Ireland in the 18th century

What was the world like in the eighteenth century?

In the 1700s, countries were ruled by kings or other powerful leaders including emperors or sultans. In many countries such as Russia, the poorest people were owned by the richer people. However, new ideas about the rights of people began to spread in the eighteenth century. Many revolutions occurred.

In 1775, settlers in America went to war with the English. They wanted to set up a republic.

In 1798, the people of France took power from the King and rich nobles.

Revolution in Ireland in 1798

In the eighteenth century, many people in Ireland were not happy with how Ireland was ruled by the king in England. Ireland had a parliament in Dublin, but most of the time it could only pass laws that the king of England agreed with.

When the American colonies broke free from England, some people hoped that Ireland would be able to become free from English rule also. People liked the ideas of liberty and equality, which they heard about during the French Revolution.

Illustration of United Irishmen in training

Here is an illustration of the United Irishmen in training. You can see they are mostly armed with pikes. These are the long spear like instruments.
Courtesy of National Library

Illustration of United Irishmen in training
Courtesy of National Library

Illustration of United Irishmen in training

Here is an illustration of the United Irishmen in training. You can see they are mostly armed with pikes. These are the long spear like instruments.
Courtesy of National Library

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In 1791, a group called the United Irishmen were set up. They wanted Irish people of all faiths to unite and create an Irish Republic which would give rights to everyone. In 1798, they tried to defeat the British by starting a rebellion.

American War of Independence

In North America in the 18^th century, there were thirteen states called colonies which were ruled by the king of England . There was a war between America and England from 1775 until 1783 called the American War of Independence. The American settlers were known as colonists and were led by George Washington.

The british troops were known as 'redcoats'. They were not suited for war in the colonies as they could easily be spotted as targets.

America won this war and became a new country with its own government. The American rebels had been helped in the war by soldiers sent by the king of France.

French Revolution

In 1789, a revolution began in France against the French king, King Louis XVI, and the rich nobles. This was known as the French Revolution. The king and queen and thousands of nobles were put to death and a new type of government, a Republic, was set up in France.



The following were the last words of King Louis XVI just before he was beheaded:

“I die innocent of all the crimes laid to my charge; I Pardon those who have occasioned my death; and I pray to God that the blood you are going to shed may never be visited on France.”

After the execution of the king, France did not have a monarch again. The ideas of the French Revolution soon spread to other countries, including Ireland.

Why was there a rebellion?

There were many reasons why the rebellion of 1798 started in Ireland. One reason was that there was discrimination against certain religions and certain groups who were not rich. In the 1790s, groups such as the Presbyterians and the Catholics were denied many of their rights. At the time, the richest group, called the Ascendancy, were in power in Ireland. The Ascendancy were from the ruling classes. They were Protestant and had seats in the Irish Parliament.

Poorer people had no say in how the Irish Parliament worked, even though they made up most of the population. At that time, no Catholic could sit in Parliament or become a Member of Parliament (MP). Even though there was a Parliament in Dublin, most of the power was in London.

The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, with its ideals of liberty, equality and brotherhood, caused many Irish people to consider changes which could take place in Ireland to give everybody better rights. Laws known as the Penal Laws had brought discrimination against Catholics and Presbyterians, however these were ended in 1792 and 1793.

Another reason for unrest in Ireland was due to many secret societies which developed in the countryside and sought rights for farmers and other people who worked on the land. Some of the names of these groups were the ‘Whiteboys’ and ‘Peep O’ Day Boys’. Many of these groups went out at night and damaged the property of some landlords in their area. They wanted cheaper rents and better conditions for the people who worked on the land.

United Irishmen

The United Irishmen formed in 1791. The members wanted everyone in Ireland to be treated equally. At first the United Irishmen looked for changes in Parliament. Later they demanded that a separate republic should be set up in Ireland.

Crest of the United Irishmen

The United Irishmen designed a crest incorporating the harp to represent Ireland. The motto read as follows: Equality: it is new strung and shall be heard. This gave a clear warning to the authorities. The red cap of liberty, presented to freed Roman slaves, is included in the crest.

One of the leaders of the United Irishmen was a man named Wolfe Tone. He was a Church of Ireland lawyer from Dublin. Wolfe Tone was impressed by the French Revolution and looked for help from France and America to start a similar revolution in Ireland. However in 1793, a war broke out between England and France. This meant that anybody looking for help from France was seen as a traitor by the British government. In 1793, the United Irishmen was banned by the government and it was against the law to have anything to do with the United Irishmen. In 1794, many of the members of the United Irishmen were arrested.

