Harry Colquhoun - Ireland Part B Essay v2 In considering the process of change in the relationships between Ireland and Great Britain in the years 1815 – 1922, how far can the Irish Potato Famine be seen as a turning point? The relationship between the British and the Irish had faltered on a number of occasions between the years 1815-1922, such as the act of union, Gladstone and Irish reform and Parnell and the Home Rule. The Act of Union was strongly pushed by British Prime Minister, William Pitt in 1799; he sought to Unify Britain and Ireland as one country this led to the Irish government holding ‘highly charged’ debates and drew intense public interest and excitement within Dublin because of Pitt’s promise for catholic emancipation once a Union bill had been passed. Pitt received support for Unification from both British and Irish governments, this is significant as it shows Anglo-Irish relations as positive, both wanting to see the Unification of the two countries however both for different reasons. The British wanted to use the Irish to strengthen their military to defend from foreign invaders; Ireland was interested in Pitt’s promise of Catholic Emancipation as a result of Unification. Despite both countries wanting Unification for different reasons it still highlights the cooperation and positivity in Anglo-Irish relations at the time. However debates narrowly failed to pass a Unification act but Pitt strived to achieve to pass a Unification bill despite this. The argument against Unification are significant to displaying the relationship between Ireland and Britain as arguments were based more around emotion and pride of nationality and opponents insisted that Ireland is a separate society and that it should stay that way. Catholic Emancipation: Catholic Emancipation was a significant stage in Anglo-Irish relations, O’Connell had mobilised and unified mass, Irish support with the ‘Catholic Association’ using ‘Catholic Rent’, an affordable penny admission to join. This promoted national organisation with strong roots among the Irish peasantr, O’Connell used a policy of ‘Brinkmanship’ as a threat of mass disobedience, eventual separation and possible violence. These dangerous threats of revolution were successful in manipulating the British into submission and this method was even more effective as a result from the influence from the 1789 French Revolution. This, along with the embarrassment of being manipulated by an Irish reformer, heavily deteriorated Anglo-Irish relations. In the 1821, Catholic Emancipation bill, O’Connell achieved a majority in the House of Commons however a deadlock between O’Connell and the House of Lords developed and negatively affected relations. The Lords were persistent with not allowing O’Connell even a compromise on the Emancipation campaign, this was met, by O’Connell, with the threat of violence and revolution if the issue of emancipation was not addressed. O’Connell’s rapid progress of unification with the Catholic Association and his ‘bellicose language’ at public rallies, alarmed both authorities and the British government with the fear of revolution and impacted severely on relations along with the added tension with another rejection from the Lords in 1825. However, relations improved during the passing of the Roman Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829, the act was passed through the Commons as a result of the support of the Whigs and Liberal Tories, and this showed an increasing acceptance of Irish political issues in British Politics. The Bill granted virtually full civil and political rights to Roman Catholics, allowing them to become MPs and to occupy the highest positions in the state. The granting of new privileges to the Irish people showed a hopeful and optimistic relationship between the two nations. Catholic Emancipation was, above all, a symbolic victory for the Catholic people of Ireland: 'the first token of national rehabilitation and self-respect obtained by the Efforts of the people themselves'. Catholic Emancipation also had a formative influence on Anglo-Irish relations. According to Fergus O'Ferrall in his book, Catholic Emancipation. Daniel O'Connell and the Birth of Irish Democracy (Dublin 1985): “The manner of its