National and nationalist politics

Abstract

This chapter will show that the Crimean War was perhaps the most positive chapter in Ireland’s nineteenth century history of governance, agitation and conspiracy and society’s relationship with the executive. It will do this by illustrating that between the Famine and the rise of the IRB Irish people demonstrated an aversion for political upheavals, and that this was especially manifest during the Russian campaign. This will be shown to have stemmed from several factors, including a lack of external support and internal organisation, which ensured that there could be no nationalist response comparable to the Great War in the case of those involved in the Easter Rising. It will also be shown that, due to the rampant anti-British rhetoric and apparent active preparations of Irish-Americans to invade Ireland, precautions were taken the British government in Ireland – Dublin Castle. A specific policy was pursued in order to ensure that nothing disturbed what was deemed by the Irish authorities to be a prosperous, loyal and peaceful country. Finally, it will be shown that those positive attributes were also eagerly fostered and encouraged by the lord lieutenant of Ireland, through speeches, visits to invalided Irish soldiers and orchestration of a national banquet.