Irish America

Home Rule

Charles Stewart Parnell: The ‘Forgotten Famine’ and the American Congress

By Christine Kinealy

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On Monday, February 2, 1880, Charles Stewart Parnell addressed the American Congress. He was only the fourth international politician to be accorded this honor and the first Irish man. During his 32-minute-long speech, he laid out a blue-print for the end of the much-hated landlord system in Ireland. He also linked it to recurring famines in Ireland. The success of Parnell’s … [Read more...] about Charles Stewart Parnell: The ‘Forgotten Famine’ and the American Congress

Complete Speech of Charles Stewart Parnell, MP, to US Congress

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February 2, 1880 Mr. Parnell, on rising to speak, was received with applause. He said—Mr. Chairman and — Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, I have to thank you for the honour that you have conferred upon me in permitting me to address this august assembly upon the state of affairs in my unhappy country. The public opinion of the people of America will be of the … [Read more...] about Complete Speech of Charles Stewart Parnell, MP, to US Congress

Frederick Douglass and Irish Home Rule

By Christine Kinealy, Contributor
September / October 2018

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Born a slave, Frederick Douglass died as a champion of human rights, and Ireland played an important role in his political awakening. In 1845, Ireland provided a safe refuge to Frederick Douglass, a 27-year-old “fugitive” slave from America. Douglass described his four months in the country as the “happiest times” in his life and the Irish people as the most “ardent” … [Read more...] about Frederick Douglass and Irish Home Rule