William O'Brien (Irish Parliamentary Party) should not be confused with his contemporary William X. O'Brien (ITGWU) or with William Smith O'Brien (Young Irelanders). William X O'Brien (ITGWU and William O'Brien (Dominion Home Rule/IPP were contemporaries in Irish politics early in the 20th century but should not be confused William Smith O'Brien ( 17 October 1803 &ndash 18 June 1864) was an Irish Nationalist and Member of Parliament (MP For other people of the same name, see William O'Brien (disambiguation). William O'Brien is the name of Bill O'Brien (born 1929 English Labour MP for Normanton 1983&ndash2005 Bill O'Brien (actor

William O'Brien M. P.

William O'Brien (2 October 1852 – 25 February 1928) was an Irish nationalist, journalist, agrarian agitator, social revolutionary, politician, party leader, newspaper publisher, author and Member of Parliament (MP. Events 1187 - Siege of Jerusalem: Saladin captures Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule Year 1852 ( MDCCCLII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 138 - The Emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius, effectively making him his successor Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Irish nationalism (Náisiúnachas Éireannach refers to political and sociological movements and sentiment that embodies a love for Irish ancestry, culture and language and A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. ) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 He was particularly associated with the campaigns for land reform in Ireland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as well as his conciliatory approach to attaining Irish Home Rule. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The Irish Home Rule bills were bills introduced in the British House of Commons during the late 19th and early 20th centuries intended to grant self-government and

Family, education

William O'Brien was born at Bank Place in Mallow, County Cork, as second son of James O'Brien, a solicitor's clerk, and his wife Kate, the daughter of James Nagle, a local shopkeeper. Mallow ( Irish Magh Eala "valley of the swans" is the "Crossroads of Munster " and the administrative capital of north County County Cork (Contae Chorcaí is the most southerly and the largest of the modern counties of Ireland. On his mother's side he was descended from the distinguished Norman family of Nagles, long settled in the vicinity of Mallow giving their name to the nearby Nagle Mountains. The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. He was also linked through his mother with the statesman Edmund Burke's mother's family, as well as with the poet Edmund Spencer's family. Edmund Burke ( 12 January, 1729 9 July, 1797) was an Irish statesman author orator Political theorist, and Edmund Spenser (c 1552 &ndash 13 January, 1599) was an important English Poet and Poet Laureate best known for The The Nagles however, no longer held the status or prosperity they once had. In the same month thirty-eight years earlier Thomas Davis was born in Mallow. Thomas Osborne Davis ( October 14, 1814 - September 16, 1845) was a revolutionary Irish writer who was the chief organizer O'Brien's advocacy of the cause of Irish Independence was to be in the same true tradition of his esteemed fellow-townsman.

O'Brien shared his primary education with a townsman with whom he was later to have a close political connection, Canon Sheehan of Doneraile. The Very Rev Patrick Augustine Canon Sheehan in Gaelic: An Canónach Pádraig Aguistín Ó Síothcháin ( 17 March 1852 – 5 October He enjoyed his secondary education at the Cloyne diocesan college, which resulted in his being brought up in an environment noted for its religious tolerance. He greatly valued having had this experience from an early age, which strongly influenced his later views for the need of such tolerance in Irish national life.

Early journalism

Financial misfortune in 1868 caused the O'Brien family to move to Cork City. Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Cork (Corcaigh is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland 's third most populous city after Dublin and Belfast A year later his father died, and the illness of his elder and younger brother and his sister resulted in him having to support his mother and siblings. Always a prolific writer, it quickly earned him a job as newspaper reporter, first for the Cork Daily Herald. This was to be the primary career which first attracted attention to him as a public figure. He had began legal studies at Queen's College, later University College Cork, but although he never graduated, he held a lifelong attachment to the institution, to which he bequeathed his private papers.

Political origins

From an early age O'Brien's political ideas, like most of his contemporaries, were shaped by the Fenian movement and the plight of the Irish tenant farmers, his elder brother having participated in the rebellion of 1867. Fianna Éireann The Fenians, both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood, were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting It resulted in O'Brien himself becoming actively involved with the Fenian brotherhood, resigning in the mid-1870s, because of what he described in 'Evening Memories' (p. 443-4) as "the gloom of inevitable failure and horrible punishment inseparable from any attempt at separation by force of arms".

