What was home rule?

In 1870's movement calling for Home Rule was founded in Ireland. Supporters of Home Rule wanted a separate parliament to deal with Irish affairs in Dublin. Athough the British government was forced to introduce many reforms, two bills to introduce Home rule were defeated in parliament in the 1880s and 1890s. William Gladstone was Prime Minister of Britain four times during the reign of Queen Victoria. He believed that the Irish should run their own affairs and was a staunch supporter of Homr Rule. But he failed to get his Home Rule Bill approved by parliament. During World War I, the issue of Home Rule continued to cause conflict in Ireland. The third Home Rule Bill had been passed by the British parliament in 1914, but the putbreak of war in the same year delayed the start. Irish protestants, however, were bitterly opposed to Home Rule. They were in the majority in the northern province of Ulster, and believed that they would be treated unfairly by a Dublin parliament. They formed the Ulster Voluteer Force to protect themselves if Home Rule was introduced.

Fact file

Irish politican Charles Parnell addresses an audience in support of Home Rule. He became leader of the Home Rule Party in the British parliament and fought tirelessly of his beliefs.

resources: Tell me what (chancellor Press)
image 1; http://www.postcardsireland.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/UDPP-0084.jpg?itok=rpUwQNoL
image 2: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Parnell_sitting.jpg

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