Obscure Irish politician dies - everything changes?

1882 Captain O'Shea dies- perhaps of illness, from a hunting accident or drinking and falling off the ferry

1884 Charles Stewart Parnell marries O'Shea's widow (the true love of his life)

The Irish party remains strong and United.

Is this enough to get Home rule?
 
Pretty Much. 1880s sees a sucession of weak Parliaments (Gladstone became PM 4 times during the decade) and at this point it is inevitable that Irish Home Rule will become a reality.
 
1882 Captain O'Shea dies- perhaps of illness, from a hunting accident or drinking and falling off the ferry

1884 Charles Stewart Parnell marries O'Shea's widow (the true love of his life)

The Irish party remains strong and United.

Is this enough to get Home rule?

Probably, unless someone reveals the facts of their relationship before the death of the captain, before Home Rule is achieved. Land reform would likely be tied into that, alleviating the poverty of the Irish poor.

What happens after that? Scottish Home Rule? Perhaps even Welsh, after some time?
 
DJ's, however, as ES states, Parnell's poor relationship with the captain must not be revealed before such a law passes.

Not so much Parnell's poor relationship with Captain O'Shea as his illicit relationship with Kitty.

I imagine Home Rule, coupled with land reform, would be enough to allay tensions in Ireland, at least for the forseeable future.
 

Thande

Donor
Not so much Parnell's poor relationship with Captain O'Shea as his illicit relationship with Kitty.

I imagine Home Rule, coupled with land reform, would be enough to allay tensions in Ireland, at least for the forseeable future.

In southern Ireland. But cue a different kind of Troubles in Ulster...still probably better than OTL, though.
 
In southern Ireland. But cue a different kind of Troubles in Ulster...still probably better than OTL, though.

Yeah, but the Ulster Scots are just like that. ;)

I'm not quite sure what kind of trouble they could get up to though. Ireland would remain one entity in this scenario.

Oh, no, wait, I see what you're getting at. Presbyterian Ulster Scots rebelling against Catholic Irish, as well as the United Kingdom as a whole?

Maybe we could see the Scots-Irish adopting republican philosophies in this TL?
 

Thande

Donor
Oh, no, wait, I see what you're getting at. Presbyterian Ulster Scots rebelling against Catholic Irish, as well as the United Kingdom as a whole?

Maybe we could see the Scots-Irish adopting republican philosophies in this TL?

Could be. As I'm fond of pointing out, the United Society of Irishmen republican rebels from a century before were actually mostly Protestants - radical ideologies tend to appeal more to educated people, and most of the educated classes were Protestants. Less true in the 1890s than in the 1790s, of course, but still.
 
Could be. As I'm fond of pointing out, the United Society of Irishmen republican rebels from a century before were actually mostly Protestants - radical ideologies tend to appeal more to educated people, and most of the educated classes were Protestants. Less true in the 1890s than in the 1790s, of course, but still.

You are, of course, correct. Parnell himself was Protestant (Anglican, I believe) and English-educated, quite an unlikely champion for Irish self-rule.

Of course, the Ulster Scots wouldn't be the only folks opposed to this idea. There was a segment of the British population that believed Home Rule meant Rome Rule, perhaps they could draw some support there. Even with that, they'd be defeated, but it would place London in the rather... awkward position of supporting Catholics over Protestants.
 
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