As a journalist his attention was attracted in the first place to the suffering of the tenant farmers. Now on the staff of the Freeman's Journal, after touring the Galtee Mountains around Christmas 1877 he published articles describing their conditions, which later appeared in pamphlet form. The Galtee Mountains or Galty Mountains (Na Gaibhlte or Sléibhte na gCoillte are a mountain range in Munster, located in Ireland 's Golden Vale Year 1877 ( MDCCCLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common With this action he first displayed his belief that only through parliamentary reform and with the new power of the press that public opinion could be influenced to pursue Irish issues constitutionally through open political activity and the ballot box. Not least of all, responding to the hopes of the new Irish Home Rule movement. Home rule refers to a demand that constituent parts of a state be given greater self-government within the greater administrative purview of the central government

United Ireland Editor

Land War manifesto

In 1878 he met Charles Stewart Parnell at a Home Rule meeting. Year 1878 ( MDCCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Charles Stewart Parnell ( 27 June 1846 &ndash 6 October 1891) was an Irish Protestant landowner nationalist Parnell recognised his exceptional talents as a journalist and writer, influencing his rise to becoming a leading politician of the new generation. He subsequently appointed him in 1881 as editor of the Irish National Land League's journal, The United Irishman. Year 1881 ( MDCCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of the late 19th century which sought to help poor Tenant farmers Its primary aim was to abolish His association with Parnell and the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP) led to his arrest and imprisonment with Parnell, Dillon, William Redmond and other nationalist leaders in Kilmainham Gaol that October. The Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP (commonly called the Irish Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing William Hoey Kearney Redmond ( 15 April, 1861 &ndash 9 June, 1917) (commonly known as Willie Redmond) was an Irish Kilmainham Gaol ( Príosún Chill Mhaighneann) is a former Prison, located in Kilmainham in Dublin, which is now a museum

During his imprisonment until April 1882 he drafted the famous Land War No Rent Manifesto -- a rent-withholding scheme personally led by O'Brien, escalating the conflict between the Land League and Gladstone's government. Year 1882 ( MDCCCLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Irish Land League was an Irish political organization of the late 19th century which sought to help poor Tenant farmers Its primary aim was to abolish He was persecuted nine times in the course of years.

Agitator and M. P.

From 1883-1885 O'Brien was elected MP for Mallow. Year 1883 ( MDCCCLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1885 ( MDCCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Mallow was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency in Ireland returning one MP Following the abolition of that constituency he represented Tyrone South from 1885 to 1886, North East Cork from 1887-1892, and Cork City from 1892-1895 and from 1901-1918, in the House of Commons. South Tyrone was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland Boundaries and Boundary Changes This County constituency comprised the southern part of County Year 1886 ( MDCCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common North East Cork was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning one Member of Parliament 1885-1922 Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1892 ( MDCCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Cork City is a former UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning two Members of Parliament. Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1901 ( MCMI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common There were three periods of absence: 1886-7, from 1895-1900, and eight months in 1904. Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on Amid the turmoil of Irish politics in the late 19th century he was frequently arrested and imprisoned for his support for various Land League protests.

In 1887 O'Brien helped to organise a rent strike during the Plan of Campaign at the estate of Lady Kingston near Mitchelstown, County Cork. Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Plan of Campaign was a stratagem adopted in Ireland between 1886 and 1891 co-ordinated by Irish politicians for the benefit of Tenant farmers Towns and villages in County Cork]] Mitchelstown (Baile Mhistéala is a small country Town in County Cork in the south-west of Ireland. On 9 September, after an 8,000-strong demonstration led by John Dillon, three estate tenants were shot dead, and others wounded, by police at the town's courthouse where O'Brien had been brought for trial on charges of incitement under a new Coercion Act. John Dillon (4 September 1851 – 4 August 1927 was an Irish land reform agitator Irish Home Rule activist nationalist politician Member of Parliament Between 1801 and 1922 the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed over 100 acts of emergency law in an attempt to establish law and order in Ireland. This event became known as the Mitchelstown Massacre. Towns and villages in County Cork]] Mitchelstown (Baile Mhistéala is a small country Town in County Cork in the south-west of Ireland. Later that year, thousands of demonstrators marched in London to demand his release from prison, and clashed with police at Trafalgar Square on Bloody Sunday (November 10). Trafalgar Square is a square in central London, England. With its position in the heart of London it is a tourist attraction its trademark is Nelson's For other incidents referred to by this name see Bloody Sunday. Events 1444 - Battle of Varna: The crusading forces of King Vladislaus III of Varna (aka Ulaszlo I of Hungary and Wladyslaw

