Buckingham Palace Conference facts for kids
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The Buckingham Palace Conference was an important meeting held in 1914 at Buckingham Palace. King George V called this meeting. He invited leaders from both Irish Nationalism and Irish Unionism. The goal was to talk about plans for Irish Home Rule. This was a way for Ireland to govern itself. The King hoped to stop a possible civil war over this issue. It was the first time these leaders met face-to-face for such talks.
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Why Home Rule Was a Big Deal
For many years, Irish nationalist leaders wanted Home Rule. This meant Ireland would have its own government. They pushed for this in the British Parliament. But Irish Unionists were against it. They worried about being ruled by a Catholic-Nationalist government in Dublin.
The House of Lords used to have the power to stop new laws. They blocked a Home Rule Bill in 1893. This helped Unionists. However, a new law in 1911, called the Parliament Act 1911, greatly reduced the Lords' power. They could only delay a bill for three years.
In 1912, the government introduced the Third Home Rule Bill. Because of the new law, this bill was set to become law in mid-1914. This made Unionists very upset.
Rising Tensions and the King's Concern
Leaders of the Conservative Party supported the Unionists. They even used the phrase "Ulster will fight and Ulster will be right". This meant they would support any actions Unionists took to stop Home Rule.
Both sides started getting guns illegally. Unionists got guns at Larne. Nationalists got them at Howth. Both groups also formed large volunteer armies. These were the Ulster Volunteers and the Irish Volunteers.
It looked like a civil war was about to happen. King George V was very fond of Ireland. He decided to step in. He took the unusual step of inviting leaders from both sides to the Palace. He also invited the British government. He wanted to stop the country from sliding into war.
The Conference at Buckingham Palace
The conference took place at Buckingham Palace. It ran from July 21 to July 24, 1914. Even though Home Rule had been discussed for decades, this was the first time Nationalists and Unionists formally met.
Who Attended the Meeting
Important people attended the conference. These included Prime Minister H. H. Asquith and David Lloyd George. From the Irish Parliamentary Party, there was John Redmond and John Dillon. On the Unionist side, there was Edward Carson, Bonar Law, James Craig, and Lord Lansdowne. The Speaker of the House of Commons led the discussions.
No Agreement Reached
By the second day, it was clear they would not agree. The main problem was deciding which parts of Ireland would be left out of Home Rule. Specifically, they argued over Fermanagh and Tyrone.
Prime Minister Asquith felt helpless. He wrote that it was a "real tragedy." He saw it as a small issue to English eyes but a huge one for the Irish.
The conference ended after three days without an agreement. However, everyone agreed that the talks were useful. It was the first time Unionists and Nationalists had serious discussions. They talked about their fears concerning each other.
World War I Changes Everything
A small understanding did emerge. If the area of Ulster was to be left out, it should be kept together as one whole region. But the conference was quickly overshadowed. Just eleven days later, King George V declared war on Germany. Britain entered World War I. Parliament then voted for the Home Rule Act. But they also decided to delay it until the war was over.
Later attempts to find a solution, like the Irish Convention in 1917–18, also failed. People saw that conference as a "waste of time."
In hindsight, this conference was important. It was the first time the idea of dividing Ireland was seriously discussed. At the time, it meant keeping some parts of Ireland under British rule. Other parts would have Home Rule. The actual division happened in 1922. This created an international border. It separated the Irish Free State (now Irish Republic) from Northern Ireland, which remained British. The main reason for this division was the same as discussed in 1914. Ulster Unionists did not want to be part of a mainly Irish Catholic country.
Lasting Impact of the Conference
The King's idea of bringing all parties together had a lasting impact. Similar talks happened later. These led to the power-sharing government in the Sunningdale Agreement in the 1970s. They also led to the Belfast Agreement in the late 1990s. These agreements aimed to bring peace and stability to Northern Ireland.
King George V's Later Actions on Ireland
King George V continued to play a role in Irish affairs.
- In 1920, he spoke out against the actions of the Black and Tans. This was a special police force used by the British government during the Irish War of Independence. He also tried to save the life of hunger striker Terence MacSwiney.
- After the Government of Ireland Act 1920 was passed, he made a powerful speech. He called for peace and reconciliation in Ireland. This was at the opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland in 1921. His speech helped lead to a truce between the Irish Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This then paved the way for the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
- In 1932, he helped solve a disagreement. This was between Éamon de Valera, the leader of the Irish Free State, and James McNeill, the Governor-General. The King got de Valera to withdraw his request to remove McNeill. Then he got McNeill to retire early. De Valera later admitted that his government's criticism of McNeill was not fair.
