Ireland

Irish Civilization Part 1 Intro

  • First Irish Settlers

    • The first people to inhabit Ireland were the Celts and the Gaels.

    • They arrived around 600 BCE, speaking Gaelic.

    • Contributed to the foundation of Ireland as a nation.

    • Ireland became predominantly Catholic around 432 AD when Saint Patrick established Christian missions.

    • The Vikings invaded in 795 AD, fully conquering much of Britain including Ireland.

    • Anglo-Norman settlers arrived in the mid-12th century post-William the Conqueror’s invasion of Britain.

    • The Angles were primarily fishermen; the name "to angle" (fishing) derives from them.

    • Saxons, known for their warrior nature, pushed the Celts aside, leading to the ethnic divisions of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.

  • Geography

    • Ireland is divided into two main regions:

      • Republic of Ireland (Eire in Gaelic) with Dublin as its capital.

      • Northern Ireland, part of the UK, separated from the south, consisting of six regions originally part of nine.

        • Known as Ulster, these regions include:

          • Antrim

          • Down

          • Armagh

          • Fermanagh

          • Tyrone

          • Derry/Londonderry

The Stuarts Years (1603-1714)

  • Introduction

    • A period marked by rebellion and conflict between Ireland and England.

  • Anglo-Norman Settlement

    • The first settlers from the 12th century assimilated, but faced language barriers.

    • The Elizabethan Age (1533-1603) had England controlling only The Pale.

    • Henry VII self-proclaimed King of Ireland in 1494, introducing Poynings Law: Irish Parliament acts had to be approved by the King.

  • Absentee Landlords

    • English landowners bought fertile lands but remained absentee, leading to future troubles.

  • Religious Issues

    • Under Elizabeth I, Catholics faced Penal Laws(the Catholics could not hold commission in the army, enter a profession, or own a horse worth more than five pounds) barring them from many professions, a result of England's concern over the Spanish Armada, compelling her to invade Ireland.

James I (1603-1625)

  • Policies

    • A Catholic turned Protestant, aimed to convert pro-Irish to pro-British.

    • Introduced the Plantation Policy(people from England and Scotland would be encouraged to move to the northern part of Ireland to make it friendlier towards James.), seizing land from Irish landlords for English settlers, starting in Ulster.

  • Flight of the Earls

    • Following the defeat of Hugh O’Neill in 1607, land was cleared for Protestant settlers.

    • The Acticles of Plantation in 1609 solidified the influx of 200K Protestant planters.

Charles I (1625-1642/44)

  • Civil Unrest

    • Charles I's reign involved wars versus Scotland, neglectful of Ireland.

    • The Irish Rebellion of October 1641 led to 10K deaths and fueled civil war in England.

  • Confederation of Kilkenny

    • Established during the rebellion to restore Catholic rights and lands but was crushed.

Cromwellian Conquest of Ireland (1649-1659)

  • Oliver Cromwell's Campaign

    • Cromwell led a brutal conquest, notably the siege of Drogheda, where many Catholics were killed.

    • Introduced aggressive anti-Catholic policies including land requisition and execution of resisting inhabitants.

Restoration (1660) and Glorious Revolution (1688)

  • After Cromwell

    • The monarchy was restored under Charles II, which led to the further enforcement of Penal Laws against Catholics.

    • James II’s reign was marked by increasing tension due to his Catholicism and led to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, a significant defeat for Catholics.

The Penal Laws of 1692

  • Discrimination

    • Key prohibitions against Catholics included banning voting, holding office, and owning land.

    • The laws aimed to solidify Protestant power over Ireland.

Georgian Rule (1714-1837)

Early Georgian Society (1714-1760)

  • Consequences of Policy

    • Economic struggles due to the Plantation Policy resulted in widespread poverty among Catholics.

Transition to Nationalism

  • Grattan Parliament

    • The parliament was established by Henry Grattan in 1782, seeking greater Irish independence but staying connected to British governance.

Rising Discontent and Movements

  • Society of the United Irishmen

    • Founded in 1791 uniting Catholics and Protestants but faced internal divisions leading to conflict.

The group's ultimate goal was to achieve an independent Irish republic, and they organized a rebellion in 1798, which, despite initial successes, was ultimately suppressed. The aftermath of the rebellion led to increased repression by British authorities and a shift in tactics among Irish nationalists, who began to seek more moderate approaches to achieving their aims. This period also saw the emergence of new political organizations that aimed to represent the interests of the Irish people through constitutional means, such as the Catholic Association led by Daniel O'Connell, which focused on advocating for Catholic emancipation.

Victorian Age (1837-1901):

Great Famine

  • 1845-1852

    • A devastating famine caused the death of nearly 3 million and led to mass emigration, revealing British disregard for Irish suffering.

Land and Political Movements

  • Continued Resistance

    • Following the famine, reforms sought to address Catholic rights and improve tenants’ situations but often fell short.

  • Home Rule Movement

    • Denied initially but built momentum leading to more significant calls for Irish governance.

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Conclusion

  • Post-Victorian Changes

    • Developments over the period set the stage for the eventual quest for independent Ireland into the 20th century.