Bloody Sunday (1887)

Even in prison, O'Brien continued his protests, refusing to wear prison uniform in 1887. Year 1887 ( MDCCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Being left without cloths, a Blarney tweed suit was smuggled in. Blarney ( An Bhlárna in Irish) is a village in the south of Ireland, located 8 km northwest of Cork, Ireland. He occasionally wore this much publicised suit in the Commons when confronting his incarcerator, Arthur Balfour. Arthur James Balfour 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC (25 July 1848 - 19 March 1930 was a British Conservative politician and His imprisonment also inspired protests – notably the 1887 'Bloody Sunday' riots in London. For other incidents referred to by this name see Bloody Sunday. In 1889 he escaped from a courtroom but was sentenced in absentia for conspiracy. Year 1889 ( MDCCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common He fled to America accompanied by Dillon who was on bail, then to France where both held negotiations with Parnell at Boulogne over the leadership of the party. When these broke down, both returned to Folkestone giving themselves up, subsequently serving four months in Clonmel and Galway gaols. Folkestone (ˈfoʊkstən is a resort town on the south coast of Kent, England, traditionally known as "The Garden Coast" Clonmel ( Cluain Meala in Irish) in County Tipperary is the county seat of South Tipperary County Council. Galway (Gaillimh is the only city in the province of Connacht in Ireland. Here O'Brien began to reconsider his political future, using the time to write an acclaimed novel, a Fenian romance with a land reform theme set in 1860: When We Were Boys, which was published in 1890. Fianna Éireann The Fenians, both the Fenian Brotherhood and Irish Republican Brotherhood, were fraternal organisations dedicated to the establishment of an independent Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Marriage, reorientation

In 1890 he married Sophie Raffalovich, sister of poet and socialite Marc André Sebastian Raffalovich and daughter of the Russian Jewish banker, Hermann Raffalowich, domiciled in Paris. Year 1890 ( MDCCCXC) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Marc-André Raffalovich ( 11 September 1864 – 1934 was a French Poet and writer on Homosexuality best known today for his patronage It was to mark a major turning point in O'Brien's personal and political life. His wife brought considerable wealth into the marriage, enabling him to act with political independence and providing finances to establish his own newspapers. His wife (1860-1960) who survived him by over 30 years, gave him considerable moral and emotional support for his political pursuits. Year 1860 ( MDCCLX) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year starting Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Their relationship added an abiding love for France and attachment to Europe to his life, where he often retired to recuperate.

By 1891 he had become disillusioned with Parnell's political leadership, although emotionally loyal to him he tried to persuade him to retire after the O'Shea divorce case. Year 1891 ( MDCCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Katharine O'Shea, also known as Katie O'Shea, Kitty O'Shea or following her second marriage Katharine Parnell ( 30 January 1846 &ndash On Parnell's death that year and the ensuing IPP split, he remained aloof from aligning himself with either side of the Party, either the rump pro-Parnellite Irish National League (INL) led by John Redmond or with the anti-Parnellite Irish National Federation (INF) group under John Dillon, although he saw the weight of strength in the latter. The Irish National League (INL was a nationalist Political party in Ireland. John Edward Redmond (Seán Éamonn Mac Réamoinn (1 September 1856 &ndash 6 March 1918 was an Irish nationalist Politician, Barrister, MP The Irish National Federation (INF was a nationalist Political party in Ireland. John Dillon (4 September 1851 – 4 August 1927 was an Irish land reform agitator Irish Home Rule activist nationalist politician Member of Parliament O'Brien worked hard in the 1893 negotiations leading to Parliament passing Gladstone's Second Home Rule Bill , which the Lords however rejected. Year 1893 ( MDCCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Irish Government Bill 1893 (known generally as the Second Home Rule Bill) was the second attempt made by William E (Gladstone's speech on the First Home Rule Bill had beseeched parliament not to reject it). The First Home Rule Bill (official name Irish Government Bill 1886) was the first major attempt made by a British parliament to

