Formation

Events leading up to the formation

In the 1870s, mamy small farmers relied on the potato as their main source of income. From 1877 on, there were wet seasons, that lead to potato crops failing. Also this combined with low grain prices due to cheap imports, put a great strain on many small farmers, who found it difficult to raise enough income to pay rents. Many small farmers and their families were evicted

In 1879, Michael Davitt, after his release from Prison in 1877¹, became interested in helping the tenant farmers who were under threat of eviction.

He organised a meeting of tenants, who demanded, and were granted rents reduced by 25% locally. However, Davitt needed support to turn this into a national cause. He convinced Charles Stewart Parnell, a member of parliament to help him. Davitt had had contact with Parnell before, in his invovlment in republicanism.

Parnell gave a speech to a meeting of tenant farmers in the summer of 1879, talking about the need for fair rent, defined as 'a rent the teant can reasonably afford to pay accordint to the times', and called for the tenants to 'show [the landlords]that you intend to hold a firm grip of your homsteads and lands'.

In October 1879, the Land League was formed in Dublin, Ireland, by Charles Stewart Parnell, and Michael Davitt. It was formed to campaign for the rights of tenants against landlords. Its primary aims were expressed as three Fs, Fair rent, fixed tenure, and free sale. It also aimed to allow the tenants to own their own land, and abolish landlordism.

The start of the campaign

In