Irish History Exam Review: Success Criteria Chapters 12-15
Chapter 12: The Great Famine and Its Legacy
Key Terminology of the Famine Era - Absentee Landlord: A person who owned large estates in Ireland but lived elsewhere, typically in England. They managed their land through agents whose primary goal was to maximize rent collection, often leading to a lack of investment in the land and a disconnection from the tenants' welfare. - Blight: Scientifically known as Phytophthora infestans, this was the fungus-like organism that attacked the potato crops starting in . It caused the potatoes to rot in the ground, turning them into a black, inedible mush. - Conacre: A system where a small patch of land was rented out for a single growing season. This was often used by the poorest laborers to grow the potatoes they needed for survival. - Monoculture: The practice of relying almost exclusively on a single crop. In pre-Famine Ireland, the majority of the poor relied on the "Lumper" potato, meaning that when the blight hit, they had no alternative food source. - Arrears: This refers to unpaid or overdue rent. During the Famine, many tenants fell into arrears because they could not sell their diseased crops to make money, leading to widespread evictions. - Famine: A period of extreme scarcity of food. The Great Famine in Ireland lasted from approximately to , resulting in approximately deaths and forcing millions more to leave the country. - Workhouse: A place of last resort for the destitute. Conditions were intentionally made harsh—families were separated, and inmates were forced to perform hard labor—to ensure that only those with no other choice would seek entry. - Cottier: A farm laborer who worked for a farmer in exchange for a small patch of land (conacre) on which to grow potatoes to feed his family. - Emigration: The act of leaving one's home country to settle permanently in another. During and after the Famine, millions of Irish people emigrated to the United States, Canada, Australia, and Britain, often traveling on "Coffin Ships." - Laissez-faire: A French term meaning "let it be." This was the prevailing economic philosophy of the British government at the time, which suggested that the government should not interfere in the economy or the food market, even during a humanitarian crisis. - Eviction: The legal process of removing a tenant from their home and land. Landlords often used the Famine as an opportunity to clear their land of poor tenants to transition from tillage to cattle farming. - Subdivision: The practice where a farmer would divide his land among all his sons. Over generations, this resulted in farm plots becoming too small to support a family on anything other than a high-yield crop like potatoes.
Spread and Impact of the Famine - The Famine did not strike with equal intensity across the country. The West of Ireland (Connacht and parts of Munster) was most severely affected due to higher poverty levels and smaller land holdings compared to the relatively more prosperous East.
Consequences of the Famine - Demographic Decline: Ireland's population dropped by roughly to through a combination of death and mass emigration. - Decline of the Irish Language: The majority of those who died or emigrated were from the poorest, Irish-speaking areas (the Gaeltacht), leading to a rapid decline in the use of the native language. - Change in Farming Practices: The end of subdivision and a shift from labor-intensive crop farming to livestock rearing (ranching). - Political Resentment: The Famine created a lasting legacy of bitterness toward the British government, fueling future nationalist movements.
Advantages of Images over Written Text - Images provide immediate emotional impact and can document the physical reality of suffering (such as emaciation and clothing) more vividly than the often clinical or biased reports of contemporary government officials. - Visual sources, like sketches from the Illustrated London News, allowed the illiterate population or international audiences to understand the scale of the crisis without needing to read complex statistics.
Chapter 13: The Irish Parliamentary Tradition
The Act of Union () - This act abolished the Irish Parliament in Dublin and legally merged the Kingdom of Ireland with the Kingdom of Great Britain to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Ireland was subsequently governed directly from Westminster in London.
Opposition to the Act of Union - Nationalists: Wanted to change or repeal the Act. They believed Ireland would be better served by a local parliament that understood its specific needs. - Daniel O'Connell: Known as "The Liberator," he sought to achieve Catholic Emancipation () and later the Repeal of the Act of Union through peaceful, constitutional means. - Charles Stewart Parnell: Later led the push for "Home Rule," which would have given Ireland its own parliament for domestic affairs while remaining part of the UK.
Achieving Their Aims - Parliamentary leaders used constitutional methods such as "Monster Meetings" (massive peaceful gatherings), parliamentary obstruction (wasting time in the House of Commons to force attention on Irish issues), and the creation of mass organizations like the Catholic Association.
Supporters of the Act of Union - Unionists: Primarily based in Ulster, they wanted to keep the Act of Union. - Reasons: They feared that "Home Rule" would lead to Catholic dominance ("Home Rule is Rome Rule") and believed that Ireland's economic prosperity, especially the industries in Belfast, depended on free trade with Britain.
Chapter 14: The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA)
Social and Cultural Impact - The GAA was founded in in Thurles, Co. Tipperary. It had a massive impact on Irish life by reviving traditional Irish sports (Hurling and Gaelic Football) and providing a focal point for community and national identity during a time of British cultural dominance.
Key Events in GAA History - Bloody Sunday (): During the War of Independence, British forces entered Croke Park during a match between Dublin and Tipperary and opened fire, killing people, including player Michael Hogan. - Commemorations: These are vital for keeping the history of the organization and the country alive, such as the naming of the Hogan Stand in honor of the victim of Bloody Sunday.
Research Sources for the GAA - Historians use various sources including: minutes from founding meetings, contemporary newspaper archives (e.g., The Freeman's Journal), match programs, old photographs, and oral history interviews with former players.
Chapter 15: Ireland -
Importance of Monuments to Historians - Monuments act as primary physical sources that reflect how a society chooses to remember its past. They provide insight into the political and cultural values of the people who erected them.
The First Dáil Éireann () - Only TDs (Teachtaí Dála) attended the first meeting at the Mansion House. Although Sinn Féin had won seats in the General Election, most elected members were either in prison or "on the run" (avoiding arrest by British authorities).
The Proclamation of the Republic - Patrick Pearse read the Proclamation of the Republic outside the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin at the start of the Easter Rising. It declared Ireland's right to independence and was signed by seven revolutionary leaders.
The War of Independence (-) - A period of guerrilla warfare between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and British forces (including the RIC, Black and Tans, and Auxiliaries). - It utilized tactics like "Flying Columns"—small, mobile units of IRA volunteers—and was characterized by ambushes and reprisals until a Truce was called in July .