Seal of the United Irishmen

This is a photograph of the seal of the United Irishmen, which was designed by Robert Emmet.

Wolfe Tone

Wolfe Tone was one of the leaders of the United Irishmen. He was born in Dublin in 1763 and became a lawyer. He was a Protestant yet like many of the leaders of the United Irishmen he wanted to seek rights for his Presbyterian and Catholic countrymen.
In 1795, Wolfe Tone left Ireland for America to escape arrest. He next went to France to ask for soldiers to help with a revolution in Ireland. In 1796, Wolfe Tone sailed from France to Ireland with a French general called General Hoche and a fleet of thirty-five ships and about 15,000 soldiers. However, the ships got caught in terrible storms. Some ships sank and the sailors were lost. Many French ships waited off Bantry Bay for calmer weather but in the end they returned to France.

French Landing at Bantry Bay

In late December 1796 Wolfe Tone and a fleet of about 43 ships with 15,000 men set sail from France towards Ireland with the intention of over throwing English rule. However, despite Wolfe Tone's preparations in France, the weather was victorious on this occasion. Before the ships could leave Brest harbour one ship had already been separated from the main fleet. During the night that followed, across the English Channel, 7 other ships separated from the main party. One of the 7 included the ship of General Hoche, one of the Commanders-in-chief of the rising. Bad weather continued splitting the fleet further and preventing Tone and his men from landing, resulting in only 7 'Sail of the line' or war ships and one frigate remaining after a week of bad weather in Bantry Bay. The rebellion was abandoned and Wolfe Tone returned to France.

Wolf Tone’s diary shows how disappointed he felt about his unsuccessful attempt to land with French troops in 1796.



He wrote the following account on the 21st December 1796:

“There cannot be imagined a situation more provokingly tantalising than mine at this moment, within view, almost within reach of my native land, and uncertain whether I shall ever set foot in it..We were near enough to toss a biscuit ashore”


He wrote another account on the 26^th December 1796:

“We have now been six days in Bantry Bay, within 500 yards of the shore, without being able to effect a landing…All our hopes are now reduced to getting back safely to Brest”

The ships had to return to France without a fight.

Yeomanry and Militia

Lord Edward Fitzgerald
Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland.

 

The British army heard about the ships and they knew that the United Irishmen were planning a big fight. They decided to destroy the United Irishmen. They imprisoned many of the leaders of the movement and warned people to tell them about any United Irishmen that they knew.

The government tried to stamp out rebellion. They got information from many spies and posted notices warning people to hand over any weapons they had. Houses were searched, especially the homes of blacksmiths because they were known to make a weapon called a pike. Leaders of the rising were arrested.
The government needed more soldiers in Ireland to put down any fighting. In 1796, a group of soldiers called Yeomanry were set up. These were civilians who were put into groups as soldiers. There were also other soldiers who were forced to join a group called the militia. There were also paid soldiers from Germany who were known as Hessians.

The army inflicted terror on the countryside. Many ordinary people were flogged and tortured to punish them for supporting a rebellion against the king or to try to get information from them. Houses were burned and property was stolen or destroyed. Anyone suspected of being a rebel was shot. This cruel treatment by the army made many people join the fight against the government troops.

Rebellion in 1798

The rebellion began in May 1798 in Kildare, however it soon spread to Meath, Wicklow and Wexford. In March 1798, sixteen of the leaders of the United Irishmen were arrested in Dublin . In May 1798, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, one of the leaders, was wounded and died. Many of the other important leaders of the United Irishmen were also captured.

Weapons

Piking of prisoners by rebels on Wexford bridge, 20 June 1798

Piking of prisoners by rebels on Wexford bridge, 20 June 1798, by George Cruikshank; from William Hamilton Maxwell’s History of the Irish Rebellion in 1798
Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Piking of prisoners by rebels on Wexford bridge, 20 June 1798
Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland.