United Irish League

Distancing himself from the party turmoils, he retired from parliament in 1895, settling for a while with his wife near Westport, County Mayo, which enabled him to experience at first hand from his Mayo retreat the distressed hardship of the peasantry in the West of Ireland, trying to eke out an existence in its rocky landscape. Year 1895 ( MDCCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Westport ( is a Town in County Mayo in Ireland. It is situated on the west coast of Ireland, at the south-east corner of Clew Bay

Believing strongly that agitational politics combined with constitutional pressures were the best means of achieving objectives, O'Brien established on the 16. January 1898 the United Irish League (UIL) at Westport, with Michael Davitt as co-founder and John Dillon present. The United Irish League (UIL was a nationalist Political party in Ireland. Michael Davitt ( Irish name: Mícheál Mac Dáibhéid) ( March 25, 1846 &ndash May 30, 1906) was an Irish John Dillon (4 September 1851 – 4 August 1927 was an Irish land reform agitator Irish Home Rule activist nationalist politician Member of Parliament It was to be a new grass-roots organisation with a programme to include agrarian agitation, political reform and Home Rule. It coincided with the passing of the revolutionary Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 which broke the power of the landlord dominated "Grand Juries", passing for the first time absolute democratic control of local affairs into the hands of the people through elected Local County Councils. The Local Government (Ireland Act 1898 (61 & 62 Vict c 37 is a piece of legislation passed as an Act of Parliament by the Parliament of the United Kingdom

The UIL was explicidly designed to reconcile the various parliamentary fragments existing since the Parnell split, which proved very popular, its branches sweeping over most of the country organised by its general secretary John O'Donnell , dictating to the demoralised Irish party leaders the terms for reconstruction, not only of the party but the nationalist movement in Ireland. John O’Donnell (1866-1920 was an Irish journalist Nationalist politician and MP The movement was backed by O'Brien's new newspaper The Irish People (Sept. 1899 -Nov. 1904 and Sept. 1905 -Mar. 1909).

Around 1900 O'Brien, an unbending social reformer and agrarian agitator, was the most influential and powerful figure within the nationalist movement, although not formally its leader. Year 1900 ( MCM) was an exceptional Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar His UIL was by far the largest organisation in the country, comprising 1150 branches and 84,355 members. The result of the rapid growth of his UIL as a national organisation in achieving unity through organised popular opinion, was to effect a quick defensive reunion under John Redmond of the discredited IPP factions of the INL and the INF, largely fearing O’Brien’s return to the political field. John Edward Redmond (Seán Éamonn Mac Réamoinn (1 September 1856 &ndash 6 March 1918 was an Irish nationalist Politician, Barrister, MP The Irish National League (INL was a nationalist Political party in Ireland. The Irish National Federation (INF was a nationalist Political party in Ireland. This unity disturbed O’Brien as it resulted in most of the ineffective party candidates being re-elected in the 1900 general election, preventing the UIL from using its power in the pre-selection of candidates. The United Kingdom general election of 1900 was held from 25 September to 24 October 1900 Within a few years the IPP was however, to tactically adjunct the UIL under its wing manoeuvering it out of O'Brien's control.

