ireland questions

When did the English connection with Ireland begin

1170

Which Anglo-Norman king pushed conquest of Ireland

Henry II

The Anglo-Norman colonisation of Ireland introduced what 3 features:

Feudal structure (serfdom), judicial system, parliament in the English model

The English reformations effect on Ireland

Ireland remained Catholic - raised possibility of foreign intervention on behalf of the Pope

Under James 1, what settlement led to the eviction of most Gaelic landowners in the north of Ireland?

Plantation of ulster

3 features of Ulster by 1700

Presbyterian, Anglican, displaced catholics

Cromwellian land settlement resulted in what proportion of land remaining in catholic hands?

1/5

Why was William of orange invited to be King in 1688

Protestant fear of Catholic resurgence

Who fought the battle of Boyne?

Protestant William vs Catholic James

What elite was formed in Ireland C.18th

Protestant ascendancy

The power of the elite was based upon domination of what 3 pillars:

Land/economic, politics, religion

Poynings law 1494

The Irish Parliament can only convene with permission from the crown

All laws made by the Irish parliament require approval of the British parliament

Declaratory act 1720

The British government has direct legislative powers over the Irish parliament

Therefore the British government can dictate laws for Ireland

Penal Laws

Series of laws against Catholics, Caths couldn’t vote, inherent land from a Prots, hold military rank or public office

Restrict rights of and eliminate Cath threat to ensure Prot domination, 2 tier system

Gavelkind

Property was divided equally among sons - meant catholics owned a decreasing amount of land

Land ownership

Ruling minority held 95% land

Religious domination

Anglican Church of Ireland, tolerated RC, collected tithes from everyone and possessed great wealth and privilege and influence

Political power

Only Protestants hold public office, Irish affairs administered according to British interests and Protestant church,

American revolution

1775, Declaration of Independence, war with Britain ends 1783, ‘no taxation without representation’

French Revolution

1789 ‘liberty, equality, and fraternity’

Irish volunteers - 1778

Protestants, initially loyal to Britain, seeking to defend Irelands borders when britian was away, volunteer, units of militia, legislative independence

United Irishmen 1791

Unite Prot and RC, younger + more radical, demanded 300 constituencies, franchisement, more radical after British opposition, republican

Plantation of Ulster

1603

Why were some of the penal laws repealed?

To placate middle class catholics

1792 right to practice law, 1793 right to vote and hold military posts

Effect of the Protestant ascendency on Irish Protestants

Initially enhanced Protestant loyalist to preserve their own privileged position, later led to Protestant nationalist desire - Irish volunteers

American independence effect on Irish agitation similarities + differences

Similarities: both controlled. By Br, Irish emigration to America

Differences: America had greater distance and independence = no religious tension

American independence effect on agitation

Inspired republicanism, made freedom seem possible, Protestant loyalists militarised as Br away, IV 1778 uniform, status

IV membership by 1782

60,000

Similarities and differences french and Irish

Similarities: physical proximity, history of conflict with Br, co-religionists

Differences: not a colony, little religious dispute, powerful in itself

French rev 1788-99 effect on Irish agitation

Successful, inspired republicanism, Ireland sent troops to Br war with france = Ire more vulnerable, Fr or Sp could use to attack Br, UI 1791 Wolfe Tone, more radical

United Irishmen 1791

Wolfe tone, more radical, widespread, co-religionist, aggressive

UI membership by 1797

200,000

IV ‘patriots’

In Irish parliament - Henry Grattan and Henry Flood

When was the first Dungannon convention (IV)

1782 - demanded legislative independence in Parliament - BR conceded

When was the declaratory act repealed

1782 - ended British legislative control

Grattans Parliament

Legislative change - removed Br right to veto

When was the 2nd Dungannon convention

1783 - failed - IV declined

Constitution of 1782

Ire greater leg autonomy -Br only had Veto

Mutiny Act

Ire power to punish soldiers

IV ineffective arguments:

• Prot only membership - loyal to crown

• Parl powers effective in theory not practice

• LL controlled voting in Ire Parl

• 2nd Dungannon failed - led to decline of IV

• 1784 3rd convention failed - no public interest

• Prot Ascend with greater political influence - divide over Cath Eman

UI leaders

Wolfe Tone, McCracken, Russell, Drennan

When were the UI banned

1793 - became a secret society committed to Republicanism by force

When was the UI uprising

1798

Bantry Bay 1796

Failed Fr invasion by 14k troops - brutal campaign of repression against UI members

