Lord Dunraven Forms the Irish Reform Association to Campaign for Some Devolution

In 1904, Lord Dunraven, a moderate Unionist and former member of the Irish Unionist Alliance, founded the Irish Reform Association. His goal was to promote limited devolution for Ireland within the framework of the United Kingdom. The Association sought to create a central council of Irish elected representatives that would handle domestic administrative matters — a plan that fell short of full Home Rule but went beyond simple administrative reform.

The proposal attracted some interest, particularly among business and professional classes who wanted more efficient Irish governance. However, the idea was met with strong opposition from hardline Unionists, who feared even limited autonomy could lead to Home Rule or separation from Britain.

In response, Unionist leaders across Ireland moved to consolidate their opposition. By December 1904, they had formed the United Unionist Council, a powerful coordinating body that rejected Dunraven’s reform plan outright and vowed to resist any movement toward devolution, no matter how limited.

This episode illustrates the deep divide within Unionism at the time: between a pragmatic wing open to modest reform and a dominant faction absolutely opposed to any dilution of direct British rule in Ireland. Ultimately, Dunraven’s initiative collapsed under the weight of Unionist resistance, and the push for Home Rule would again become polarized between nationalist and unionist extremes.