Land Act architect

O'Brien next intensified the UIL agitation for land purchase by tenant farmers, pressurising for compulsory purchase. It resulted in the calling of the December 1902 Land Conference, an initiative by moderate landlords led by Lord Dunraven for a settlement by conciliatory agreement between landlord and tenant. Year 1902 ( MCMII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl KP PC (I ( 12 February 1841 – 14 June 1926) styled After six sessions all tenant’s demands were conceded, O’Brien having guided the official nationalist movement into endorsement of a new policy of conciliation. He followed this by campaigning vigorously for the greatest piece of social legislation Ireland had yet seen, orchestrating the Wyndham Land Purchase Act (1903) through parliament, which effectively ended landlordism, solving the age old Irish Land Question

This masterful strategy of bringing about agreement on land purchase between tenants and landlords under the Act, though supported by Redmond, was condemned by a Dillon led campaign against O’Brien, ferociously attacking him for putting Land Purchase and Conciliation before Home Rule, Michael Davitt on the grounds that the Act did not espouse land nationalisation. George Wyndham ( 29 August 1863 &ndash 8 June 1913) was an English Political figure. Absentee landlord is an economic term for a person who owns and rents out a Profit -earning Property, but does not live within the property's local economic Michael Davitt ( Irish name: Mícheál Mac Dáibhéid) ( March 25, 1846 &ndash May 30, 1906) was an Irish Severely in disagreement with all adversaries, O’Brien left the Irish Parliamentary Party in November 1903 for five years, retiring his parliamentary seat. His Cork electorate however, insistently pushed through his re-election eight months later. O’Brien’s intention of shocking the party to its senses, failed. ,

He then embarked on advancing full scale implementation of the Act in alliance with D.D. Sheehan M. Daniel Desmond Sheehan, usually known as D D Sheehan ( 28 May 1873 &ndash 28 November 1948) was an Irish nationalist P. ’s Irish Land and Labour Association (ILLA), which by 1904 had become the new organisational base for O’Brien’s political activities. The Irish Land and Labour Association (ILLA was a progressive movement founded in the early 1890s in Munster, Ireland, to organise and pursue political agitation Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on This aggravated the Dillonite section of the IPP further. Determined to destroy both "before they poison the whole country", they published continual denunciations in the party’s newspaper, the Freeman Journal , then coupéd the UIL by means of its new sectrtary, Dillon’s chief lieutenant, Joseph Devlin M. Joseph Devlin, also known as Joe Devlin ( 13 February 1871 &ndash 18 January 1934) was an Irish Journalist, influential P. , Grandmaster of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Devlin eventually gaining organisational control over the entire UIL and IPP organisations. Grand Master is the typical Title of the supreme head (in some national orders below the Sovereign Head of state of various orders of knighthood including Military orders The Ancient Order of Hibernians ( AOH) is an Irish-Catholic Fraternal organization.

Housing Acts

Britain had two bills to pay for past wrongs. After financing tenant land purchase, tenant farmers were now proud proprietors largely in control of local government. The next bill to pay was for extensive rural housing of the tens of thousands of migrant farm labourers struggling to survive in stone cabins, barns or mud hovels. A long standing demand by the ILLA branches and D. D. Sheehan.

O'Brien saw its prime importance and negotiated during 1905, which, after the January 1906 general election, was to become the Bryce Labourers (Ireland) Act (1906), and during the course of the next five years financed the erection of over 40,000 commodious cottage homes, each on an acre of land. The United Kingdom general election of 1900 was held from 25 September to 24 October 1900 James Bryce 1st Viscount Bryce, OM, GCVO, FRS, PC, FBA ( May 10, 1838 &ndash January 22, 1922 This unique social housing programme unparalleled anywhere in Europe brought about an unprecedented agrarian revolution, changing the face of the Irish countryside,

Renewed publication of O'Brien's newspaper The Irish People (1905-1909) exalting the cottage building, its editorials equally countermanding the IPP's Dublin "bosses" attempts to curtail the program, fearing settled rural communities would no longer be dependent on Party and Church. Munster took full advantage, erecting most of the cottages, additional funding following under Birrell's Labourers (Ireland) Act 1911 . Augustine Birrell KC ( January 19, 1850 - November 20, 1933) was an English politician barrister academic and author

In the interest of united, O'Brien rejoined the Parliamenatry Party in 1908. Year 1908 ( MCMVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year During negotiations that year for additional funding of land purchase under an amending bill, Redmond called a UIL convention for December in Dublin, claiming the bill over-burdened the British Treasury and the rate payers. Over 3000 delegates attended. Devlin had the hall filled in advance with 400 of his militant Mollies , so that when O'Brien and his followers tried to speak in favour of the bill, they were battoned into silence. The Molly Maguires were members of a secret Irish organization The bill eventually passed as Birrell's Land Purchase Act (1909) , falling far short in its financial provisions.

