Abstract

The struggle for Irish self-governance was a central issue in British and Irish politics from the Act of Union in 1801 to the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1921. This paper examines the persuasiveness of William Ewart Gladstone when campaigning for Irish Home Rule, with particular focus on the First Home Rule Bill of 1886. While scholars have long debated the effectiveness of the Home Rule movement in addressing Irish nationalist demands, less attention has been given to how Gladstone persuades the Queen, members of his party, and his opponents. This study addresses that gap by analyzing Gladstone’s speeches, parliamentary debates, private correspondences, and newspaper articles to explore how he tried to convince these different people. Gladstone framed Home Rule as a just and necessary reform to maintain peace within the Union and respond to Irish grievances, though his efforts also revealed deep divisions within British politics and society. The failure of the 1886 Bill marked a turning point, not only in the trajectory of Irish nationalism, but in the decline of the Liberal Party and the reshaping of British Irish relations. Gladstone’s support for Home Rule illustrates both the possibilities and the limits of constitutional reform as a response to imperial tensions.

Advisor

Welsch, Christina

Department

History

Disciplines

European History | History | Political History

Keywords

Gladstone, Home Rule, Ireland, history

Publication Date

2026

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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