Ireland- Eire

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Ireland- Eire

• Constructing The Republic

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IRELAND
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Ireland-Eire

• Ireland stands apart from the other Celtic
  countries and regions quite obviously because of
  its status.
• So far, The Republic of Ireland is the only one
  of those nations to reach the status of
  independent sovereign state.
• But the history of Ireland does not compare
  easily to that of say, Wales, Scotland and
  Brittany.

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Ireland-todays structures

• Even if the influence of Britain as an imperial
  power and later as post-modern multiculticural
  remains primordial in both Wales and Scotland (
  the UK), the relationship between the British
  State and the island of Ireland up until c1920
  was of a quite different order.

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Ireland-todays structures

• The imprint of the British State on Ireland in
  structural terms can be seen to this day in the
  Irish judiciary, some political frameworks, and
  urban culture.
• A walk around the older parts of Dublin.
• Probably the most lasting element of Irelands
  colonial past is the English language itself,
  albeit in an Irish garb.
• The Irish Language ( An Ghaeilge)

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Georgian Dublin
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Ireland-todays structures

• The key to an understanding of Ireland today, and
  the existence of Northern Ireland still, lies in
  the realization that Ireland by the 1900s was
  attempting to emerge from an entirely colonial
  structure imposed by the UK over the centuries.

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Ireland-todays structures

• Again, one of the major differences between
  Ireland and the other Celtic countries is that
  Wales and Scotland were integrated politically
  into the UK (Acts of Union) which were largely
  accepted by the political classes of both
  countries by the 19th century.
• The Welsh gentry of the pre 1540s sought for such
  an Act because it would allow them to be treated
  no longer as foreigners but as fully-fledged
  members of the Tudor elite.

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Ireland

• In Scotland too, and especially after the defeat
  of the Clans in the mid 18th century, there was a
  sense amongst the Lowlanders at least that they
  were northern Britons.
• Incipient nationalism was in both countries
  non-violent, and often the aim was not
  independence but various forms of autonomy (19th
  century).

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Ireland-todays structures

• Ireland although very much under British rule
  from the 16-17th centuries onwards, only ever
  became conjoined to the United Kingdom
  constitutionally in 1800 with an Act of Union
  which brought the Irish Parliament to an end.
• Henry VIII had declared himself King of Ireland
  in 1541.

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Military resistance in Wales and Scotland

• Any real military resistance to British rule in
  Wales came to an end c1415 with the end of the
  Owain Glyndwr revolt (we would say insurgency
  today)
• Although not an out and out defeat, too many of
  Glyndwrs supporters in the gentry were losing
  heart and giving in to blandishments from the
  enemy side.

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Ireland-todays structures

• In Scotland the whole tradition of uprisings was
  entwined in the Jacobean revolts of the 17th and
  18th century. Gaelic Scotland was the great
  loser, and Lowlander Scotland was the great
  winner.
• There would be no more military risings in
  Scotland. Major change would only begin in the
  later 20th century in an entirely democratic
  setting.

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In Brittany

• In Brittany, the nearest one can come to a
  popular rising by Bretons belongs to the period
  of the French revolution (end of 1790s).
• The so-called chouannerie were pro-Royalist
  Breton militia men who were against the
  revolution because it was deemed to be
  anti-Catholic, and anti-Breton in tone.

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Ireland-todays structures

• Returning to Ireland it is clear that the
  situation faced by the UK in its dealings with
  Ireland (since c1600) was entirely different.
• Firstly, the situation in Ireland was infinitely
  more unbalanced.
• Political and military resisitence to the British
  military presence was much more organized and
  present.
• Most importantly, Ireland had a tradition of
  Risings.

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Ireland-todays structures

• The British had from an early date been obliged
  to deal with hostile and less hostile members of
  the native nobility who had run Ireland on their
  behalf for generations.
• Although Ireland had rarely possessed a monarchy
  of its own for the whole island, it did have many
  regional kings who through a system of
  clientship ruled the island.
• But this was no longer the case after c1200

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Ireland-todays structures

• Several of the native aristocracy were appointed
  by the British powers to positions such as High
  Deputy of Ireland.
• Henry VIII had himself declared himself king of
  Ireland in 1541.
• More than anything, the 16th century saw the
  beginnings of real settlements (or colonies) deep
  in the Irish rural areas as a means of bring
  protestantism to Ireland.

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Ireland and religion

• This was another element which set Ireland apart
  from the other major Celtic countries in their
  dealings with the colonial or semi-colonial
  power.
• Wales became protestant by c1620 the Lowlands of
  Scotland had spearheaded the rise and spread of
  that religion in Scotland. It reached as far as
  the catholic Highlands, so that today only a few
  of the Gaelic speaking islands remain Catholic.

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Ireland and Religion

• Ireland was a very different case. Ireland was
  solidly Catholic until the beginnings of the
  settlements on a large scale in the late 1500s.
• Religion became a highly politicised issue.
  Britain by becoming Protestant put itself under
  threat from other European countries especially
  Spain and France. (eg Queen Elizabeth I was in
  frequent danger of assassination)
• Hence, for the English it was essential that its
  colony Ireland should become protestant as a
  means of defending the islands from Catholic
  attack.

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Ireland and its rebellions

• This is why the history of Ireland from c1590
  becomes violent, uncompromisingly so as Britain
  tries to impose an ever greater colonial grip on
  Ireland.
• It demanded that the native leaders (the old
  Gaelic aristocracy) became Protestant otherwise
  they would lose their lands, their position, and
  be exiled.

