Ireland: Topic 3
A. Treacy
During the Period 1912-1920, which factors
contributed most to the Partition of Ireland?
Introduction
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The period 1912-1920 was a time of much political and social unrest.
Ireland was split between the Nationalists (majority Southern Catholics), who wanted an
independent country, and the Unionists (majority Northern Protestants), who wished to remain
part of the British Empire and believed “Home Rule is Rome Rule”.
P1. The Third Home Rule Bill
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The third and final Home Rule Bill was introduced by Henry Asquith into the House of
Commons in 1912.
The previous year the Parliament Act of 1911 removed the Lord’s veto in the House of Lords.
Since they could only veto bills three times Home Rule was finally to come into effect in
Ireland in 1914.
This was the first step towards partition as the bill created clear divisions between the North
and South of Ireland.
P2. Unionist Reaction (Solemn League and Covenant)
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In response to the Home Rule Bill, Unionist MP and future Prime Minister of Northern Ireland,
James Craig set up protest rallies.
On 28th September 1912 the ‘Solemn League and Covenant’ was signed by over 470,000
people. This was a common oath which declared people’s opposition to Homme Rule.
The Covenant, which was drafted by Edward Carson, condemned Home Rule as “disastrous
to the material well-being of Ulster as well as the whole of Ireland… and perilous to the unity
of the Empire”.
This display of direct opposition further divided the Nationalist and Unionist views and
contributed to the eventual partition of Ireland.
P3. Paramilitary Groups
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The Ulster Volunteer Force was founded in January 1913 and set up to resist Home Rule. It
was a professional organisation which regularly practiced military drills and rifle practice.
The Irish Volunteers were a less professional organisation set up by Eoin MacNeill in 1913.
While a less professional organisation, 3,000 men signed up immediately.
Later in April 1914 the woman’s organisation, Cumann na mBan was founded. While not a
military organisation they raised funds for the Irish Volunteers.
The conflicting aims of these military groups further aided the partition of Ireland.
P4. World War 1
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World War 1 postponed the enacting of the Home Rule Bill.
Many UVF members joined the British army to show Unionist support.
John Redmond also offered support from the Nationalists. In his speech to the House of
Commons on August 1914 he declared “Catholics in the South will be only too glad to join
arms with the Protestant Ulstermen in the North”. This destroyed Ireland’s opportunity to trade
participation in the war for immediate Home Rule.
This split the Irish Volunteers and while the majority fought in WW1 some refused and stayed
in Ireland.
Not only did this delay Home Rule but it greatly contributed to partition as Ireland had
drastically changed by the end of the war.
Ireland: Topic 3
A. Treacy
P5. The 1916 Rising
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While WW1 dragged on, Home Rule became a distant hope.
Extreme Nationalists (the Irish Republican Brotherhood) saw the war as “England’s difficulty”
and “Ireland’s opportunity”.
The Rising occurred on Easter week of 1916 but ended unsuccessfully after 5 days and
caused much death and destruction.
The execution of key figures (Connolly, Pearse, Clarke) caused outrage amongst the Irish
people and Home Rule was no longer going to be enough.
Unionists saw the Rising as an act of treachery and made them more opposed to Home Rule
while the Nationalists now pushed for a full Republic.
P6. The Convention
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In July 1917 the Prime Minister David Lloyd George set up the Irish Convention to discuss the
Nationalist’s demand from Home Rule.
It was attended by British government representatives, the Irish Parliamentary Party,
Southern and Ulster Unionists but not by Sinn Féin (who were no longer interested in Home
Rule).
It ended in April 1918 and no agreement was reached.
In the 1918 General Election Sinn Féin won 73 seats, showing the people’s want for an
independent republic.
P7. The War of Independence
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This further reinforced Unionist support for partition.
It caused the Government of Ireland Act to be introduced in 1920 which allowed the creation
of two parliaments in Ireland, one in Dublin and one in Belfast.
This Act finally enacted the full partition of Ireland.
Conclusion
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Many factors over the 8-year period led to Ireland’s partition which still exists today.