Home Rule

In the province of Ulster, a province that was mostly Protestant, people hated Home Rule because of economic differences (Ulster was the most prosperous province in Ireland which meant that many people viewed Home Rule as a threat to their provinces prosperity as Ulster relied on Britain for markets), religious differences (even though the Protestants were a majority in Ulster, Catholics were by far and away the majority over all of Ireland so Ulster protestants feared that they would be at the mercy of the Catholic majority). This opposition to Home Rule formed a political party and were known as the unionists.

There were two initial Home Rule Bills - the first in 1886 was rejected by the House of Commons, the second in 1893 was rejected by the House of Lords. For these two Home Rule Bills, Charles Parnell was leader of the I.N.P. but he was involved in a scandal and died in 1891, leaving the party divided and demoralised. John Redmond, a southern Catholic reunited the party and set about getting a new Home Rule bill. In 1910 there was a general election in which both of the major british parties - the Liberals and the Conservatives had 273 seats. Redmond's I.N.P. held the balance of power with 84 seats which meant that their support was essential if the Liberals were to remain the government. The Liberal party agreed to introduve a bill that would give Ireland Home Rule.

In 1912 the third Home Rule Bill was passed by the House of Commons but rejected by the House of Lords. In 1914 it would finally become law, however, because of the parliamentary act of 1911, which prevented the house of Lords from rejecting a bill for more than two years. The argument over Home Rule now focused on Ulster. Ulster was prepared to resist Home Rule for armed force if necessary. The Ulster Volunteers were formed to give military muscle to the Unionists demands of no Home Rule. Ulster was prepared to use any means necessary to defy Home Rule.

The Irish Volunteers were formed to rival the Ulster Volunteers under the leadership of Eoin MacNeill. Even though they had the motto of "Defence not Defiance", they were there to oppose the Ulster Volunteers and their threat to block Home Rule. The Prime Minister, uneager to see a civil war, decided to do a deal with the Unionist leaders Edward Carson and James Craig. They agreed that Home Rule would not apply to the province of Ulster. Redmond rejected this compromise, who insisted that only 6 counties of Ulster be given the right to opt out of Home Rule. A conference called by the king was unable to agree over this issue.

The outbreak of World War One forced the various sides to a compomise late in July 1914. It was agreed that Home Rule would become law, but that would be suspended until after the war ended. The war caused a huge loss in the ranks of the Ulster Volunteers because they were sent to Europe to fight for Britain. Even though Redmond encouraged the Irish Volunteers to fight for Britain, many didn't. The Irish Republican Brotherhood opposed any volunteer participation in the war because they saw the war as a chance to plan the Easter Rising.