All-for-Ireland League

All-for-Ireland League group portrait of five of its Independent Members of Parliament, 1910. The All-for-Ireland League (AFIL, was an Irish, Munster -based political party (1909-1918 A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament.
These are: Patrick Guiney (North Cork), James Gilhooly (West Cork), Maurice Healy (North-east Cork), D. D. Sheehan (Mid Cork), and Eugene Crean (South-east Cork). Patrick Guiney (1862-1913 was an Irish Nationalist politician and MP in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. North Cork was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning one Member of Parliament 1885-1922 James Gilhooly (1847&ndash1916 was an Irish nationalist politician and MP West Cork was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning one Member of Parliament 1885-1922 Maurice Healy ( 3 January 1859 - 9 November 1923) was an Irish nationalist politician lawyer and MP North East Cork was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning one Member of Parliament 1885-1922 Daniel Desmond Sheehan, usually known as D D Sheehan ( 28 May 1873 &ndash 28 November 1948) was an Irish nationalist Mid Cork was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning one Member of Parliament 1885-1922 Eugene Crean (1854-1939 was an Irish nationalist politician and MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain South East Cork was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning one Member of Parliament (MP 1885-1922
The other MPs elected in January 1910 were: William O'Brien (Cork city), John O'Donnell (South Mayo) and Timothy Michael Healy (North Louth). Cork City is a former UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning two Members of Parliament. John O’Donnell (1866-1920 was an Irish journalist Nationalist politician and MP South Mayo was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning one Member of Parliament 1885-1922 Timothy Michael Healy, KC (17 May 1855 &ndash 26 March 1931 was an Irish nationalist politician journalist author barrister and one of the most North Louth was a UK Parliament constituency in Ireland returning one Member of Parliament (MP 1885-1918

As an outcome of the "Baton-Convention" O’Brien felt himself again driven from the party. He foresaw that the IPP, undermined by the AOH, was on a fatal radical path which would frustrate any All-Ireland Home Rule settlement. As a counter measure he established a new League, which was to build on the success his combined "doctrine of conciliation" with "conference plus business" achieved during the 1902 Land Conference with landlords and the ensuing 1903 Land Purchase Act, believing all moderate unionists could still be similarly won over to All-Ireland Home Rule. For many nationalists on the other hand, the adoption of a conciliatory approach to the "hereditary enemy" involved too sharp a deviation from traditional thinking.

In March 1909 he inaugurated the All-for-Ireland League (AFIL) supported by many prominent and leading Munster figures, founder members the political activist Canon Sheehan of Doneraile, James Gilhooly MP as Chairman and D. Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The All-for-Ireland League (AFIL, was an Irish, Munster -based political party (1909-1918 The Very Rev Patrick Augustine Canon Sheehan in Gaelic: An Canónach Pádraig Aguistín Ó Síothcháin ( 17 March 1852 – 5 October James Gilhooly (1847&ndash1916 was an Irish nationalist politician and MP D. Sheehan Hon. Secretary. The AFIL’s political objective was the attainment of a United Ireland parliament with the consent rather than by the compulsion of the Protestant and Unionist community, under the banner of the “three Cs”, for Conference, Conciliation and Consent as applied to Irish politics. A United Ireland is the term used to refer to a sovereign state encompassing the whole of the island of Ireland. The Church of Ireland (Eaglais na hÉireann is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating across the island of Ireland. Unionism in Ireland, is a belief in the desirability of a full constitutional and institutional relationship between Ireland and Great Britain based on the terms and

Ill-health striking O’Brien, he departed for Florence, Italy to recuperate, returning after the January 1910 general election, in which his electorate in Cork re-elected him in absence. Florence ( Italian: Firenze Florentia and Fiorenza) is the Capital City of the Italian region of Tuscany Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The United Kingdom general election of 1900 was held from 25 September to 24 October 1900 The AFIL contested both 1910 elections opposing an IPP backed by the Church, returning in the December 1910 general election eight independent "O'Brienite" MPs, O'Brien's new political party. The United Kingdom general election of 1900 was held from 25 September to 24 October 1900 From July 1910 until late 1916 O’Brien published the League’s newspaper, the Cork Free Press. Election results published by it showed Independents had won 30% of votes cast.

