Irish Unionist Alliance

The Irish Unionist Alliance was a political party in Ireland formed in 1891. It came about when two groups, the Irish Conservative Party and the Irish Loyal and Patriotic Union, joined together. They did this to fight against ideas that Ireland should have its own government, known as home rule, while still being part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

The party was led by Colonel Edward James Saunderson and later by St John Brodrick, 1st Earl of Midleton. Many important people were part of the party, including Sir Edward Carson, a lawyer from Dublin, and Sir Horace Plunkett, who helped start Ireland's cooperative movement. Most of their support came from places in east Ulster and south Dublin.

As time went on, the party faced big disagreements, especially about whether Ireland should be divided. This led to the party splitting in 1919. One group formed the Unionist Anti-Partition League, and the Ulster Unionist Party continued in Northern Ireland. The split marked the end of unionist politics in most of Ireland.

History

Foundation

The Irish Unionist Alliance started in 1891, joining together two groups: the Irish Loyal and Patriotic Union and the Irish Conservative Party. They came together to work against plans to give Ireland more control over its own government, called "home rule." The new group wanted to speak for people all across Ireland who wanted to stay part of the United Kingdom. The leader of the group was Edward James Saunderson, a member of a group called the Orangemen.

1891–1914

The Irish Unionist Alliance worked closely with political groups in Great Britain, especially the Conservative Party. In elections, they won some seats and helped stop a bill that would have given Ireland more self-government. Many important people in the British government supported them.

In the northern part of Ireland called Ulster, the Alliance became very strong. They won many elections there. But in the rest of Ireland, they only won a few seats. The group tried to get more support, but they were mostly strong in Ulster.

Division (1914–1922)

By 1914, the group began to split. People in the south of Ireland did not want the country to be divided, while those in Ulster were more focused on keeping their area part of the United Kingdom. This caused problems inside the group.

During World War I, the group became weaker. In elections, they did not do as well, and other groups became more popular. Some members left to form new groups. The Irish Unionist Alliance did not play a big role after this time.

Irish Free State

After Ireland was divided, the Irish Unionist Alliance did not do well in elections in the new Irish Free State. Many of their supporters left, and the group became smaller. Some of its leaders took roles in the new government, but the group itself did not last long.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, unionists continued to be very powerful, mainly through the Ulster Unionist Party. They stayed in control for many years until another group, the Democratic Unionist Party, became stronger in the late 1980s.

General election results

Note: These are the results from Ireland for the UK general elections where the Irish Unionist Alliance tried to win seats. The numbers here do not include members elected for the Liberal Unionists, who were a different party. The Irish Unionist Alliance members often sat with the Liberal Unionists and Conservatives in the UK parliament and were usually called 'Conservatives' or 'Unionists'.

Support base

Southern Unionists

The leaders of Southern Unionists were usually wealthy and well-educated men who felt connected to both Britain and Ireland. Many came from families with long ties to Britain and often belonged to the Church of Ireland. They included important business owners and landowners.

In the south, support for the Irish Unionist Alliance mainly came from Protestant communities, including farmers, shop owners, and church leaders. Even though they were a small group, these unionists helped build many important businesses in Southern Ireland.

Ulster Unionists

Ulster Unionists were mostly Protestant and included many working-class people, especially in areas like Belfast. They supported unionism partly because of the growth of industry in the region. Unlike Southern Unionists, Ulster Unionists were often more passionate and sometimes used strong actions to protect their beliefs. During a time of political tension, they even formed a group called the "Ulster Volunteers" to stand up for their cause.

Leadership

The Irish Unionist Alliance did not have a formal way to choose or replace its leaders. Instead, leaders were informally recognized by other important figures. The first leader was Colonel Edward James Saunderson, a former Conservative Member of Parliament, who worked hard to bring together unionists from all of Ireland. Later, leadership became divided between unionist groups in the north and south.

Leaders

• The 9th Viscount Midleton (1910–1919; created 1st Earl of Midleton in 1920), as leader of the Southern Unionists
• The 11th Baron Farnham (1919–1922), as leader of the Southern Unionists