Home Rule League

The Home Rule League was a political group in Ireland that existed from 1873 to 1882. It worked hard to support the idea of home rule, which means that Ireland could make its own decisions while still being part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This group wanted Ireland to have more control over its own laws and government.

The Home Rule League was also known as the Home Rule Party. It played an important role in Irish history by bringing attention to the need for change. Later, it was replaced by another group called the Irish Parliamentary Party, which continued to push for home rule.

There was also a related group in Great Britain called the Home Rule Confederation of Great Britain. This group supported the same ideas but was focused on people living in Great Britain.

Origins

After the Fenian Rising of 1867 did not succeed, people in Ireland started looking at less violent ways to achieve their goals. The Home Rule League began as a group called the Home Government Association, started in 1870 by Isaac Butt, a lawyer from Dublin. On November 18–21, 1873, this group changed into a full political party named the Home Rule League. In the 1874 general election, many members joined, including some from wealthy Irish families, former members of the Liberal Party like Sir John Gray, and more radical members such as Joseph Biggar and Charles Stewart Parnell. These more radical members used tactics to slow down government business in Parliament, which upset Butt and the British government.

Changes under Parnell

In 1877, a man named Parnell became the leader of a group in Great Britain that supported Irish home rule. However, another leader, Butt, still controlled the main group in Ireland. After Butt passed away in 1879, William Shaw took over for a short time. Then, in 1880, Parnell became the leader of the Irish group and won more seats in a big election that year. In 1882, Parnell changed the group's name to the Irish Parliamentary Party to better work toward Irish home rule. Under Parnell, the group grew stronger and included more middle-class and Catholic members, and it became more determined in its goals.

Main article: parliamentary party

Main articles: Irish Parliamentary Party, Irish Home Rule

Chairmen (leaders) of the Party, 1873–1882

The Home Rule League had three main leaders during its time from 1873 to 1882.

• Isaac Butt led from 1873 to 1879.
• William Shaw led from 1879 to 1880.
• Charles Stewart Parnell led from 1880 to 1882.