Kilmainham

Kilmainham , suburb of Dublin, Co. Dublin, E Republic of Ireland. The commander of the British forces in Ireland had his headquarters in Kilmainham. Charles Stewart Parnell was imprisoned there until he agreed (1882) to the "Kilmainham Treaty" with the English government.

Kilmainham treaty (1882), an understanding between Parnell and the Gladstone government which marked the end of the Land War. The arrest of Parnell and leading nationalists in October 1881, for attacking the Land Act of that year, had initiated a great increase in Irish agrarian crime. The government now sought to secure the restoration of order by agreeing, effectively, that Parnell and his followers would be released in return for his acceptance of the act and his influence in quelling unrest. In addition, the Land Act was extended to leaseholders and better terms offered to tenants whose rent was in arrears.

James Loughlin

Kilmainham ‘treaty’, 1882. In October 1881, Charles Stewart Parnell was arrested and imprisoned in Kilmainham gaol (Dublin) ‘on reasonable suspicion’ of encouraging violence. In April 1882 Gladstone opened negotiations with him. In exchange for his release and a government promise to help with tenants' arrears of rent, Parnell agreed to denounce violence. The Irish chief secretary, W. E. Forster, resigned in protest. His replacement, Lord Frederick Cavendish, was murdered in Phoenix Park the day he arrived.