Key Events that Underpinned the 1918 General Election

In these notes we are going to go over even more key context that you can bring into your essay on 1918. We will cover three specific areas of interest:

• The Irish Convention
• The Conscription Crisis
• The German Plot There are even a couple of quotes included at the end of the information piece that you can add to your essay to improve your OE even more.

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The Irish Convention (July 1917 - April 1918)

• The Irish Convention, which took place from July 1917 to April 1918, was an attempt by the British government to resolve the ongoing political crisis in Ireland by finding a consensus on the issue of Home Rule.
• The Convention was convened in response to the rising nationalist sentiment following the Easter Rising of 1916 and the increasing unpopularity of the Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP), which had been the main advocate for Home Rule.
• The British government hoped that the Convention could bring together representatives from different Irish political factions to agree on a form of self-government that would satisfy both nationalists and unionists.
• The Convention was composed of a diverse group of delegates, including members of the IPP, southern unionists, representatives of the Ulster Unionist Party, and various business and civic leaders.
• However, the key nationalist party, Sinn Féin, refused to participate, viewing the Convention as a mere distraction from the goal of full independence. Sinn Féin's boycott significantly weakened the Convention's credibility and reduced the likelihood of reaching a meaningful agreement.
• Throughout its proceedings, the Convention struggled with deep divisions between nationalists, who wanted substantial autonomy for Ireland, and unionists, who were determined to maintain the union with Britain.
• One of the most contentious issues was the question of whether Ulster should be excluded from any Home Rule settlement, effectively partitioning Ireland. Despite extensive discussions, the delegates failed to reach a consensus on this and other key issues.
• The Convention's final report, published in April 1918, reflected the lack of agreement. While most delegates supported a form of Home Rule with provisions for Ulster, the proposal was vague and lacked the necessary political backing to be implemented.
• The failure of the Irish Convention underscored the inability of the existing political structures to address the demands of Irish nationalists and further discredited the IPP, which had participated in the process.
• This failure helped to pave the way for Sinn Féin's dominance in the 1918 general election, as the party presented itself as the only viable alternative to the increasingly ineffective Home Rule movement.

"The Convention was a failure... the government's last attempt to apply an out-of-date remedy to an urgent problem." - Historian Charles Townshend

The 1918 Conscription Crisis

• The Conscription Crisis of 1918 was a pivotal moment in Irish history that significantly influenced the outcome of the 1918 general election.
• During World War I, Britain faced a severe shortage of soldiers, and by early 1918, the war had reached a critical point with the German Spring Offensive threatening to break through Allied lines.
• To bolster its forces, the British government decided to extend conscription (compulsory military service) to Ireland, which had previously been excluded from conscription laws due to political sensitivities.
• The announcement of conscription in April 1918 provoked an immediate and widespread backlash across Ireland.
• The idea of forcing Irish men to fight in the British army, particularly after the brutal suppression of the Easter Rising and the ongoing executions and imprisonments of Irish nationalists, was deeply unpopular.
• Both nationalists and unionists, who had been bitterly divided over other issues, united in their opposition to conscription.
• The Irish Parliamentary Party (IPP), Sinn Féin, the Catholic Church, and trade unions all came together to form the Anti-Conscription Committee.
• Sinn Féin, under the leadership of Éamon de Valera, capitalised on the widespread anger and fear that conscription would be enforced.
• The party organised mass rallies, strikes, and civil disobedience campaigns to resist the measure.
• On 21 April 1918, a day of national protest was held, during which people across Ireland signed a pledge refusing to serve in the British military.
• This pledge was supported by the Catholic Church, which declared that conscription was unjust and immoral.
• The British government's attempt to impose conscription ultimately failed, largely due to the overwhelming public opposition and the logistical difficulties of enforcing it.
• The crisis, however, had lasting effects on Irish politics. It further discredited the IPP, which was already struggling to maintain its relevance, and it significantly boosted support for Sinn Féin, which was seen as the most effective defender of Irish interests.
• The conscription crisis demonstrated the power of mass mobilisation and the extent of Irish resentment toward British rule, setting the stage for Sinn Féin's sweeping victory in the 1918 general election.

"The conscription crisis united the country in opposition and gave Sinn Féin the momentum it needed to win the general election." - Historian Diarmaid Ferriter

The German Plot and How It Benefited Sinn Féin in the Election

• The German Plot was a supposed conspiracy uncovered by the British authorities in May 1918. It alleges that Sinn Féin leaders were in secret communication with Germany and planning to collaborate with the enemy to launch another rebellion in Ireland.
• The British government, deeply concerned about maintaining control over Ireland during World War I, used this alleged plot as a pretext to arrest and intern hundreds of Sinn Féin members, including many of its leaders.
• On 17 May 1918, over 70 Sinn Féin leaders, including Éamon de Valera, Arthur Griffith, and Count Plunkett, were arrested and imprisoned without trial.
• The British government claimed that these arrests were necessary to prevent a German-backed uprising, although the evidence for the plot was dubious at best. British authorities have since widely regarded it as a fabrication or, at the very least, a significant exaggeration.
• The arrests were intended to weaken Sinn Féin by removing its leadership and disrupting its activities.
• However, the British strategy backfired spectacularly. Instead of diminishing Sinn Féin's influence, the German Plot arrests galvanised public support for the party.
• Many Irish people saw the arrests as unjust and politically motivated, further fuelling anti-British sentiment.
• The government's heavy-handed approach reinforced the perception that Sinn Féin was the only party truly committed to Irish independence and willing to stand up to British oppression.
• The German Plot also allowed Sinn Féin to portray itself as the victim of British tyranny, which resonated deeply with the Irish electorate.
• The party maintained its momentum despite the imprisonment of many of its leaders, largely due to the extensive network of grassroots activists who continued to organise and campaign on behalf of Sinn Féin.
  • As the 1918 general election approached, the German Plot played a significant role in shaping public opinion.
  • The widespread sympathy for the imprisoned Sinn Féin leaders and the party's ability to present itself as the primary defender of Irish interests led to a landslide victory in the election.
  • Sinn Féin won 73 out of 105 seats, effectively ending the dominance of the Irish Parliamentary Party and marking a decisive shift in Irish politics toward the goal of full independence.

"The German Plot arrests turned Sinn Féin leaders into martyrs and secured their victory in the general election." - Historian Fearghal McGarry