they
promised to improve their living conditions
1880 – Irish nationalists hold power balance in parliament
1881 – 2nd land act and coercion act the coercion act allowed anyone who
was suspected to be involved with these groups to be arrested without trial
but the land act set up fair courts to establish fair rent and that this rent was
to be fixed for 15 years
1882 – arrears act meant that the government would settle all tenant arrears
in Ireland
1885 – land purchase act this set aide £5 million to help tenants buy their
holdings
1886 – first home rule bill is defeated by 343 votes to 313
Key Figures
, Parnell: he was the son of an Anglo Irish land owner who had a deep dislike
of the English, he became president of the land league in 1879 but initially
failed to condemn their illegal activities and he gained huge support in
Ireland
Micheal Davitt: he was the son of a struggling catholic tenant from county
Mayo. They moved to Lancashire where Davitt aged 11 lost his right arm in a
mill accident. He joined the Fenian movement and was imprisoned for his
part in this in 1876. When he left prison he became a founding member of
the land league that was established in 1879
Isaac Butt: he was an Irish lawyer who saw the poor relationship between the
landlord and tenants as one of the root causes of Irelands inefficient
economy. He believed that the solution to Ireland problems lay in
constitutional nationalism and he established the home rule party in 1873.
When he refused to join the obstructionist tactics in parliament in 1878 there
was an attempt to oust him as party leader but he died the next year
Gladstone: was prime minister from 1880-86 and 1868-74 and passed many
acts relevant to home rule such as the 2 land acts which tried to normalise
the ulster custom and allow tenants to buy their holdings and sell their
interest he also was afraid of the Irish nationalists so passed 2 coercion acts
which aimed to imprison Irish nationalists
Irish peasants: During the potato famine the peasants had lost both their
income and their food and they often lived in small holding or parcels of land
rented to them by landlords but they often charged vast amounts meaning
that the peasants were left poor and in constant starvation
Landlords: they were often British protestants who may have never visited
Ireland to see their holdings. They were only interested in making money
from their land so would raise the rent and evicted tenants without warning
in order to place new tenants on the land who would pay more
Thomas Kelly: The was president of the Irish republican brotherhood between
1866-69 and emigrated to the USA in march 1851. He moved up through the
ranks of the IRB especially after the rescue of James Stephens from Prison in
Dublin in 1865. He also helped to lead the Fenian uprising ordering raids
such as Chester castle in November 1867. He was arrested in Sep 1867
however as they were being transferred, they were rescued by some 30
supporters and after emigrating back to the US were never captured again