Piking of prisoners by rebels on Wexford bridge, 20 June 1798

Piking of prisoners by rebels on Wexford bridge, 20 June 1798, by George Cruikshank; from William Hamilton Maxwell’s History of the Irish Rebellion in 1798
Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

The main weapon of the rebels of 1798 was a long stick with a metal top called the pike. It was sharp and could cut the reins of horses. The pike was quite useful against cavalry but it was not as good against firearms.
The soldiers fighting against the rebels had guns. These were more powerful than the pikes used by most of the rebel forces. Many of the guns had a bayonet which could be attached.

An image of a 1798 rebel being whipped.
Courtesy of the National Library of Ireland.

1798 Rebellion in Wexford and Ulster

One of the main places where the rebellion of 1798 occurred was in County Wexford. The Catholic peasants were led by two local priests, Father John Murphy and Father Micheal Murphy.

By May 1798 the rebels had taken over the towns of Enniscorthy and Wexford. A republic was declared but it did not last as the rebels were soon beaten back by British forces.

The Battle of New Ross

One of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion was the battle of New Ross in June 1798 when the United Irishmen commanded by a local Protestant landlord, Bagenal Harvey, were defeated. Over 3,000 rebels were killed. The last battle was the battle of Vinegar Hill in Enniscorthy. The rebels were defeated and the towns of Wexford were recaptured by British troops.

Rebellion in Ulster

There was also a rebellion in Ulster. One of the leaders of the United Irishmen in Ulster was a Presbyterian, Henry Joy McCracken. He was one of the founders of the United Irishmen. He captured Antrim town but was soon caught and hanged in Belfast. Henry Munro led the rebels in County Down but he too was defeated and hanged.

The End of 1798

More help came from France but the rebels still did not win the rebellion. In August 1798, over 1,000 French soldiers landed at Killala Bay in Mayo under the command of General Humbert. At first they defeated the English forces, however folowing a lot of fighting, they later surrendered in September 1798.

The French Landing in Killala Bay
National Library of Ireland

Another French force arrived off Tory Island in Donegal in September 1798 with Wolfe Tone on board. He was arrested and died soon afterwards in prison. The rebellion of 1798 was over. Rebels who were captured were seen as traitors to England. Large numbers of rebels were given life imprisonment sentences and transported to Botany Bay in Australia.

What happened as a result of the rising?

The British government decided to abolish the Irish Parliament in Dublin. In 1800, the Act of Union was passed and Ireland was then ruled from Westminster Parliament in London.

The Rebellion of 1803

Rebellion and Robert Emmet

Many people in Ireland did not want a union with Britain in 1801. Some people looked for support from France for another rebellion after 1798 but they failed to get this support. In 1803, another rebellion started in Ireland. This time it was centred around Dublin but it did not receive enough support at the time. The rebellion failed and the leader Robert Emmet was executed after he was found guilty of high treason. On the 20th September 1803, Robert Emmet was taken from Kilmainham Jail to a place opposite St Catherine's Church in Thomas Street and was hanged.

Anne Devlin

Drawing of Anne Devlin

Anne Devlin was born in Wicklow in 1778. She moved to a farm in Rathfarnham with her family after the 1798 Rebellion. In 1803, Robert Emmet rented the nearby Butterfield House. Anne became his faithful servant and friend and assisted him in his preparations for his ill-fated insurrection. She was arrested and imprisoned in Kilmainham for high treason. She married some years after her release, but eventually died in poverty in the Liberties in Dublin.
© South Dublin Libraries.

Drawing of Anne Devlin
© South Dublin Libraries.

Drawing of Anne Devlin

Anne Devlin was born in Wicklow in 1778. She moved to a farm in Rathfarnham with her family after the 1798 Rebellion. In 1803, Robert Emmet rented the nearby Butterfield House. Anne became his faithful servant and friend and assisted him in his preparations for his ill-fated insurrection. She was arrested and imprisoned in Kilmainham for high treason. She married some years after her release, but eventually died in poverty in the Liberties in Dublin.
© South Dublin Libraries.

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Anne Devlin was Robert Emmet’s housekeeper and from a well known rebel family. She was put in prison for three years with some of her family because of her connection to Robert Emmet. She remained loyal to Robert Emmet and the other rebels of 1803 and 1798. She refused bribes of money to give information or to become a spy for the government and did not even give in to the harsh treatment of the governor of Kilmainham Jail William Trevor. She is noted as a heroine and is buried in Glasnevin Cemetry in Dublin .

