The use of violence for pushing Emancipation was absent as the campaign leader: Daniel

OConnell, was determined to achieve his aims legally through constitutional reforms with
Britain. He believed that the best way for a change in the relationship between Ireland and
Great Britain it was strictly necessary to work within the limits of law and constitution 1. The
largest change the relationship between Ireland and Great Britain, in approaching the Irish
Question had to come from the British this was demonstrated when OConnell decided to
stand for a by-election in County Clare, OConnell was elected and due to this the British
parliament had to accept OConnell as a MP despite the laws against Catholics. Therefore this
shows that constitutional methods were significant in bringing about change to the
relationship between Ireland and Great Britain in the period 1815-1922. The British could not
oppose a legally elected candidate or else it would cause outrage and therefore had to adapt
their methods of approach. Due to the mass Catholic movement and OConnells win in
County Clare, Wellington (Prime Minister of Britain) suggested that a reasonable agreement
must be worked out between Ireland and Great Britain in order to prevent violence which
would shatter the relations of the Union. Due to the successful constitutional methods utilised
by OConnell, Catholic Emancipation became law in 1829. The act was branded as a
bloodless revolution2 this name suggests that constitutional methods and not violence was
significant in bringing about change to the relationship between Ireland and Great Britain in
the period 1815-1922; as it allowed Irish and Catholic rights to be accepted therefore
suggesting a departure from their previous methods of approach. This change to the
relationship towards the Irish showed that parliamentary methods could achieve a change in
terms of reform, as opposed to violence. Therefore constitutional methods were significant as
they allowed Daniel OConnell to take his seat in Parliament in February 1830 thus
suggesting a possible improvement in Anglo-Irish relations, in relation to the preceding years.
Due to constitutional methods Ireland remained central to British politics throughout the
1830s and 1840s3. This also allowed Britain to introduce progressive reforms in Ireland thus
demonstrating that violence was not significant in bringing about a better change to the
relationship between Ireland and Great Britain in the period 1815-1922.

1 Ibid. 2:99.
2 Catholic Emancipation Wendy Hinde, 183, quoted from Daniel OConnell: Portrait of a
Radical (Belfast: Appletree Press Ltd. 1984), 89.
3 Anglo-Irish Relations, 1798-1922 Nick Pelling