Background
The term has been documented as used in the House of Commons as early as 12 July 1871. The Local and Personal Act (Ireland) Bill had been proposed by Denis Caulfield Heron, MP for Tipperary. The Nationalist MP for Westmeath, Patrick James Smyth, rose to second the Bill and used his speech to advocate repeal of the Union. In reply John Vance stated The constituents of the honourable member for Westmeath would not be satisfied with the homeopathic dose of "home rule" embodied in the present bill and his own opinion was that "home rule" in Ireland would prove to be "Rome rule".
Traditionally anti-catholicism amongst the Protestant population remained latent since the end of the 18th century:
"Most Irish Protestants were deeply afraid of a repetition of the events of 1798 and the years just before.
They tended to consider Roman Catholicism and possible rebellion as almost identical terms.
To keep things as they were in Church and State seemed the guarantee of safety".
Ensuing out of the anti-‘Catholic landowner’ slogan "To Hell or Connaught" after the Battle of the Diamond in 1795, the "No Popery" slogan prior to Catholic Emancipation becoming law in 1829 – an event the Protestant Orangemen had long dreaded, their sentiments continued to be aroused by such writings as the Rev. Thomas Drew’s, one pamphlet reading:
"I learn by the doctrines, history and practices of the Church of Rome that the lives of Protestants are endangered,
the laws of England set at nought, and the crown of England subordinated to the dictates of an Italian bishop".
Read more about this topic: Rome Rule
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