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Ireland and Religion

• In the influx of Protestant yeomen from Northern
  England and Southern Scotland intensifies during
  the century from 1590.
• In particular Ulster goes from being one of the
  most die-hard Gaelic speaking and nationalist
  areas, to that of Irelands most Protestant and
  Loyalist areas, giving rise in later centuries to
  Northern Ireland (partition) and the Troubles in
  the 1970s-1990s).

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Ireland-todays structures

• This period (c1550-1620) has all the hallmarks of
  a classic colonial situation where the military
  is of paramount importance.
• Rebellions become relatively common throughpot
  Ireland, and will set the scene for later Irish
  experience in modern times.
• Systematic suppression of rebel forces in
  Leinster (SE) and Munster (SW) leading to the
  death of the Earl of Desmond (prominent Irish
  leader).

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Ireland-some rebellions

• 1592- Red Hugh ODonnell seeks to expel all
  English officials from the lordship of Tyrconnell
  (NW).
• 1593- Ulster rebels. Help sought from Catholic
  Spain.
• 1601 Defeat for the rebel army with Spanish at
  Kinsale.

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Ireland-todays structures

• There was a tradition of rebellions and uprising
  in the following century too.
• Owen Roe ONeill (Ulster Catholic Army) 1648
• 1663 Closure of court of claims for Irish lands,
  its business unfinished.

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Ireland-todays structures

• William of Orange defeats the Jacobin forces
  under James II at Battle of the Boyne 1690.
• Wolfe Tones rebellion 1798
• Robert Emmetts rising 1803.
• By then most people might be willing to pay lip
  service to the idea of Ireland taking her play in
  the concert of nations, but fewer were ready to
  take any action.

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Protestant Ireland
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Ireland-todays structures

• From 1801 Ireland had no parliament of its own.
• A small number of Irish MPs (Protestant
  landowners) sat in Westminster.
• Thomas Davis and Young Ireland, 1840s
• 1848 Rebellion.
• Late 19th century Land Reform and National
  Independence. IRB. 1858.

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Ireland-todays structures

• The Fenians- rejected attempts to gain
  independence as futile.
• Armed uprising in 1867 (a token gesture).
• Home Rule (separate parliament subordinate to
  London). Eventually led by Charles Stewart
  Parnell.
• National land league (1879-1882)
• Their campaigns were successful. Theold landlord
  system was abolished, and ownership transferred
  to the tenants.

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Ireland-todays structures

• Various attempts to get Home Rule legislation
  through the Westminster parliament failed
  (1886-1914)
• The importance of cultural nationalism. The
  Gaelic League. (the revival of the Irish language
  on a nationwide basis).
• Sinn Fein -1905 the idea that Irish MPs should
  not sit in Westminster.
• Irish Citizen Army (socialist but also
  separatist). 1913.

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Ireland-todays structures

• Irishmen were encouraged to enlist in the British
  Army during the WW1 because it was argued that
  this would sustain British support for Home Rule.
• Obviously not believing this, the Irish
  Volunteers (led by Patrick Pearse) and the Irish
  Citizen Army led by James Connolly staged a
  rebellion against British Rule This was the
  Easter Rising of 1916.

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Ireland-todays structures

• The decision by the British authories to execute
  several of the leaders alienated public opinion.
• In the 1918 election Sinn Fein won nearly all the
  seats.
• They now constituted themselves as the first
  Dail, or independent parliament in Dublin.
• The Dail was led by Eamon De Valera (Dev).

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E. De Valera
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Twentieth century

• Following attempts by the British to destroy Sinn
  Fein, a War of Independence broke out in 1919-21.
  the Irish forces were led by Michael Collins.
• Guerilla war. A truce was signed leading to the
  1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty.
• The 26 counties gained independence as the Irish
  Free State (Saorstat na hEireann).
• Six Ulster counties were given their own
  parliament in 1920, and remained in the United
  Kingdom.

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Twentieth century

• This treaty led to a civil war which lasted until
  1923 between those who accepted the Treaty and
  the partition of Ireland, and those, led by Eamon
  De Valera who were opposed.
• The first government of the new State was headed
  by William T Cosgrave (Cumann na nGaedheal, later
  Fine Gael).
• De Valeras opposition aprty was called Fianna
  Fail and they came to power in 1932.

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Twentieth century

• An economic war broke between Ireland and the
  UK between 1932-38 following dispute over
  continuous land payments.
• In 1937, De Valera introduced a new constitution
  which declared Ireland to be sovereign,
  independent and a democratic state.
• Ireland remained neutral during WWII.
• In 1948 the Republic of Ireland Act was passed,
  severing the last constitutional links with
  Britain.

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Twentieth century

• In 1955 Ireland became a member of the United
  Nations
• 1959 Eamon De Valera became Presiend of Ireland.
• In 1973, Ireland became a member of the European
  Community, later known as the European Union.

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President, Parliament and Government

• The Irish parliamentary democracy is made up of
  three elements
• The President (an tUarachtan)
• A House of Representatives ( Dail Eireann).
• Senate (Seanad).

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An tUarachtan (President)

• The first president of Ireland was Dr Douglas
  Hyde (1938-1945).
• recent presidents
• Mary Robinson (1990-)