Charles Stewart Parnell was born in 1846, and became one of the nost important figures in 19th Century Great Britain and Ireland. Parnell was the leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and one of the strongest forces behind land reform in Ireland. Parnell also was the president of the Land League, and his relationship with William Gladstone, the four time Prime Minister, led to him being a huge part in the Home Rule battle. As important as Gladstone was, this was also a disaster for Ireland in his downfall. He was exposed as having an affair with the wife of one of his closest friends, Kitty O’Shea, and his refusal to back down from leading the Irish parliamentary party split his party in half, creating havoc for the Home Rule supporters, which is why some may agree with the statement as it ruined the chances of Home Rule. Alternatively, his close work with Gladstone and his efforts to unite the conventional and revolutional sections of nationalists means there is controversy over the matter. Overall, although his arrogance caused the Home Rule bill to become tainted, his crucial work in the years previously with unification and relationships means I feel that he did more to help than hinder the Home Rule cause.
One of the main faults that Parnell had that hindered the Home Rule cause was his affair with Kitty O’Shea. Katherine, or Kitty O’Shea was the wife of Captain William O’Shea, until he issued a divorce notice citing Parnell as the cause for their divorce. Although the couple were already separated,. Captain O’Shea didn’t want to get a divorce as he knew Kitty was waiting on a substantial inheritance. Parnell was listed as the cause of their divorce by Captain O’Shea, but he did not contest this as it would have lengthened the divorce process and he wished to marry her himself. A divorce decree was granted on 17th November 1890. As if the divorce case itself wasn’t