Home Rule League
Encyclopedia
The Home Rule League, sometimes called the Home Rule Party, was a political party
which campaigned for home rule
for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party
.
, a pressure group formed in 1870 and led by Isaac Butt
, a Dublin Barrister
who had once been a leading Irish Tory
before becoming a convert to Irish nationalism
. On 18–21 November 1873, the loose association re-constituted itself as a full political party, the Home Rule League, and in the 1874 general election
, it won 59 seats. In that period however it was not a political party in a cohesive sense but a loose alliance of home rule-leaning Irish politicians. Because of this the party rapidly became divided, between the less committed members of Parliament, many of whom were from an Irish aristocratic
or gentry
Church of Ireland
background, some newly dedicated former Irish Liberal Party
members, such as Sir John Gray
MP, and other more radical members who gathered around Cavan
MP Joseph Biggar and Meath
MP Charles Stewart Parnell
. This radical wing of the party famously decided to launch parliamentary filibuster
s to obstruct the passage of Parliamentary business, to the embarrassment of Butt and frustration of successive British governments.
served as chairman (leader) for one parliamentary session. In 1880, Parnell was elected chairman of the party, and in the 1880 general election
, the party increased its number of seats. In 1882, as part of a wholescale move from being an informal alliance to a cohesive unified, whip
ped political movement Parnell renamed it the Irish Parliamentary Party
to pursue Irish Home Rule. The party under Parnell, himself a Protestant, became more radical, middle class, and Roman Catholic. It largely, though not completely squeezed, out other political rivals, notably the Irish Liberal Party and the Irish Conservative Party
.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
which campaigned for home rule
Irish Home Rule Movement
The Irish Home Rule Movement articulated a longstanding Irish desire for the repeal of the Act of Union of 1800 by a demand for self-government within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The movement drew upon a legacy of patriotic thought that dated back at least to the late 17th...
for the country of Ireland from 1873 to 1882, when it was replaced by the Irish Parliamentary Party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
.
Origins
The Home Rule League grew out of the Home Government AssociationHome Government Association
The Home Government Association was a pressure group founded by Isaac Butt in 1870 in support of home rule for Ireland.Its inaugural public meeting was held on 1 September 1870.It became the Home Rule League in 1873....
, a pressure group formed in 1870 and led by Isaac Butt
Isaac Butt
Isaac Butt Q.C. M.P. was an Irish barrister, politician, Member of Parliament , and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home...
, a Dublin Barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
who had once been a leading Irish Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
before becoming a convert to Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
. On 18–21 November 1873, the loose association re-constituted itself as a full political party, the Home Rule League, and in the 1874 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1874
-Seats summary:-References:* F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, it won 59 seats. In that period however it was not a political party in a cohesive sense but a loose alliance of home rule-leaning Irish politicians. Because of this the party rapidly became divided, between the less committed members of Parliament, many of whom were from an Irish aristocratic
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
or gentry
Gentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
background, some newly dedicated former Irish Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
members, such as Sir John Gray
John Gray (Irish politician)
Sir John Gray Knt MD JP, sometimes spelled John Grey was an Irish physician, surgeon, newspaper proprietor, journalist and politician...
MP, and other more radical members who gathered around Cavan
Cavan (UK Parliament constituency)
Cavan was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which from 1801 to 1885 returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.-Members of Parliament:...
MP Joseph Biggar and Meath
Meath (UK Parliament constituency)
Meath was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which from 1801 to 1885 returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.-Members of Parliament:-References:...
MP Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
. This radical wing of the party famously decided to launch parliamentary filibuster
Filibuster
A filibuster is a type of parliamentary procedure. Specifically, it is the right of an individual to extend debate, allowing a lone member to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal...
s to obstruct the passage of Parliamentary business, to the embarrassment of Butt and frustration of successive British governments.
New leader, new name, new members
Following Butt's death in 1879, William ShawWilliam Shaw (Irish politician)
William Shaw was an Irish Protestant nationalist politician. He was a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and one of the founders of the Irish home rule movement....
served as chairman (leader) for one parliamentary session. In 1880, Parnell was elected chairman of the party, and in the 1880 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1880
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
, the party increased its number of seats. In 1882, as part of a wholescale move from being an informal alliance to a cohesive unified, whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
ped political movement Parnell renamed it the Irish Parliamentary Party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
to pursue Irish Home Rule. The party under Parnell, himself a Protestant, became more radical, middle class, and Roman Catholic. It largely, though not completely squeezed, out other political rivals, notably the Irish Liberal Party and the Irish Conservative Party
Irish Conservative Party
The Irish Conservative Party, often called the Irish Tories, was one of the dominant Irish political parties in Ireland in the 19th century...
.
Chairmen (leaders) of the Party, 1873-1882
- Isaac ButtIsaac ButtIsaac Butt Q.C. M.P. was an Irish barrister, politician, Member of Parliament , and the founder and first leader of a number of Irish nationalist parties and organisations, including the Irish Metropolitan Conservative Society in 1836, the Home Government Association in 1870 and in 1873 the Home...
1873-1879 [founder of land league] - William ShawWilliam Shaw (Irish politician)William Shaw was an Irish Protestant nationalist politician. He was a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and one of the founders of the Irish home rule movement....
1879-1880 - Charles Stewart ParnellCharles Stewart ParnellCharles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
1880-1882