In 1911 O'Brien proposed Dominion Home Rule in a letter to Asquith as the only viable solution to the "Irish Question", now that the IPP held the balance of power at Westminster. Home Rule was technically assured after its Bill was introduced in 1912. O’Brien saw it opportune for a co-operative understanding with Arthur Griffith's moderate Sinn Féin movement, having in common - attaining objectives through "moral protest" - political resistance and agitation rather than militant physical-force. Arthur Griffith (Art Ó Gríobhtha 31 March 1872 &ndash 12 August 1922 was the founder and third leader of Sinn Féin. Sinn Féin () is a political party in Ireland. The current party led by Gerry Adams was formed following a split in January 1970 Neither O’Brien nor Griffith advocated total abstentionism from the Commons, and regarded Dominion Home Rule, modelled on Canada or Australia, as acceptable. Abstentionism is standing for Election to a Deliberative assembly while refusing to take up any seats won or otherwise participate in the assembly's business

During the 1913-14 parliamentary debates on the Third Home Rule Bill, O'Brien opposed the IPP's coercive "Ulster must follow" policy, and published in January 1914 specific concession which would enable Ulster join a Dublin parliament "any price for an United Ireland, but never partition". The Ulster Volunteers had already armed to resist likely "Rome Rule" , Redmond's Irish Volunteers arming likewise. The Ulster Volunteers were a unionist militia founded in 1912 to block Home Rule for Ireland. " Rome Rule " was a term used by Irish Unionists and Socialists to describe the belief that the Roman Catholic Church would gain political The Irish Volunteers ( Óglaigh na hÉireann) was a military organisation established in 1913 by Irish nationalists. The Redmond-Dillon-Devlin hardline alliance remained uncompromising "no concessions for Ulster".

In May O'Brien and his followers abstained from the final vote passing the Third Home Rule Act 1914 , denouncing it as a "partition deal", after Sir Edward Carson leader of the Ulster Unionist Party forced through an amendment mandating the partition of Ireland , the Nationalist's confrontation course with Ulster ending in fiasco. The Home Rule Act of 1914, also known as the ( Irish) Third Home Rule Act (or Bill) and formally known as the Government of Ireland Act 1914 Edward Henry Carson Baron Carson, PC, Kt, KC (often known as Sir Edward Carson or Lord Carson) ( The Ulster Unionist Party ( UUP, sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or OUP or in a historic sense simply the Unionist Party The Partition of Ireland took place on 3 May 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920.

Changing Tides

O'Brien saw the outbreak of World War I in August as an opportunity to undertake a last crusade to preserve at any price the unity of Ireland, by uniting the Green and Orange in a common cause, declaring himself on the side of the Allied and Britain's European war effort. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Entente Powers (from Triple Entente) were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. He said that if Irish Home Rule was to have a future, it would depend upon the extent to which the National Volunteers (who had split off from the Irish Volunteers) enlisted in Irish regiments and in combination with the Ulster Volunteers, did their part in the firing line on the fields of France. The Irish Home Rule bills were bills introduced in the British House of Commons during the late 19th and early 20th centuries intended to grant self-government and The National Volunteers was the name taken by the majority of the Irish Volunteers that sided with Irish Parliamentary Party leader John Redmond after the An Irish regiment is a Regiment (or similar military unit excluding those actually in the Irish Defence Forces, that at some time in its history has or had intentional The Ulster Volunteers were a unionist militia founded in 1912 to block Home Rule for Ireland. Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914 the German army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining He spoke out in favour of the formation of an Irish Brigade and stood on recruiting platforms encouraging voluntary enlistment in the Royal Munster Fusiliers. The Royal Munster Fusiliers was a regular Irish Infantry Regiment of the British Army.

