Horace Plunkett - Political Re-orientation

Political Re-orientation

In the following year, 1908, public appreciation of his service was marked by the purchase and gift to himself of 84 Merrion Square, Dublin, which became the headquarters of the agricultural co-operative movement's Irish Agricultural Organisational Society, the industry body for farmer co-operatives, under the name "The Plunkett House". The Irish Homestead frequently drew attention to the status of women in rural Ireland (its assistant editor was Susan L. Mitchell), which lead to the formation of the United Irishwomen organisation in 1910, to improve their domestic economy, welfare and education. Having previously focused his attention pragmatically on economic factors, Plunkett’s political attitude began to change. The failure of the Irish Council Bill in 1908 made him realise the critical importance of self-government and by 1912 he was a convinced Home Ruler. He spent the first half of 1914 in negotiations that would prevent partition and the exclusion of Ulster, to no avail.

During the World War I years, the co-operatives were severely hit as farmers avoided their high standards, supplying inferior produce directly to Britain, her food shortages a boom period for Irish agriculture. Much of Plunkett’s time was spent as an unofficial envoy between Britain and the United States, and after the 1916 Rising, he spent his energy seeking clemency for the leaders. From July 1917 to May 1918, he chaired the Irish Convention which sought to find agreement on the implementation of the suspended Third Home Rule Act 1914. He may have lost an historic deal in January 1918 by diverting the debate to one on land purchase. In the years 1914-1922, he worked to keep Ireland united within the British Commonwealth, founding the Irish Dominion League and a weekly journal the Irish Statesman to advance that aim, for which he was denounced by republicans. In the event, most republicans accepted dominion status when the Irish Free State was established in 1921–22.