CHARLES STUART PARNELL
Charles Stuart Parnell was the son of a Protestant landlord. He developed an anti-English attitude from his mother
and while he was at university in Cambridge.
He was elected Home Rule MP for Meath.
Parnell joined the Obstructionists in the House of Commons. Obstructionism earned his a great deal of popularity in
Ireland; he won Fenian support.
Parnell said the Manchester Martyrs (Fenians) was not murderers.
Parnell was elected leader of the Home Rule Confederation of Great Britain which was Fenian-dominated.
When the leader of the Home Rule Party, Isaac Butt, died suddenly in 1879, Parnell did not have enough support, so
Butt was succeeded as leader by William Shaw.
Over the next year Parnell built up his popularity and became leader in 1880.
Parnell was committed to the New Departure on the Land Question with Davis and Devoy.
He joined the Land campaign as president of the Land League.
He had natural leadership qualities; he was ambitious. He gained support in America, from the Catholic Church and
in March 1880, an increased number of Parnellites (Parnell’s supporters) were elected.
After the general election, Parnell was elected leader of the Home Rule Party (1880).
In 1880/1881, Parnell worked on the Land Question.
Gladstone, the British Prime Minster, passed the 1881 Land Act. The Act posed a dilemma for Parnell – should he
support it or not?
When Parnell criticised Gladstone he was jailed in Kilmainham Jail. Parnell agreed the Kilmainham Treaty with
Gladstone (1882); he felt the land question could be solved and he could now concentrate on Home Rule.
The Phoenix Park murders: When he heard about the Phoenix Park murders, Parnell first wanted to resign as leader
of the Home Rule Party – but he was persuaded not to do so. This gave Parnell an excuse to change his aims from
Land to Home Rule.
Parnell set up the Irish National League (1882) in order to establish Home Rule and to work for land purchase. He
was in complete control.
Over the next few years, Parnell built up order and discipline in the Irish Party (or the Home Rule Party).
Parnell disagreed with Joseph Chamberlain over Chamberlain’s Central Board Scheme for Ireland. Parnell thought
the Central Board Scheme was a lead up to Home Rule, not a replacement for it. But Chamberlain meant it as a
replacement. Parnell rejected it and this led to resentment between Parnell and Chamberlain.
1885 General Election: Parnell wanted to force the Conservatives or the Liberals to grant Home Rule to Ireland.
Parnell supported the Conservatives in the general election to achieve a balance of power. After the election,
Gladstone and the Liberals needed Parnell and his party to form a government.
Gladstone was converted to Home Rule and brought in the First Home Rule Bill, 1886, but it was defeated.
Parnell did not favour the Plan of Campaign. He feared that a new land war would upset English Liberals.
The London Times published articles on ‘Parnellism and Crime’, which included letters showing that Parnell knew
about and supported the Phoenix Park murders. These articles endangered the Liberal Alliance. Parnell denied the
articles; Richard Piggott, an Irish journalist, confessed to forging the letters. This was a triumph for Parnell. He was
called the ‘Uncrowned King of Ireland’.
In December 1889 Captain William O’Shea filed for divorce against his wife, Katherine. He named Parnell as corespondent. Parnell’s affair had lasted since 1880.
Parnell refused to stand down as leader and this led to a split, where the majority were against Parnell.
In fighting in by-elections in Ireland, Parnell caught pneumonia and died in England. His funeral in Dublin was
attended by 200,000 people. GAA members provided a guard of honour with hurleys.
ACHIEVEMENTS OF PARNELL:




He became leader of the Home Rule Party.
He united extremists and moderates in the Land League to fight the three Fs.
He created a united and modern political party – the Home Rule Party.
He persuaded a major British political party – the Liberals – to support Home Rule.