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Emancipation - Reasons for the Passage of Catholic Emancipation 1829 -…
Emancipation - Reasons for the Passage of Catholic Emancipation 1829
Plunkett's Emancipation Bill Failure 1821
Turning points in strategy
Highlighted failure of existing approaches (criticised by O'Connell as 'annual forces')
Reinforced the belief that Catholic Emancipation would not be granted voluntarily so returned to more aggressive grassroots strategy.
Formation of the Catholic Association 1823
Dropped Catholic veto gaining stronger support from clergy
Addressed broader issues surrounding tithes, burial ground disputes and anti-Catholicism in armed forces
Founded by O'Connell and Richard Shell armed to create popular mass movement
Introduced Catholic rent (1p per month) to fund activities (£7,500 raided by Christmas 1824)
The Waterford Election 1826
Inspired similar electoral revolts in other countries
Strategic victory for Catholic Association: support pro-emancipation protestant (Henry Villes Stuart)
Catholic Priests urged 40 shilling free holders to defy landlords and vote
Evicted free holders recieved financial support by Catholic rent
Shift in electoral politics as Catholics began leveraging votes
County Clare Election 1828
Key events and strategy's
O'Connell ran to confront the government and show power
Unable to take parliamentary oath
Fitzgerald, sympathetic to emancipation but with Wellington, faced re-election
Association opposed candidates supporting Wellington unless pledged to support emancipation
O'Connell's campiagn
Over 100 priests rallied 40 shilling holders to vote
His speeches in Ennis energised supporters who wore green symbols of solidarity
He encouraged abstinence from alcohol and urged women not to marry men voting against him
Outcome and impact
Forced government to confront Catholic demands due to rebellion fear
O'Connell won 2057 votes to 982 showing Catholic power
Soldiers publicly supported O'Connell alarming the government about army loyalty in Ireland
The Passage of Catholic Emancipation
Initially barred from taking his seat but was re-elected unopposed in July 1929
'The liberator' making historic victory for Catholic rights
Success demonstrated power of grassroots Catholic agitation and forced transformation in British-Irish relations
Electoral reform abolished 40 shilling freeholders reducing the Irish electorate (seen as a failure)
Legislation passed allowing Catholic to sit in Parliament and most public offices