Statue of Anne Devlin in Rathfarnham Village

This is a bronze statue of Anne Devlin situated in Rathfarnham Village. The statue was designed and made by sculptor Clodagh Emoe from Tallaght. It was unveiled in March 2004.
© South Dublin Libraries

Statue of Anne Devlin in Rathfarnham Village
© South Dublin Libraries

Statue of Anne Devlin in Rathfarnham Village

This is a bronze statue of Anne Devlin situated in Rathfarnham Village. The statue was designed and made by sculptor Clodagh Emoe from Tallaght. It was unveiled in March 2004.
© South Dublin Libraries

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The village of Rathfarnham County Dublin has a statue erected to honour Anne Devlin. She once lived in Butterfield Avenue in Rathfarnham when she worked as Robert Emmet’s housekeeper. She also delivered many secret messages for Robert Emmet and helped him to plan the rebellion of 1803.

 

Battle in 1690

In June 1690, William of Orange landed in Carickfergus. He brought a large army with him. His army was made up of Dutch, French, Irish, Scottish and Italian soldiers and many others. William marched south towards Dublin . However, King James also had an army in Ireland at the time. Some of James’ army were Irish but others were English, Scots and French. The French King, Louis XIV gave soldiers to James as he wanted James to be king of England.

Battle of the Boyne

This illustration commemorates the defeat of King James II by his son-in-law, William of Orange, at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. King James's plan to give power to the Catholics of Ireland came to an abrupt end when he was beaten by William of Orange, who was a Protestant. William went on to rule England and Ireland with his wife Queen Mary until he died in 1702.

Battle of the Boyne

Battle of the Boyne

This illustration commemorates the defeat of King James II by his son-in-law, William of Orange, at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. King James's plan to give power to the Catholics of Ireland came to an abrupt end when he was beaten by William of Orange, who was a Protestant. William went on to rule England and Ireland with his wife Queen Mary until he died in 1702.

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William’s army fought King James II at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690. The leader of James’ army was Patrick Sarsfield. William of Orange won the battle and also captured the cities of Dublin and Cork. King James left Ireland for France.

The Siege of Limerick

Illustration of the Siege of Limerick

View of the 1690 Siege of Limerick, taken from an 1886 illustration.
Courtesy of Limerick City Library.

Illustration of the Siege of Limerick
Courtesy of Limerick City Library.

Illustration of the Siege of Limerick

View of the 1690 Siege of Limerick, taken from an 1886 illustration.
Courtesy of Limerick City Library.

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The Irish supporters of King James were left to continue to fight on. They fell back towards Limerick and the Shannon to try and escape William’s army. At the Siege of Limerick, Patrick Sarsfield and his soldiers successfully defended the strong-walled city.

The Siege of Athlone

In 1691, Louis XIV had sent to Ireland one of his most experienced generals, Marshal St Ruth. The general brought weapons and money with him to Ireland. In the spring of 1691, the Williamites attacked Athlone. The Irish soldiers tried to prevent William’s troops from crossing the Shannon and destroyed the great bridge leading to Athlone. The Williamites built a new bridge of timber, however this bridge was destroyed again by a few Irish soldiers.
The story of this bridge is told in the poem “The Ballad of Athlone”. Read the poem to see can you imagine what happened.

List of Casualties at the Battle of Aughrim

This list is taken from George Story's "An Impartial History of the Wars in Ireland". Story was a chaplain with the Williamite army and recorded events as they took place. It lists some of the officers, soldiers and horses killed and wounded at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.

List of Casualties at the Battle of Aughrim

List of Casualties at the Battle of Aughrim

This list is taken from George Story's "An Impartial History of the Wars in Ireland". Story was a chaplain with the Williamite army and recorded events as they took place. It lists some of the officers, soldiers and horses killed and wounded at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.

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The Williamite army had to cross the Shannon at another place north of Athlone. The war ended with the Battle of Aughrim in 1691 when the Irish were defeated. Sarsfield retreated to Limerick and a second siege began. A treaty known as the Treaty of Limerick was signed on October 3rd 1691. Irish soldiers could join either the English or the French army. Soldiers who stayed in Ireland were allowed to keep their lands.

The Treaty Stone, Limerick

Image of the Treaty Stone in Limerick. It is believed that the Treaty of Limerick was signed on this piece of limestone, which was erected on a pedestal in 1865. It now occupies a prominent position at Thomond Bridge, Limerick, across the river from King John's Castle.