O'Brien had warned of the danger of a potential republican eruption, culminating in the IRB 1916 Rebellion , in which Sinn Féin were not involved. The Easter Rising (Éirí Amach na Cásca was a rebellion staged in Ireland in Easter Week, 1916 He was forced to cease publication of his Cork Free Press in 1916 soon after the appointment of Lord Decies as Chief Press Censor for Ireland. John Graham Hope de la Poer Beresford, PC ( December 5, 1866 &ndash January 31, 1944) 5th Baron Decies, was an Decies warned the press to be careful about what they published. Such warnings had little effect when dealing with such papers as the Cork Free Press. It was suppressed after its republican editor, Frank Gallagher, accused the British authorities of lying about the conditions and situation of republican prisoners in the Frongoch internment camp^[1]. Frank B Gallagher ( pseudo David Hogan) (1893 &ndash 1962 was an Irish Author and Volunteer. Frongoch internment camp at Frongoch in Merionethshire, Wales was a makeshift place of imprisonment during the First World War.

O'Brien accepted the Rising and the ensuing changed political climate in 1917 as the best way of ridding the country of IPP and AOH stagnation. Home Rule had been lost in 1913, an inflexible IPP long out of touch with reality, reflected by Britain's two failed attempts to introduce Home Rule in 1916 and again in 1917. O'Brien refused to participate in the Irish Convention after southern unionist representatives he had proposed were turned down. The Irish Convention was an assembly which sat in Ireland from July 1917 until March 1918 to address the Irish Question and other constitutional problems The Irish Unionist Alliance (also known as the Irish Unionist Party) was a Unionist party founded in Ireland in the second half of the 19th century The Convention ended as he predicted in failure when Britain attempted to link the enactment of Home Rule with conscription.

During the anti-conscription crisis in April 1918 O'Brien and his AFIL left the House of Commons and joined Sinn Féin and other prominentaries in the mass protests in Dublin. The Conscription Crisis of 1918 stemmed from a move by the Government of the United Kingdom to impose Conscription in Ireland, and contributed to pivotal The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords Seeing no future for his conciliatory political concepts in a future election, he believed Sinn Féin in its moderate form had earned the right to represent nationalist interests. He and the other members of the AFIL stood aside putting their seats at the disposal of Sinn Féin, its candidates returned unopposed in the 1918 general elections. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Irish general election of 1918 was that part of the 1918 United Kingdom general election that took place in Ireland.

O'Brien disagreed with the establishment of a southern Irish Free State under the Treaty, still believing that Partition of Ireland was too high a price to pay for partial independence. The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by The Anglo-Irish Treaty (An Conradh Angla-Éireannach officially called the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was a Treaty The Partition of Ireland took place on 3 May 1921 under the Government of Ireland Act 1920. Retiring from political life, he contented himself with writing and declined De Valera's offer to stand for Fianna Fáil in the 1927 general election. Éamon de Valera (ˈeɪmən dɛvəˈlɛrə (born Edward George de Valera) (14 October 1882 &ndash 29 August 1975 was one of the dominant political figures in 20th century Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the He died suddenly on 25. February 1928 while on a visit to London with his wife at the age of 75. Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. His remains rest in Mallow, and one of the principal streets in the town bears his name to this day. His head-bust overlooks the town Council's Chamber Room and one of his finest portraits hangs in University College Cork.

Notes

Publications

O'Brien's books, a number of which are collections of his journalistic writings and political speeches, include:

• Christmas on the Galtees (1878) Ballybeg Village Irish Christmas
• When we were boys (1890)
• Irish Ideas (1893) Irish Ideas (1893)
• A Queen of Men, Grace O'Malley (1898)
• Recolections (1905)
• An Olive Branch in Ireland (1910)
• The Downfall of Parliamentarianism (1918)
• Evening Memories (1920)
• The Responsibility for Partition (1921)
• The Irish Revolution (1921)
• Edmund Burke as an Irishman (1924)

References

• D. D Sheehan Ireland since Parnell (1921)
• Michael MacDonagh The Life of William O'Brien (1928)
• Joseph V. O'Brien William O'Brien and the course of Irish Politics (1976)
• Brendan Clifford Cork Free Press An Account of Ireland's only Democratic
  Anti-Partition Movement (1984), Athol Books, Belfast.
• S. Warwick-Haller William O'Brien and the Irish land war (1990)
• Patrick Maume The long gestation (1999)