GLADSTONE AND IRELAND

GLADSTONE’S MISSION

Forced an election in 1868 on the issue of disestablishment of Church of Ireland

Made Irish reform one of his key issues

“My mission is to pacify Ireland”

GLADSTONE’S MISSION

Probability that Fenian outrages had contributed to Gladstone’s decision

“They brought home to the popular mind…the vast importance of the Irish controversy”

He felt the outrages made the British public more amenable to Irish reform

GLADSTONE’S MISSION

Concern with justice and truth Convinced that the position of the

Church of Ireland was untenable Saw disestablishmentarianism as a

means of uniting divided Liberal party and wresting political initiative from Disraeli

THE IRISH CHURCH ACT 1869

THE IRISH CHURCH ACT 1869 The case for reform was unanswerable Links between church and state to be broken Tithes no longer to be paid by all Irishmen Disendowment: some money for church

pensions and some for secular purposes Solved the major religious grievance of most

RCs Made little practical difference to the lives of

the majority

FIRST IRISH LAND ACT Gladstone acknowledged the need to give

more economic security to tenant farmers First Land Act a failure: “was a remedy for a

disease that was not seriously affecting Ireland in 1870”

Had a symbolic significance---Gladstone’s determination to help Irish Catholics

This, along with release of Fenian prisoners, lulled Gladstone into a false sense of security that he had earned the gratitude of the Irish

ORIGINS OF HOME RULE

1870 Butt founded Home Rule Association

1873 became the Home Rule League with its programme widened to include issues such as tenant right

1874 The HRL won 59 parliamentary seats