Theobald Wolfe Tone: Success or Failure Given?

This culminated in the Rebellion of 1798, lead by Wolfe Tone and the Society of United Irishmen, in which Hugh and Jimmy participated: “The road to Sligo. A spring morning. 1798. Going into battle” (445). But, as these characters soon discovered, the rebellion failed resulting in large executions and the passing of the Act of Union in 1800. This piece of legislation, effective from 1 January 1801, brought Ireland under the direct rule of the British Crown.

     Everything that happened in Ireland during nineteenth century has indeed been overshadowed by the catastrophe which overtook the country between 1845 and 1851. The Irish Potato Famine of 1845-1851 was one of the great catastrophes of the nineteenth century and divides modern Irish history. It was a disaster which poisoned Anglo-Irish relations for many generations to come, and had profound effects not only in Ireland itself, but in England and North America as well.

The influence of political factors and change cannot be ignored when weighing up the most significant cause of rebellion throughout the Tudor period. Both in England and Ireland, political unrest was common among all of the Tudor Monarchs meaning it was a consistent factor in all rebellions across the era. The main problems came from self-serving greed, with plans to overthrow the Monarchs in order to position someone who would be in their favour or get rid of corrupt advisors in order to attain more political influence.

This is hinted at throughout the sources, sometimes in the context of the Irish rebellion; an event that caused paranoia to reach

Feer, Robert (September 1969). "Shays's Rebellion and the Constitution: A Study in Causation". The New England Quarterly (Volume 42, No. 3). JSTOR 363616

The Irish were promised the Home Rule Act, but it was taken away at the start of the Ester Uprising. “This modest promise was swept away the Easter Uprising of 1916, when a small band of rebels paralyzed the city and the Irish Republic was proclaimed from the steps of the GPO” (Hegarty). Padhraic Pearse led about 2000 people into the Easter Revolution, only a small fraction of the people that had lived in Dublin at the time. Most of the Irish were involved in World War I. “They had little support – many Irish volunteers had joined the war effort and the rebels were perceived to be traitors to the great cause” (Hegarty). It would take more violence and rebellion against the British to bring attention to their cause both locally and abroad.

The Irish Immigrants that came to the United States after the potato crop failure were not greeted with a warm reception. In fact, they migrated at a time when the U.S. was experiencing anti-immigrant movements, consequently leading to acts of violence and harsh words against them. A major contributing factor to the oppression they faced was the fact that they were so far off from meeting the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant criteria that was present in society. Surprisingly, the Irish were at one point treated and viewed worst than the African Americans because they would not accept their mistreatment in silence. Essentially, their resistance to the mistreatment that they endured made the White American consider them to be “out of place” therefore they were a problem, much like that of the Native American Indian, whom the British settlers feared during the early colonization of America. Similarly, the Irish were separated by employers and mixed with other immigrant groups to prevent revolts just as they did with the African slaves and Native American Indians during the colonial days. Notably, the Catholic Irish received the worst treatment for a period of time as their customs were considered unusual and were not tolerated. Unfortunately, the intolerance that persisted in society led to the burning of Catholic homes and a convent, destruction of churches, murders, as well as death (pg. 120). In an effort to save their selves, the Irish noticed the need to assimilate with

Throughout Jonathan Swifts essay, A Modest Proposal, there seems to be a tone of satirical bitterness towards the English government for colonizing Ireland and then neglecting its citizens to live in such dire conditions. This bitter tone seems to suggest that the English’s unwanted interference and neglect has not transformed the Irish people into “civil” citizens, but instead that it has evolved them into the “barbaric” and “animalistic” people they were once accused of being.

In addition, the rights of Irish people, under the English, were severely lowered. Laws were put in place which prevented the Irish from taking part in politics, purchasing land, even getting an education, leaving them unable to move forwards in any way, leaving them stuck under English rule. Those who choose not to flee Ireland, as many did unsurprisingly, particularly to America if they survived the gruesome lower class journey overseas, and live under the tyranny of England faced poverty, disease, starvation, prejudice and death. It is this Ireland that Jonathan Swift focuses on in “A Modest Proposal” and wanted to make known to the rich English who took the Proposal as entertainment not caring about its true meaning.

Clearly, a large portion of the turmoil experienced during this type could be put down to the changing government of the period. Though democratically elected and in more direct control of the Irish nation, the Home Rule government what the Irish called the Free State in its first years was not as responsive to the people as some desired (Ferriter, n.d.). An effective civil service providing for many needs was set up, but the ruling party and government experienced internal strife over significant differences of opinion throughout this decade (Ferriter, n.d.). The government was a democracy, but a very young democracy, and with all of the problems that this youth entails in a newly freed and democratically empowered nation and population.

The English were making the Irish poor to force them into the protestant church. Under the Penal Laws the Irish Catholics were deprived them of any right to be represented in local government, to vote, or to even own land. Under these harsh conditions it is no wonder woman and children of the time bumbled around town just to find some way to survive as a catholic while protestantism is being shoved down one 's thought.

Irish independence has been fought for a long time ever since the British occupied Ireland in 1172. The King of England invaded and controlled Ireland. The invasion led to religious and territorial conflicts. There was an effort to create a church comparable to the Church of England in the 1500s. Catholics who live in Ireland were against the idea and a conflict for independence has emerged (Arena & Arrigo, 2004). The suppression of Irish nationalism by the British in the 20th century led to the creation of martyrs for the cause led by the Irish Republican Army (Combs, 2011).

The church was able to explain why such devastation had happened and gave the social masses an explanation to something they could not fathom. The church used this opportunity to gain the respect and belief of the Irish public (Larkin 1984).

The Irish Famine 1845-1849 “Is ar scáth a chiéle a maireann na daoine” “It is with each other’s protection that the people live” From the Fifteenth through to the Nineteenth centuries English Monarchies and Governments had consistently enacted laws which it seems were designed to oppress the Irish and suppress and destroy Irish Trade and manufacturing. In the Penal laws of 1695 which aimed to destroy Catholicism, Catholics were forbidden from practicing their religion, receiving education, entering a profession, or purchasing or leasing land; since Catholics formed eighty percent of the Irish population, this effectively deprived the Irish of any part in civil life in their own country.

Some MP’S were alarmed by others who printed the Grande Remonstrance to the public journal in order to make people see. The Parliament did not appreciate this fact as they did not want the other people to know about the politic affairs. Adding to this, a rebellion in Ireland broke down as Catholics rose up against their Protestant rulers and 400 of the Protestants were killed. A rumour spread that Charles was behind this rebellion to make England turn into a Catholic country. Having no intention to restore Catholicism or govern without any reference to the law, Charles did not understand why the MP’s feared the Catholic tyranny.