The Effectiveness of Irish Catholic and Nationalist Leaders in Advancing Their Cause in the Years 1801 and On

The Effectiveness of Irish Catholic and Nationalist Leaders in Advancing Their Cause in the Years 1801 and On

The Act Of Union in 1800 meant there was no longer any Irish

institution capable of advancing either an Irish nationalist or

catholic cause. As a result the advancement of those causes depended

on influencing the British Government directly. The catholic cause

initially focused on securing emancipation for the catholic population

and aimed to improve the lives and rights of Catholics throughout the

period. The nationalist cause fought for greater Irish autonomy with

full independence as its greater aim. In evaluating the effectiveness

of the Irish leaders Daniel O'Connell, Charles Stuart Parnell and

Eamon De Valera we need to focus on the achievement of their aims and

their advancement of the respective causes. In this evaluation we will

concentrate on their legislative changes, ability to mobilise the

population and impact on Westminster.

O'Connell's by-election victory at County Clare in 1828 re-ignited and

concluded the debate within the British government over catholic

emancipation. The Emancipation Act of 1829 was seen as a small

concession when faced with the prospect of further, more violent

catholic agitation. Though O'Connell deemed this a triumph its effect

was as negative as it was positive depending on your financial wealth.

The increase in the voting qualification, which denied the majority of

Catholics the vote, can be seen as O'Connell's first failure. But in

the 1830 election he made emancipation work to the catholic advantage

as thirty O'Connellite MP's were returned. However given his lack of

influence ...

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...) was favourable. Given Peel's reaction to O'Connell's planned

Clontarf meeting shows that direct action would not have been

effective at this time. Also I do not feel the Irish people would have

engaged in as much violence if the constitutional route had not been

explored or there had not been the successes of The Land War. Where

O'Connell faced the greatest opposition and De Valera enjoyed the

greatest success I feel Parnell wasted his opportunity. The

advancement of the catholic cause through Liberal and Conservative

legislation showed their willingness. Parnell could have used his

position in 1885 to help create a series of bills that could have

greatly advanced the catholic cause. The catholic cause advanced

gradually but the nationalist advances were kick-started by Parnell

and delivered effectively by De Valera.