The ‘Irish factor’ in the outbreak of war in 1914

After the signing of the Entente Cordiale in 1904 between the French and the British, Irish separatists quickly turned towards the Germans as potential allies. Kaiser Wilhelm II was in fact closely […]

The Edinburgh agreement

They say that it’s never difficult to distinguish between a Scotsman with a grievance and a ray of sunshine. What, then, are we to make of the apparent sweet reasonableness […]

The 1912 Ulster Covenant by Joseph E.A. Connell Jr

From the early 1870s to the end of the First World War, Home Rule was both the single most dominant issue of Irish political life and a major influence within […]

Carson in British politics

Carson’s role as the leader of Ulster unionism during the Home Rule crisis only served to accelerate an already rapid rise in British politics. The unity of Ulster unionism and […]

The ‘baton’ convention, February 1909

Devlin’s use of the AOH to enforce party discipline reached its zenith at the ‘baton’ convention of 9 February 1909, called to consider, or to enforce the acceptance of, Birrell’s […]