The Treaty Stone, Limerick

The Treaty Stone, Limerick

Image of the Treaty Stone in Limerick. It is believed that the Treaty of Limerick was signed on this piece of limestone, which was erected on a pedestal in 1865. It now occupies a prominent position at Thomond Bridge, Limerick, across the river from King John's Castle.

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Catholics who supported King James were allowed to keep their property if the promised their loyalty to William and Mary. Large numbers of Irish soldiers left Ireland after the Treaty of Limerick. The people who left were later called ‘The Wild Geese’. Soon after the end of the war new laws against Irish Catholics were introduced. These were called the Penal Laws.

Battle of the Boyne 1690

The War of the two Kings

King James II

James II succeeded Charles II as King of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the kingdom. He was succeeded by King William of Orange, who was married to his Protestant daughter, Mary II.

King James II

King James II

James II succeeded Charles II as King of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the kingdom. He was succeeded by King William of Orange, who was married to his Protestant daughter, Mary II.

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In 1685 King James II, a Catholic, became the King of England following the death of his brother Charles II. The English wanted a Protestant king and were determined to get rid of King James II. They invited the Protestant prince William of Orange of the Netherlands to take the throne. William was married to King James II's eldest daughter Mary Stuart. King James refused to give up his throne or to carry out reforms that William requested. However in 1689, William of Orange and Mary were crowned the monarchs of England. William was now king of Ireland too.

Most Irish people wanted to get the throne back for James II. They decided to help King James, and a war began in Ireland.

Patrick Sarsfield, First Earl of Lucan

Patrick Sarsfield played an important role on the Jacobite side during the Williamite war in Ireland.
Courtesy of 'The History of County Dublin, 1906'.

Patrick Sarsfield, First Earl of Lucan
Courtesy of 'The History of County Dublin, 1906'.

Patrick Sarsfield, First Earl of Lucan

Patrick Sarsfield played an important role on the Jacobite side during the Williamite war in Ireland.
Courtesy of 'The History of County Dublin, 1906'.

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Fighting broke out in Ireland and also in Scotland, where James was from. The people who fought for King James were known as ‘Jacobites’. The people who supported William were known as 'Williamites'. King James went to France and Ireland to get support from Catholics. James was not popular with the Protestant Irish because he removed many of them from positions of power. Many Protestants did not at first wish to support Prince William but they disliked the way James took away their power.

Fighting broke out in many places in Ireland. In 1689, the city of Derry was placed under siege by the army of King James because the soldiers there were not loyal to James and would not let his army enter the city. The siege lasted for over one hundred days causing terrible suffering to the civilians of the city. The supporters of King William eventually won and the siege was ended.

Rebellion and Cromwellian Wars

The ruler of England was also the ruler of Ireland for most of the 16^th century, which meant that when decisions were made in England, similar decisions were made for Ireland too.

In the 1600s, the King of England was King Charles I. However, England also had its own parliament. The parliament and the king often quarrelled over money that the king wanted for wars and other expenses.

Oliver Cromwell

Cromwell only spent 9 months in Ireland from August 1649 to May 1650, but his impact was to be everlasting on the island. With fierce brutality, Cromwell succeeded in completing the English conquest of Ireland. Cromwell first set a course to Drogheda. 3,500 men, women and children were killed over the two day battle, with the city suffering heavy attack. Less than a month later, Cromwell arrived at Wexford town. Here, over 1500 people were killed in the battle that followed. By May 1650, Ireland had been placed under British rule and Cromwell returned home. Sieges on both Limerick and Galway, the last cities under Irish control to fall, ended in October and November 1650. English rule in Ireland was complete.

Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell

Cromwell only spent 9 months in Ireland from August 1649 to May 1650, but his impact was to be everlasting on the island. With fierce brutality, Cromwell succeeded in completing the English conquest of Ireland. Cromwell first set a course to Drogheda. 3,500 men, women and children were killed over the two day battle, with the city suffering heavy attack. Less than a month later, Cromwell arrived at Wexford town. Here, over 1500 people were killed in the battle that followed. By May 1650, Ireland had been placed under British rule and Cromwell returned home. Sieges on both Limerick and Galway, the last cities under Irish control to fall, ended in October and November 1650. English rule in Ireland was complete.

