Irish Home Rule obscures the European crisis

The Curragh crisis and the armed division between Irish nationalists and unionists consumed British political attention. German leaders interpreted that distraction as evidence that Britain lacked the will or capacity to intervene in Europe. Grey did not read the Austrian ultimatum to the cabinet until 24 July, after a meeting dominated by Home Rule, leaving Britain badly behind the pace of events. The irony is that war briefly reconciled the rival Irish factions even though their prewar confrontation had helped convince Berlin that Britain was strategically paralyzed.