UI uprising 1798

Defeat at Vinegar hill June, small Fr force lands in County Mayo. Tone captured at sea and commits suicide

Act of Union

1801 - Ire Parl votes itself out of existence

UI effective

• more diverse, radical, younger

• Larger than IV 200,000

• Aggressive tactics

• Exploited french republicanism = Bantry Bay

• Uprising had french support

• Tone - father of Irish republicanism

UI ineffective

• french Rev makes Br less sympathetic

• BB invasion failed - poor weather

• 1798 uprising poorly coordinated - confined to rural areas

• Fr support half hearted - distracted by Egypt - only 1100 late troops

• Br new of rising - 20,000 defeated at Vinegar

• Tone committed suicide

• Led to bitter divisions - 30k killed P and C

• Drew Britain closer

• 1801 AoU - retrogressive

Why did the UI uprising fail

Br govt spies knew about plans for an uprising and some leaders arrested before. Rising went ahead Dublin, Kildare and Meath and Enniscorthy and Wexford captured, 300 protestants killed (200 burned in a barn + 100 killed in Wexford), rebels defeated at Vinegar Hill. Also rising in Ulster – McCracken and Munro executed. Wolfe Tone arrived Donegal with French fleet – captured and tried for treason, committed suicide.

Impact of 1798 uprising.

• major significance - disruption and violence

• Generational effect

• UI went underground

• Caused 1803 Robert Emmet failed uprising

• Romantic role

Arguments for AoU

• free trade

• Better defence for Ireland from attack

• Could lead to Cath Eman

• Cultural emancipation

1801 AoU arguments against

• emotional - Ire is distinctive - symbolic loss of autonomy

• Ire Parl and Prot Ascend system worked

• Cath emancipation not guaranteed

AoU effect on churches

Churches joined to become ‘Established church of England and Ire’

AoU effect on legislature:

Houses of parl: Westminster

Transfer of 100 Irish MPs, 28 peers + 4 Spriritual peers. College Green becomes bank of Ireland as Ire parl abolished

AoU effect on the executive

Administration - Dublin Castle LL is Br, administered Ire on behalf of British govt

Tithe

10% of goods based on the amount of tillage land a Catholic tenant farmer had.

1823 Tithe Composition Act

Pay monetary charge and more as extended to pastureland

Antagonised farmers - seen as British oppression and economic burden

What motivated the Tithe Wars

1830s - recession makes the tithe harder to afford

1829: CA shows highly successful mass mobilisation

1823: Tithe Composition Act - increase number of farmers paying, the amount, and frequency

Methods used in the tithe wars

Passive resistance - tithe, 1833 ×22 counties didnt pay, £1million

Isolated violence - 1831

What did O’Connell want to gain from Repeal?

Friendly connection, protection, economic advantages of change, Irish HoC. National independence

• similar to Grattan’s Parl

Repeal association background:

Union 1801 = economic benefits to Ireland BUT challenges as Ireland reluctant to loss of independence

RA Irish agitators:

Concentrated on RC emancipation (1829) til Tory victory 1841

RA key individuals:

Emmet’s uprising - only nationalist agitation pre-O’Connell

O’Connell - MP for Clare, champion of catholic emancipation (founded CA)

O’C founded RA 1840:

Greatest constitutional challenge

Meeting at Tara:

750,000 attendees

Hey did the Govt refuse to listen to RA:

Concern of empire and domino effect of ending union

Clontarf October 1843:

Govt banned RA meeting in Clontarf, forced O’C to choose violence or acquiescing - O’Connell committed to non-violence so cancelled meeting

Methods of RA:

• raised funds through ‘repeal rent’ subscription

• Monster meetings: large public gatherings put pressure on Westminster - 1843 - 40 meetings, attendance between 100k/500k

RA effective:

Motivated people and succeeded in gathering support from large numbers

RA ineffective:

Br govt uncompromising, unclear what would replace Union - no eco leverage

O’C hindered by his commitment non-violence

End of RA

O’C died 1847 and RA ceased 1848 - marking an all time low in Irish nationalism

YI context:

