When the Act of Union took effect in 1800, Ireland found itself absorbed into the United Kingdom, with governance concentrated entirely in the British Parliament in London. For a significant portion of the Irish population—especially Nationalists and Catholics—this was a deeply unsatisfying arrangement. Their conviction was clear: Ireland should have the power to manage its own affairs through its own Parliament. Those championing self-governance made the case that a "Home Rule" Parliament would deliver more meaningful political representation and empower the Irish people to pursue their own priorities. What followed was a prolonged and difficult campaign marked by repeated setbacks, but on May 25, 1914, the Home Rule bill at last secured passage, opening the door for Irish self-governance within the framework of the United Kingdom.
The journey of the bill through Parliament was anything but smooth. First introduced in April 1911 amid escalating tensions in Ireland, it squeaked through the House of Commons with a 10-point majority—only to be struck down by the House of Lords. Undeterred, supporters brought it back in 1912, where it cleared the House of Commons once more before the House of Lords blocked it a second time. When the bill was put forward yet again on May 25, 1914, the familiar pattern repeated: passage in the House of Commons, rejection in the House of Lords. This time, though, the Government invoked the provisions laid out in the Parliament Act of 1911 to overrule the upper chamber's opposition.
Despite officially gaining passage in September 1914, the bill never truly came to life. The eruption of World War I led to its immediate suspension, and it was ultimately left unenacted. By 1920, legislation repealing the Home Rule Bill had been passed. Today, a version of Home Rule does exist in Ireland, though it looks quite different from what was envisioned in the original 1911 proposal. Northern Ireland, still a constituent part of the United Kingdom, functions under a devolved government that affords it a measure of local authority and autonomy. The Republic of Ireland, meanwhile, stands as a fully sovereign nation, governing itself with its own laws entirely independent of the United Kingdom.