THE RISE OF THE SECOND SINN FÉIN PARTY TO UNDERSTAND WHY SINN FÉIN ROSE IN POPULARITY FROM 1916 TO 1918

BACKGROUND The Home Rule Party declined because it’s cause was defunct and its leader, Redmond, lost support by agreeing to partition. Despite its lack of involvement, Sinn Féin became renowned for the rising. Nationalists looked beyond Home Rule in the hope of achieving Irish sovereignty.

NATIONALIST BODIES SINN FÉIN IRISH VOLUNTEERS IRISH REPUBLICAN BROTHERHOOD

RISE OF SINN FÉIN Lloyd George released Irish prisoners to win favour with Irish-Americans. They had become more republican and opposed to British rule, joining Sinn Féin. Sinn Féin began to win elections but refused to take their seats. In 1917, de Valera was elected president of Sinn Féin and the Irish Volunteers with the policies: – Abstentionism – Setting up government in Dublin – Appealing to the peace conference after the war

RISE OF SINN FÉIN For a short time support for Sinn Féin declined but grew again after the party led a successful campaign against conscription in The German Plot also increased Sinn Féin support. The British government arrested over 70 Sinn Féin leaders because of a German plot to import arms into Ireland.

1918 GENERAL ELECTION PARTYSEATS SINN FÉIN73 HOME RULE PARTY 6 UNIONISTS26 WHY DID SINN FÉIN SUCCEED OVER HOME RULE PARTY? SINN FÉINHOME RULE The members were younger and more active. Younger Home Rulers were fighting in the war. Well organised.Failed to contest some constituencies because of poor organisation. New and hopeful policies. Failed to deliver on policy of Home Rule.

WHAT WERE THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THESUCCESS OF SINN FÉIN IN THE 1918 GENERAL ELECTION? DECLINE OF THE HOME RULE PARTY INCREASED REPUBLICAN ISM OF IRISH PRISONERS YOUNG & ACTIVE MEMBERS REPUBLICAN GROUPS UNITED UNDER ONE LEADER WELL ORGANISED WITH CLEAR POLICIES

ARTHUR GRIFFITH Arthur Griffith was born in Dublin in He was educated by the Christian Brothers and became a member of the Gaelic League and the IRB. He put forward his ideas in a book called The Resurrection of Hungary (1904). Here he proposed: – Parliamentary abstention – withdraw from Westminster and set up parliament in Ireland. – Dual monarchy – shared monarchy between Ireland and Britain. – Self-sufficiency based on a policy of protectionism. He founded Sinn Féin to put forward his ideas but it did not become popular. He joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and was involved in the Howth gunrunning in He was opposed to the involvement of Irishmen in the Frist World War, but was also opposed to the use of force to establish a republic in Ireland.

ARTHUR GRIFFITH He didn’t take part in the 1916 Rising but because of Sinn Féin’s mistaken association, he was arrested and jailed in England. When he was released, he began to rebuild Sinn Féin, proposing abstentionism and a post-war Peace Conference to recognise Ireland’s right to self-government. The party was gradually taken over by Republicans and Griffith stepped aside as de Valera became president of Sinn Féin in Dual monarch was dropped in favour of the republic. Griffith was arrested again during the ‘German Plot’. While in jail he was elected as MP for East Cavan. He was in jail when the First Dáil was set up in January 1919 but Sinn Féin followed his policy of abstentionism. He was appointed Minister for Home Affairs and acting president when de Valera was in America.

ARTHUR GRIFFITH Griffith was again arrested in 1920 but was released before the Truce which ended the War of Independence. He led the Irish delegation in London in talks with the British government. He supported the Anglo- Irish Treaty as the best that could be achieved. He became president of the Dáil when de Valera resigned after the Treaty debates. The strain of involvement in establishing the new Free State and the beginning of the Civil War affected his health. He died of a brain haemorrhage in August 1921.