The Catholic Association was an Irish Roman Catholic political organisation
set up by Daniel O'Connell in the early nineteenth century to campaign for
Catholic Emancipation within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was one of the first mass
membership political movements in Europe. Not to be confused with the Catholic
Association Pilgrimage of the United Kingdom.
Foundation
The Catholic Association was founded in 1823 by Daniel
O'Connell. It was just the latest in a series of similar associations formed over the past ten years or so. None of these
had prospered. Like the other associations, this new association was composed mainly of the middle-class elite: the annual
subscription amounting to a guinea, an amount equivalent to what an average farmer would pay for
six months' rent. In 1824, the Catholic Association began to use the money that it had raised in
order to campaign for Catholic emancipation. Furthermore, in this year the
association created a new category of associate member at the cost of a penny a month, the so-called Catholic Rent. The reasoning
behind the creation of this new membership category was to stimulate a swelling in association numbers. This new cheaper category
ensured Catholics from a poorer background could join and thus the associations' initial class based entry barriers were
removed.
The Catholic Rent transformed the association. Arguably, it could be interpreted as having transformed the entire history of
Ireland. In terms of the association, the rent catalysed a transformation in a number of ways. Firstly, as previously mentioned,
it gave the Catholic Association a constant source of money which enabled Daniel O'Connell to run a consistent campaign.
Secondly, it facilitated easy calculation of total association membership numbers so that O'Connell could say with confidence
that he had the support of so many people. This was important as it could be used to apply pressure against the British
government. Third, and perhaps most importantly however, it announced the arrival of mass mobilisation politics, it being the
first such populist movement in Europe.
Daniel O'Connell decided to add this additional membership level, at a reduced price of a penny a month, deliberately. The
benefits were clear. With the membership subscription set at a relatively cheap price, a large number of the peasant and working
classes could join. Affordability ensured large numbers. In effect, it became a universal Catholic organisation, transparent and
populist. Members of the association were in essence the owners; their subscription fees going directly into the maintenance and
running of the association. The fact that each member had contributed financially to the association also ensured that they were
more deeply involved in pushing the cause of Catholic emancipation. People wanted value for money. Thus, this ensured a cheap
method for O'Connell to get the message of Catholic emancipation spread throughout Ireland.
The Catholic Association's funds were used for two important things. One was for campaigning for the issue of Catholic
emancipation and the other was to support the members of the organisation. The money was used for those who had been evicted from
land by the landlords because of their connection to the Catholic organisation, or to those who were boycotting absentee landlords.[citation needed] For the Catholic peasants that were in this situation the future would be
grim as they would be unable to continue the boycott without food and money and they would be unable to lease land from any
landlord as the peasants would be boycotted against in return. [citation needed] The Catholic Association's funds were used to support these boycotts so
that they could continue and live well enough in order to have enough food to survive.[citation needed]
The strengths of the Catholic Association
The Catholic Association had a number of strengths. One was that Daniel O'Connell was a respectable figure and since he was
not associated with any revolutionary groups, despite going into hiding after the United Irishmen were destroyed by Britain. This was an important difference, as the
organisation had visible mass support and was seen as a democratic movement, not a revolutionary organisation. In this it was
similar to, and shared many views with, the Chartists in England.
Another strength was that the aims of the Catholic Association were fairly moderate. Since the organization would still be
loyal to the monarch the British MPs would be more willing to pass Catholic emancipation. Also the matter had been discussed in
London since the 1800 Act of Union, when the Prime Minister Pitt and most of his colleagues had resigned from the cabinet when emancipation was denied by
the king. Catholic emancipation had been passed by the House of Commons
previously by a majority of six, but was rejected in the House of Lords.
The biggest strength of the Catholic Association was that the Catholic Church
helped in the collection of the Catholic Rent. Also Catholic priests held sermons in favour of Catholic emancipation. This meant
that it was easy for the members to pay the Catholic Rent and it would attract more members as the message of Catholic
emancipation was being spread throughout Ireland. [citation needed] Even Sir Robert Peel
believed the alliance of the Catholic Association and the Catholic Church was a "powerful combination".
From 1826, the Catholic Association began to use its funds to support pro-emancipation MPs in
elections. They used its money and manpower to campaign for the candidate to be elected into parliament to pressure the
government from within to pass Catholic emancipation. The turning point was in 1828 for a number of
reasons. The first was that the Catholic Church took over the collection of the Catholic Rent and effectively the Catholic
Association itself. [citation needed]
Another important factor was that by 1828, Daniel O'Connell's reputation had increased dramatically. O'Connell was an
internationally recognised figure and was seen as one of the leading figures in liberal thinking. This successful campaign led on to, but must be distinguished from, his later
efforts to end the union with Britain, to increase the franchise and to end the payment of tithes.
The Catholic Association's campaign from 1828
The year 1828 was important for a number of reasons. In May 1828, the Test and Corporation
Acts were repealed. This gave non-conformists greater political freedom and
equality in Britain. This was important as it had two effects. One was that it gave the Catholics hope that a similar act would
be passed for Catholics as it was the next logical step in the path of reform. It also alienated Catholics, being now the only
Christian sect in the United Kingdom not to have political freedom and equality.
In May, Huskisson resigned from the cabinet and William Vesey Fitzgerald was chosen as the President of the Board of Trade. According to law
there was to be a by-election in his constituency of County Clare. Daniel O'Connell decided to exploit a loop hole in the
Act of Union. It stated that Catholics could not sit in Westminster as a Member of Parliament (MP), but there was
nothing about them sitting for an election. Therefore O'Connell sat in for the by-election and won. But since he was a Catholic,
he could not take his seat in parliament. This meant that his demand rose to allow him to become an MP for County Clare as it did
not have representation.
Sir Robert Peel and the Duke of Wellington saw that if
O'Connell were not allowed to take his seat, then there could be a revolution in Ireland. While using non-violent methods,
O'Connell hinted that he would get more Catholics elected to force the situation. In an emotive speech he said "they must with
crush us or conciliate us".
Peel announced his conversion and tried to push through the new Catholic Relief
Bill in February 1829. The bill was passed. It was a momentous victory for O'Connell and the Catholic middle class (less
so for the numerous poor), and he became known as 'The Liberator' and the "uncrowned king of Ireland".
References
- Richard Killeen , A Short History of Modern Ireland, Gill and Macmillan (2003), ISBN 0-7171-3381-8
See also
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