Catholic Union
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2014) |
Catholic Union | |
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Political parties |
The Catholic Union was a political organisation in
Policy aims
The Catholic Union set itself three goals to achieve:
- disestablishment of the Church of Ireland;
- the creation of a Catholic university;
- moderate land reform in Ireland.
History
The Catholic Union failed as an organisation, however. It was overshadowed by a number of other organisations; from the Irish Republican Brotherhood and Isaac Butt's Home Government Association, a precursor of his later Home Rule League, to the Liberal and Conservative parties. The diminutive power of the Catholic Union was shown in the 1874 general election. Whereas the Conservatives won 32 seats, the Liberal Party 12 (down from 65) and the Home Rule League 59, the Union won nothing, with a supporter on Dublin Corporation unable even to get a seconder for his motion on home rule.
Though all three aims of the Catholic Union were achieved, they were achieved through the actions of others. The Catholic Union's irrelevance was shown when the Catholic Bishops went behind its own back to negotiate with Liberal
The Catholic Union rapidly disintegrated, with members drifting away within a short time of its foundation.
The organisation disappeared completely in the late 1870s. Its failure, along with the failure of Catholic Church-created or supported parties and candidates, notably the disastrous[
References
- ISBN 978-0-582-08102-4.
Sources
- Joe Lee, The Modernisation of Irish Society (Gill History of Ireland Series 10, Gill and Macmillan, 1973)