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In 1642, a civil war started in England. People who supported the king were called the Royalists. Those who supported the Parliament were called and the Parliamentarians. The Parliamentarians were lead by a man called Oliver Cromwell. People in Ireland began to take sides too. Many people in Ireland were in favour of the king and many battles were fought against the Parliament forces.

End of the Civil War

In 1649, the English Civil War ended. The king was executed in 1649 and Cromwell took over as the Lord Protector. He decided to punish all those who had supported the King. He came to Ireland in 1649 with a large army and laid siege to Drogheda. The town fell and the people were put to death. Cromwell also attacked Wexford. The cruel treatment which Cromwell gave to those who surrendered meant that people in Ireland lived in fear of him and his army. Gradually all Irish towns submitted to Cromwell.

Galway was the last town to surrender to the forces of Cromwell in 1652. A lot of land was burned and food supplies were destroyed in order to prevent the Parliamentarians from being attacked. This caused famine in Ireland . Large numbers of civilians and armies on both sides also died of plague.

Cromwellian Settlement

After Cromwell’s victory, huge areas of land were confiscated and the Irish were banished to the lands of Connaught. Most of the lands of Clare, Galway and Mayo were taken over by Irish people whose land in other parts of the country had been taken from them. This movement of large numbers of people out of their lands and the transfer of these lands to English people was known as the Cromwellian Settlement.

Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell landed in Ireland in 1649 to re-conquer the country on behalf of the English Parliament. He left in 1650, having taken eastern and southern Ireland. The land that was confiscated by his forces after his victory was used for settlement of English and Scottish people in Ireland.
University of Texas Libraries

Oliver Cromwell
University of Texas Libraries

Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell landed in Ireland in 1649 to re-conquer the country on behalf of the English Parliament. He left in 1650, having taken eastern and southern Ireland. The land that was confiscated by his forces after his victory was used for settlement of English and Scottish people in Ireland.
University of Texas Libraries

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Many other Irish people were transported to work on plantations in the West Indies. Irish soldiers were given the opportunity to exile. Large numbers of Irish men left to become soldiers in other armies in Europe and never returned. Good lands were given to Cromwell’s soldiers and to the supporters of the Parliamentarians. Other lands were bought by English merchants and some of these new owners took on Catholic tenants.

Flight of the Earls/1609 Plantation of Ulster

Flight of the Earls

In 1607, Hugh O’Neill, a great Gaelic chief, left Ireland for Europe along with many other powerful Irish chiefs like Rory O’Donnell. This became known as the Flight of the Earls. They hoped to get help from the king of Spain but the earls never returned to Ireland.

After the earls left, English laws and language took hold in Ulster. In 1609, the Ulster Plantation began on the orders of King James I.

Flight of the Earls

Sean O Brogain's drawing of the Ulster earls, Hugh O'Neill and Rory O'Donnell, being rowed by some of their followers from the port of Rathmullan, Co Donegal to board their ship for Spain.

1609 Plantation of Ulster

After the departure of the earls, the English crown decided that the only way to keep control of Ireland would be to “plant” the confiscated lands with English farmers and landlords. The plantation of Ulster took place between 1609 and 1690 when the lands of the O’Neills, the O’Donnells and any of their friends were taken and granted to Scottish and English settlers.

Some lands were kept for building towns. There were very few towns in Ulster before the plantation. By 1611, the development of new towns such as Bangor and Belfast had begun. Some towns were built around the forts which the English had built, such as Derry, Enniskillen and Omagh.

The Ulster Plantation counties
Courtesy of the Ulster-Scots Agency

New settlers arrived in Ulster. They were English and Scottish. Many Presbyterians came from Scotland. The new settlers did not employ the poets and musicians which the Gaelic chiefs had employed. However, some of them set up private schools known as hedge schools. The Irish language began to decline after the earls departed in 1607 and English language became the language of power.

