THE RISE AND IMPACT OF NATIONALISM AND UNIONISM IN IRELAND, 1911–23
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What was the significance of John Redmond’s contribution to the parliamentary tradition? 1. John Redmond was a firm supporter of Home Rule.
2. He believed that this could be achieved through parliamentary methods, by having laws passed in the British parliament.
3. He was a loyal supporter of C. S. Parnell, and continued to support him after the split in the Home Rule Party. When Parnell died, Redmond became leader of the minority section that had supported Parnell.
4. Redmond contributed to land reform during the 1890s and early 1900s which led to Irish tenants buying out their landlords.
5. The two sides of the old Home Rule Party were united under Redmond’s leadership.
6. Redmond took advantage of holding the balance of power in Westminster after the 1910 general elections. He forced the Liberal Party to introduce the Third Home Rule Bill in 1912. It seemed likely that Ireland would have a Home Rule parliament in two years.
7. However, Ulster unionist resistance and the coming of World War I prevented this from happening. ● Redmond failed to understand the depth of unionist opposition; he thought their talk of violent resistance was bluffing.
● Home Rule was postponed until after the war was over and it seemed likely that Dublin would get a parliament then.
8. Redmond encouraged Irishmen to fight wherever the war was fought. This led to a split in the Irish Volunteers with the vast majority following Redmond (see pp. 242–43).
9. Then the impact of the 1916 Rising and the failure of two sets of negotiations meant that when Redmond died in 1918 no agreement had been reached between Ulster unionists and Home Rulers.
10. But worse was yet to come for his Party. He was lucky not to experience the devastation of the party in the 1918 general election (see p. 252).
Further information on John Redmond is available online and in the eBook.