The Irish Fight for Independence Quiz

Answer: Monster Meetings

The 1829 Catholic Emancipation Act undid many of the rights restrictions placed on Irish Catholics as a result of the 1801 Act of Union. The main attraction of this Act was the right of Irish Catholics to hold public office, something which would allow the Protestant ascendancy to be greatly reduced over the next few decades.

O'Connell's "monster meetings" were given to enormous crowds, sometimes reported to number over 3 million. With no microphones O'Connell had to do without, but with a voice described as a "fog-horn" few had trouble hearing him.

Answer: The Liberator

In the 1830s O'Connell allied himself with the Whig party and used legislation to weaken the influence of the Anglican Church as well as using the familiar tactics of "monster meetings" and brinkmanship to move Irish Catholics into high up positions in society.

It can be argued that the situation created by O'Connell paved the way for future Irish leaders to further their nationalistic cause.

Answer: Young Ireland

Young Ireland became more radical following its split from the O'Connellite party due to disagreements over religion and violence.
However, it seemed far too early in the Irish campaign to successfully achieve these radical demands. Historian Robert Kee describes the leaders of Young Ireland as being "in varying degrees trapped by the ineffectualness of their own familiar rhetoric".

Despite few of their original demands being met, Young Ireland did add to the "Irish Myth" which was later used to sensationalise the history of Irish revolutionaries and gain support for other demonstrations.

Answer: Michael Davitt

Parnell is quoted as saying "I would not have taken off my coat...if I had not known that we were laying the foundation in this movement for the regeneration of our legislative independence". This suggests that for Parnell the Land War was a side project which he could use to gain support for the campaign to demand independence.

Nevertheless, the achievements such as reduction of tenant arrears and the ability of farmers to buy and sell as they please was a huge benefit gained through Parnell's efforts in the Land War.

Answer: The Home Rule Party

Indeed this party developed from another party founded by Butt but was used by Parnell to keep the issue of Irish Home Rule highly visible in British politics. The efforts of these Irish leaders led to the 1886 Home Rule Bill. Although this was hastily rejected by the House of Lords its significance should not be overlooked. Home Rule was clearly unattainable at the time due strong opposition in the British government and public; however, Parnell made it a realistic aim.

Answer: Gladstone

Between the prime ministerial terms of Gladstone, he often spent time away, isolated. During this time he seemed to have spontaneously come to favour Home Rule, which he had previously opposed. Historians Vincent and Cooke state that this turn was made as Gladstone "viewed Ireland in a context of deep party calculation".

However, it seems clear that Gladstone genuinely now recognised that milder concessions would no longer placate the Irish masses and that independence was the only thing radicals would accept.

Answer: Dublin

Pearse was correct about there being an extreme reaction by the British. The leaders of the rising had timed it perfectly as during World War I there was a "no nonsense" attitude from the British army, which was put in charge of dealing with the rising's leaders. The execution of 15 rebels excited outrage in Southern Ireland and caused many to become republicans seemingly overnight.

The "Irish Myth" was used as a way of gaining support for the rising.

Answer: Eamon de Valera

Both Connolly and Pearse were sentenced to death due to their involvement in organising the Easter Rising and Parnell had been dead for several years.

Many see de Valera's rise to power a result of default. This is accurate as he was one of the few key figures not to be killed for his role in the Easter Rising, due to his American citizenship. Sinn Fein went on to become the main Irish political party and its newfound popularity made it pivotal in pressuring the British government into bringing about change.

Answer: The IRA

The IRA stood for the Irish Republican Army and it acted as the military arm of the political force of Sinn Fein. The actions of the IRA became gradually more brutal and extreme due to an increased unrest over not being granted independence as well as a reactionary measure to the atrocities committed by the Black and Tans (a large band of British troops that tried to suppress the Irish nationals with appalling brutality in 1919-1921).

With political pressure being applied to the British government by Sinn Fein and the continuous publicity gained by the extreme actions of the IRA, British public opinion soon swung in favour of some sort of legislation to provide Irish independence.

Answer: Northern Ireland was not to be included in this new "free state"

Although this may suggest that Sinn Fein and the IRA were unsuccessful in their attempts to gain full Irish independence, it is hard to see how more could have been achieved at the time. With waning resources and men, the IRA could not keep up the pace of their extremist attacks. Furthermore, it was the choice of those in Northern Ireland to remain part of Britain. Therefore, "dominion status" was the best achievable goal and by 1921 it was achieved.

So, from 1801 the rights of Irish Catholics had been improved by leaders such as O'Connell, the land issue solved by Parnell and independence gain by the efforts of all the individual leaders and groups.