Irish Confederation facts for kids

The Irish Confederation was an important group in Irish history. It was a movement that wanted Ireland to be independent. It started on January 13, 1847. Members of the Young Ireland movement created it. They had left another group called the Repeal Association. A historian named T. W. Moody called it the "official organisation of Young Ireland."

Why the Irish Confederation Started

In June 1846, the government in Britain changed. The Whigs took power. Daniel O'Connell led the Repeal Association. This group wanted to cancel the Act of Union 1800. This Act had joined Great Britain and Ireland in 1800.

O'Connell tried to make his group support the new Whig government. But some members, called the "Young Irelanders," disagreed. They were young and active members of the Repeal Association. They believed Ireland should not support any British political party. They felt this way as long as Ireland was not independent.

Disagreements and a Famous Speech

Some people close to O'Connell wanted the Young Irelanders out. They tried to make them look like troublemakers. On July 13, 1846, new rules were suggested. These rules said that a nation should never use force to gain freedom.

The Young Irelanders had never said they wanted to use force. They believed in peaceful ways to achieve their goals. But they felt these new rules went too far. They thought it was wrong to say force was never justified.

On July 28, Thomas Francis Meagher gave a famous speech. It was known as the "Sword Speech." He said that using force was not needed at that time. But he also said there might be times when it was necessary. He spoke about how force could help a nation gain freedom.

Meagher's speech changed the mood of the audience. O'Connell's son, John, then demanded that Meagher leave. William Smith O'Brien protested this. He and other Young Irelanders left the meeting. They never returned to the Repeal Association.

Forming a New Group

After leaving, the Young Irelanders decided to start their own group. They called it the Irish Confederation. They wanted a national Parliament for Ireland. This Parliament would have full power to make laws. They also promised that their members would not seek jobs from the British government.

They wanted to go back to the honest goals of the early Repeal Association. Many young people supported them. Even some people who had supported the Union with Britain were upset. They felt the British Parliament was ignoring Ireland's needs. This was especially true after the famine began. People wanted action to provide jobs and food. They also wanted to stop food from being sent out of Ireland. Many Irish people agreed on these points.

First Meeting and Members

The first meeting of the Irish Confederation was on January 13, 1847. It took place in the Rotunda in Dublin. John Shine Lawlor was the chairperson. John Blake Dillon and Charles Gavan Duffy were secretaries. Later, Meagher replaced Duffy.

About ten thousand people joined the group. However, very few wealthy landowners joined. Most middle-class people stayed away. Also, many Catholic priests were not friendly towards the group. Because people were poor, joining was free. The founders paid the costs themselves.

Elections and Growth

In the 1847 United Kingdom general election, three candidates from the Irish Confederation ran. William Smith O'Brien and Thomas Chisholm Anstey were elected.

The Irish Confederation also grew in England. Many Irish people had moved there. There were more than a dozen clubs in Liverpool. In Manchester and Salford, there were 16 clubs with over 700 members.

See also

• Joseph Henry Blake
• William Smith O'Brien
• Robert Cane
• Michael Doheny
• Charles Gavan Duffy
• D'Arcy McGee
• Father John Kenyon
• James Fintan Lalor
• Terence MacManus
• Thomas Francis Meagher
• John Mitchel
• Thomas Devin Reilly
• Patrick James Smyth