Failure of RA ‘low point’ for nationalism - inspired next gen of nationalists - Started as supporters of RA ‘Nation’ newspaper

Nature of YI:

Younger, robust and radical movement, not affiliated with one religion, intellectual leadership: Favis: Dublin barrister - Prot, Duffy (RC journalist) Mitchell Unitarian solicitor

YI Ideas:

Broader concept of births nationalism - nationality with religious inclusivity. Romantic view of nationalism inspired by Tone and martyrdom

‘More complete platform for for opposing Br rule ’

YI Aims and methods:

Aims: complete separation from BR

Methods: political persuasion then force

Why was YI important:

Progress, continuity and change, failure, legacy, conduit

IRB founded

1858

McMAnus funeral (IRB)

1861

IRB membership claimed in 1864

80,000 - not supported by RC church

When was Haebus Corpus suspended (IRB)

1866

IRB 1867 events:

Stephens arrested and escaped, rising (small skirmishes) staged in Co. Kerry, Cork, Limerick, Dublin - lacked weapons, organisation and leadership, informants - 200 IRB prisoners - fenian’s transfer activist’s to English mainland.

IRB 1867 Manchester martyrs

Kelly and Deasy arrested in Manchester - attempted rescue led to death of sgt Brett

NOV: martyrs (Allen, Larkin, O’Brien) Hung ‘God save Ireland’ 8,000 spectators

DEC: ‘Clerkenwell outrage’ with attempted prison break, London

Immediate consequences of the IRB rebellion

Anti Irish sentiment spreading - Manchester 26 arrested

Manchester martyrs - Larkin, Allen, O’biren, death by hanging - 8000 watched

Huge public support - in Ireland and America

Power vacuum, - as fenians regrouped/underground

HRL aim:

Achieve home rule - Irish parliament for domestic affairs only, that would remain subordinate to Westminster

HRL leader and established:

Isaac Butt - Protestant barrister

Est 1870 as Home Govt Association - renamed in 1873

HRL election 1874:

Contested - won 60/101 Irish seats in HoC

Westminster used parliamentary pressure as a constitutional Irish nationalist movement

How successful was the HRL:

Overall, the HRL under Butt was relatively unsuccessful because of its weak leadership and unity as a political party and its inability to attain any real political progress or legislation

Obstructionism:

Using long speeches and delaying tactics to obstruct legislation

The rules of parliamentary procedure are not broken

Obstructionism EXP:

Joseph Biggar (Belfast MP) spoke for hours in 1875 reading extracts from newspapers and govt records - forced attention on Irish issues

PARNELL:

86 seats in Westminster 1886 - Gladstone only had a minority so IPP had influence - Gladstone agreed to reduced yet significant HRB - defeated 311/341 - Orange Order revived to oppose HR

Was the failed HRB a turning point for Irish nationalism:

Hugely significant that Gladstone had converted to home rule - Lib party adopted as policy

Resulted in 2 more HRBs 1893 (defeat) and 1912 which precipitated crisis in Ireland but significant step toward Irish independence

What happened to Parnell?

1889 kitty O’Shea affair ruined his career

Died 1891

Radical Irish nationalism:

Complete independence from Britain i.e separatist and consistently republican

Britain usually viewed as the enemy / oppressor / conqueror

Methods were violent involving an uprising

UI, Emmet, YI, IRB

Moderate Irish Nationalism

Legislative independence and greater autonomy

British connection retained But reformed

Methods were broadly constitutional often used mass mobilisation - sometimes milita

IV, TW, RA, HRL, IPP

Cultural revival late 1800’s

Attempts to revive Republican spirit back to fenianism, interest in Irish culture

IRB late 1800s

Crippled, clinging to idea of physical force

Significant forms of cultural nationalism

Gaelic Athletic Association 1884

Gaelic League 1892 - irish language

Sinn Fein - abstentionist party

Development of Irish nationalism: violent uprising

Weak leadership, lack of unity, infiltrated, overcome by Br authorities, lacked popular support

BUT

Develops martyrdom / blood sacrifice

Diminished not sustained

Development of Irish nationalism: Constitutional nationalism

HR / IPP, drew strands of nationalism together, worked within parliament (change from RA)

Development of Irish nationalism: cultural and national identity

YI starts, cultural revival from 189- and develops with GAA and GL

Gaelic identity, development of clear unionist identity in opposition