Ireland in the 17th Century/

Ulster Plantation

Steel sculpture of Red Hugh O'Donnell

Artist Maurice Harron's steel sculpture of Red Hugh O'Donnell on horseback. The sculpture is located in the Curlew Mountains of Co Roscommon. On this site Red Hugh defeated an English army under Sir Conyers Clifford in 1599, the last clear victory by an Irish army over the English. Following this, Elizabeth I, in rage, gathered together three armies to send to Munster, resulting in the final defeat of Red Hugh and his ally Hugh O'Neill at Kinsale, 1601
Maurice Harron

Steel sculpture of Red Hugh O'Donnell
Maurice Harron

Steel sculpture of Red Hugh O'Donnell

Artist Maurice Harron's steel sculpture of Red Hugh O'Donnell on horseback. The sculpture is located in the Curlew Mountains of Co Roscommon. On this site Red Hugh defeated an English army under Sir Conyers Clifford in 1599, the last clear victory by an Irish army over the English. Following this, Elizabeth I, in rage, gathered together three armies to send to Munster, resulting in the final defeat of Red Hugh and his ally Hugh O'Neill at Kinsale, 1601
Maurice Harron

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Two strong chiefs from the O’Neill and O’Donnell clans resisted the English armies that were sent from England to control Ulster. From 1594 to 1603, Ulster chiefs and their followers began a war against Queen Elizabeth. This war became known as ‘The Nine Years War’.

The chiefs won many battles during the war, and Hugh O’Neill hoped to get further help from Elizabeth’s rival, Philip of Spain. In 1598, Hugh O’Neill defeated the English army at a famous battle called the Battle of the Yellow Ford. This rebellion in Ulster spread to Munster. Elizabeth was worried about the danger of Spanish armies coming to Ireland to fight against England. Gaelic chiefs had made many appeals to the Catholic King Philip of Spain for help in driving the English out of Ireland.

Route of Red Hugh O'Donnell's march to Kinsale, 1601

Hand-drawn map outlining the route taken by Red Hugh O'Donnell and his army en route to Kinsale. He travelled from his castle of Donegal to Ballymote, Co Sligo, then through the Burke, O'Connor, and O'Byrne territories of the south before taking up battle position against the English forces at the battle of Kinsale, Co Cork, 1601.
Mulroy College, Milford, Co Donegal, and Milford Community Library

Route of Red Hugh O'Donnell's march to Kinsale, 1601
Mulroy College, Milford, Co Donegal, and Milford Community Library

Route of Red Hugh O'Donnell's march to Kinsale, 1601

Hand-drawn map outlining the route taken by Red Hugh O'Donnell and his army en route to Kinsale. He travelled from his castle of Donegal to Ballymote, Co Sligo, then through the Burke, O'Connor, and O'Byrne territories of the south before taking up battle position against the English forces at the battle of Kinsale, Co Cork, 1601.
Mulroy College, Milford, Co Donegal, and Milford Community Library

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Spanish help finally arrived in the Autumn of 1601, however the ships of the Spanish soldiers arrived in Kinsale, Co. Cork instead of in Ulster. This forced the northern Gaelic chiefs to march all the way from Ulster to Cork to join the Spanish army. In 1601, the Spanish and Irish forces were defeated at Kinsale by Lord Mountjoy, the Lord Deputy in Ireland.

Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone

Hugh O'Neill was a great chieftan who led the Irish resistance during the Nine Years War 1594-1603 and also at the Battle of Kinsale 1601. He is remembered for leaving Ireland along with many other chieftans, in what is called 'The Flight of the Earls' in 1607. This brought an end to the Gaelic chiefs in Ireland.

Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone

Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone

Hugh O'Neill was a great chieftan who led the Irish resistance during the Nine Years War 1594-1603 and also at the Battle of Kinsale 1601. He is remembered for leaving Ireland along with many other chieftans, in what is called 'The Flight of the Earls' in 1607. This brought an end to the Gaelic chiefs in Ireland.

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Hugh O’Neill, the most powerful Gaelic chief, signed a treaty at Mellifont in 1603 which brought an end to the Nine Years War. The treaty was called the Treaty of Mellifont. The Ulster chiefs had to promise to live according to English rather than Irish law. They were told that if they did this they could keep their lands. Queen Elizabeth was now dead and a new ruling family called the Stuarts took power in England.

Ireland in the Age of the Tudors

In the sixteenth century, many parts of Ireland were controlled by different Gaelic chiefs and their families, known as clans. In parts of Munster and Leinster, including an area stretching north and south of Dublin, known as the Pale, there were many groups who were loyal to the king of England and who followed English laws and customs. The Gaelic or Irish parts of these regions had their own laws, customs and language.  

