Eight Centuries of England in Ireland: A Synopsis (and damned good primer)

[mrgorth]

http://www.members.tripod.com/mise_eire/irishhistory.html

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The conflict in the north of Ireland can seem imperviously complex to those unfamiliar with the events there and the competing concerns of the different communities. While many desire a simple explanation, and while many often make the attempt, simple explanations tend to be unhelpful and unsatisfying and, in any event, are vulnerable to equally simple but contrary remarks. Understanding the present conflict necessarily requires a discussion of a great length of history because it is history that explains where we are and how we got here.
One of the simple explanations that is sometimes heard — especially among those who are unfamiliar with Ireland — is that the conflict is in its nature a religious dispute. This is no doubt an unfortunate consequence of news reporters invariably depicting the conflict as being between Catholics and the Protestants. For the most part, religious beliefs are not motivating elements in the conflict, despite the fact that most of the adherents to one side are Catholics and most of those on the other side being Protestants. Still, religion has historically played a very large role in shaping the conflict and a discussion of religious history to a limited extent is inevitably required.
Overall, the history of Ireland is essentially that of English subjugation of the people of Ireland and Irish resistance to being subjugated. While much of Ireland’s history (in the context of the present conflict) is Ireland-focused, it is more accurately described as peripheral to England, a by-product of internal English political intrigue, English ambitions and English apprehensions about external threats to England itself. The principal tool used to establish English control over Ireland was land usurpation, achieved through military adventures and legislative fiat. Land, of course, is extremely important because it is the wellspring of economic power, that which makes it possible to raise armies and to engage in other governmental and political exertions. A simple chart vividly demonstrates the flow of land ownership over a remarkably short period of time from Irish Catholics to Protestants from either England or Scotland:

Percentages of land in Ireland owned by Catholics
1601 95%
1642 59%
1660 20%
1776 5%

The transfer of land ownership from Irish Catholics into the hand of Protestants loyal to England had numerous consequences. For England, it meant that foreign nations — like Spain or France — would not easily be able to establish bases at England’s back door from which they might launch attacks. It also meant that a great and rich resource base was secured from which could be drawn much of what England needed, such as agricultural products, timber, textiles and even people for pressing into military service. For the people of Ireland, it meant extensive and severe poverty, political disenfranchisement, religious harassment and all the societal ills naturally resulting from such conditions, including the inability to secure civil or human rights for themselves, wretched health and even starvation. For both, it ultimately meant war.

It has been said that “Irish history is something the Irish should forget and something that the English should always remember.” In practice, however, the reverse has predominated. The Irish have a very keen sense of their history and the English are often neglectful (or worse, selective and skewed) in their remembering. This paper seeks to help the reader achieve a closer understanding of just where matters are in Ireland and how they got there. It is not intended to be a thorough or even a detailed exposition of Ireland’s history, though some measure of close detail is unavoidable. Its object is to enable the reader to feel reasonably comfortable in general discussions about the present state of affairs in the north of Ireland.

History studies often separate a region’s history into a series of distinct periods, each being marked by specific, defining events. This paper will follow the same course. For purposes of understanding the present political circumstances in the north of Ireland, the most convenient starting place is 1169, when the English first invaded Ireland. Before entering the realm of history, though, it will be helpful to be familiar with the broad geographical make-up of Ireland.
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[Padraig18]

1. Great post!

More! More! More!

:thumbsup:

[Englander]

2. Very good article,giving the Irish view of Irish history....

I read all of it,agree with nearly all of it,however,there's one mis-statement at the end;

".. The Colombian government said there was no videotape and tests of seventeen articles of clothing have revealed nothing. Further, none of the men has any connection to Sinn Féin..."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/1613585.stm

SF link to Colombia arrest man

One of three Irishmen detained in Colombia was Sinn Fein's representative in Cuba, the party's president Gerry Adams has admitted.

Mr Adams said on Monday that Niall Connolly's appointment was made without his knowledge or the authorisation of the international department of his party.

Niall Connolly was one of three republicans arrested in Bogota in August on suspicion of training member's of the left-wing FARC militia and for travelling on false passports.

Mr Adams said while his party had denied claims by the Cuban authorities that Mr Connolly was their representative, an internal investigation revealed "one of our senior members asked Niall Connolly to represent the party in Cuba".


So,apart from that,it's excellent!