Unionism And Unionism

During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, political thought in Ireland began to shift toward the idea of greater autonomy from the United Kingdom. This came after centuries of history between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain, and not all of it positive. This created division and sometimes hostility between groups of people in the country, even if they weren’t really so different . Two major groups involved in discussing the idea of increased independence were the nationalists, who supported greater Irish autonomy in some form, and unionists, who argued that the government didn’t need that change. The nationalists also often fell into one of two main traditions, the parliamentary and revolutionary movements. Differences in the methods

In Ireland, this is the belief that Ireland is part of the British Empire and should remain in the United Kingdom. In many cases, this comes from a strong feeling of national identification with the United Kingdom as well as Ireland, instead of being in opposition. Some unionists used argument and legislation to protect the Union, while others used violent means. The term “loyalist” is sometimes associated with this latter group, but this isn 't always the case. Some important unionist leaders were Sir Edward Carson and James Craig in Ireland and Lord Randolph Churchill in

In the seventeenth century, British monarchs began settling farmers in Ireland, where some eventually stayed and brought up families. English influence was strongest in Leinster and Scottish influence was common in Ulster, especially in Counties Antrim and Down. Mutual fear and distrust between the groups created many problems and conflict. The native population resented losing their land and way of life, while the settlers feared retaliation. Laws that gave preference or protection to these settlers increased tensions and broke out into several armed rebellions. Gradually, the two groups drifted apart into the wealthier Protestant settlers of British descent and the poorer Catholic descendants of the native population. Each developed a separate identity and came to regard each other as ancient foes, reinforced by questionable actions on both sides. This set the stage for the conflict and sentiment that would come up in the nineteenth and twentieth