 As a consequence, it quickly gained popular support among tenant farmer, its branches sweeping over most of the country, dictating to the demoralised Irish party leaders the terms for reconstruction, not only of the party but the nationalist movement in Ireland.The UIL platform included commitments to such themes as language revival and industrial development.The movement was backed by O'Brien's new newspaper "The Irish People" (Sept. 1899 – Nov. 1903).