Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Blossoming of National Pride
In the second half of the 19th-century, Dublin was staunchly divided along sectarian lines
and, although Catholics were still partly second-class citizens, a burgeoning Catholic
middle class provided the impetus for Ireland's march towards independence.
It was the dashing figure of Protestant landlord Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-91), from
County Wicklow, that first harnessed the broad public support for Home Rule. Elected to
Westminster in 1875, the 'Uncrowned King of Ireland' campaigned tirelessly for land re-
form and a Dublin parliament.
He appeared to have an ally in the British prime minister, William Gladstone, who
lightened the burden on tenants by passing Land Acts enabling them to buy property. He
was also converted to the cause of Home Rule, for both principled reasons and practical
ones: the granting of some form of self-government would at least have the effect of recon-
ciling Irish nationalism to the British state.
In the twilight of the 19th century there was a move to preserve all things Irish. The
Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) was set up in 1884 to promote Irish sports, while
Douglas Hyde and Eoin McNeill formed the Gaelic League in 1893 to encourage Irish arts
and language. The success of the Gaelic League paved the way for the Celtic Revival
Movement, spearheaded by WB Yeats and Lady Gregory, who founded the Abbey Theatre
in 1904.
British prime minister William Gladstone introduced Home Rule bills three times into the House of Com-
mons between 1886 and 1895, but the House of Lords voted them down on each occasion.