Loyalty to King Henry VIII

In 1541, the king of England, Henry VIII, from a family called the Tudors, took the title “King of Ireland”. Some of the Gaelic chiefs, including Conn O’Neill, gained titles from King Henry in exchange for promising loyalty to him. In exchange for their loyalty and obeying to keep English laws, King Henry promised them that their direct family line would remain in power. By the time Henry died in 1547, about forty Gaelic lords had promised their loyalty to him and had been given English titles. Two of these clans were O’Neill and O’Donnell of Ulster, both of whom had became Earls.

In times of peace this arrangement worked, however if the Gaelic lords rebelled against the king, all their lands were confiscated according to English law. The reason the Gaelic chieftains sometimes rebelled was due to the greater demands the Tudor monarchs made on them.

Many Gaelic chieftains strongly resisted Henry and the other Tudor monarchs. Some chieftains also attacked people who were loyal to Henry. Many clans who were loyal to the English monarch lived in the Pale. The Pale was an area around Dublin, including parts of Kildare, Meath and Louth, which was under the direct conrtrol of the English government.

English Settlers to Ireland

Two of Henry VIII's children, Queen Mary and her half-sister Queen Elizabeth, decided that the English monarch needed to have more power in Ireland. One way of doing this involved sending more loyal subjects to Ireland and giving them confiscated lands. These lands became known as plantation land as the people were known as having been ‘planted’ on it. Queen Mary ruled between 1553 and 1558 and Queen Elizabeth ruled between 1558 and 1603.

Tudor Plantations

In 1556 and 1557, Queen Mary Tudor took the lands of the Gaelic clans the O’Mores and O’Connors and gave these lands to loyal English settlers. The arrival of these new settlers to Ireland however created a lot of unrest as the Irish clans wanted their land back and often attacked the new settlers.

The settling of English people on native Irish land was called a plantation. The new English people who arrived were called settlers or planters. The settlers got two thirds of the land and some Irish were moved to poorer quality lands near the Shannon.

Settlers had to promise to build stone houses and to have weapons in case they were attacked by Gaelic clans. They were not allowed to mix with Irish families or to marry them. They were forbidden even to have them as servants or to rent land to them. This was because the queen only wanted English speaking loyal subjects living in the plantation areas.

Any Irish who lived in the western part of the planted lands had to promise to obey English laws. The queen ordered that the confiscated lands of O’Mores and O’Connors should be divided into two counties. The area called Laois by the Irish was given the new name of Queen’s County and its main town was called Maryborough (today it is called Portlaoise). Offaly was called King’s County, after Mary’s husband King Philip II, and its main town was called Philipstown (today it is called Daingean).

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth was queen of England from 1558 to 1603. She wanted to have firm control of Ireland because she feared that her enemy, the Spanish and Catholic king, King Philip, would send forces to Ireland and would use them to attack England. She wanted Ireland to be loyal to England. To do this , she sent more English settlers to Ireland and gave them lands cheaply so that they would keep the neighbouring Gaelic clans and chiefs under control. Elizabeth also established a new religion from the protestant faith; it was called the Anglican faith.

Rebellion in 1580

Munster was ruled at the time by a powerful family led by the Earl of Desmond, who at first was on friendly terms with the queen. However, in 1580, a rebellion began in Munster against Queen Elizabeth. Many of the families who lived there, such as the Fitzmaurices, hoped to get help from the Catholic king of Spain to defeat Queen Elizabeth. The Earl of Desmond did not put down the rebellion and was called a traitor by the agents of the queen. His estate lands were burned and his tenants were killed. The Earl’s castles were also taken.

In 1580, the Queen’s new deputy, Lord Grey, led an English fleet of ships into the bay of Smerwick (Dún an Óir in Irish) and laid siege to the fort which was being defended by six hundred Irish and Spanish soldiers. After three days the soldiers and the rebels surrendered. A monument was erected in 1980 to commemorate the massacre of the whole garrison which had surrendered at the fort of the Fitzmaurices in Smerwick, Co. Kerry.

In order to force other rebels to surrender during the 1580s, the English troops under Lord Grey destroyed the lands of the rebels in five counties. This caused a famine to occur in Munster.

The Earl of Desmond was hunted down and killed in 1583. Huge areas of land in Munster were taken over by the English crown. From 1585, the plantation of Munster began and new English settlers were given land. Many of the new settlers found it difficult to find the location of their new land and the local Irish population was hostile to them. About 300,000 acres of land were confiscated in total.

Some huge estates were given to Englishmen, such as Walter Raleigh. These new settlements were often attacked by the local population and many settlers decided to return to England.