The Home Rule Party was an Irish political party, campaigning for home rule for the island.
It grew out of the Home Government Association, a pressure group formed in 1870 and led by Isaac Butt. In 1873, it constituted itself as the Home Rule Party, and in the 1874 general election, it won 59 seats.
The party rapidly became divided, as some of its members of Parliament were less committed to the cause, while others around Joseph Biggar and Charles Parnell decided to filibuster to obstruct the passage of Parliamentary business, to the frustration of Butt.
In 1880, Parnell was elected leader of the party, and in the 1880 general election, the party increased its number of seats. In 1882, Parnell renamed it the Irish Parliamentary Party.
Isaac Butt and the Home Rule Party (http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/terrace/adw03/peel/ireland/butt.htm)