Irish Question

(1100-1922)

QUESTION

IRISH

THE

how to respond to Irish nationalism and the calls for Irish independence.

It's the issue debated among the British ruling classes of

What is the Irish Question?

Ireland as a part of UK

1921

1918

1886

1845-1846

1801

1649-1653

THE IRISH REPUBLIC

IRISH WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

THE EASTER RISING

IRISH POTATO FAMINE

ACT OF UNION

CROMWELLIAN WAR

Timeline

In the period between the 1670’s and 1750’s, sweeping changes transformed both the the public social lives and private family lives of the British people, like the increased literacy and the Restoration. There were also clear class distinctions that were prevalent in the realms of both home life, outward social life, and education. New developments in recreation, commercialization, and industrialization also led to a transformation in both entertainment and occupations available. Additionally, new fashion trends came onto the scene

In the mid-17th century, Ireland was convulsed by eleven years of warfare, beginning with the Rebellion of 1641, when the Irish Catholics, threatened by expanding power of the anti-Catholic English Parliament and Scottish Covenanters at the expense of the King, rebelled against English and Protestant domination. The rebellion was marked by a number of massacres of Protestant settlers, particularly in Ulster, an event which scarred communal relations in Ireland for centuries afterwards.

As a result of the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, no English troops were available to put down the uprising and the rebels were left in control of most of Ireland. The Catholic majority briefly ruled the country as Confederate Ireland (1642–1649) during the subsequent Wars of the Three Kingdoms in Britain and Ireland. The Confederate regime allied themselves with Charles I and the English Royalists, though they did not sign a formal treaty with them until 1649. An uneasy peace returned with the Restoration of the monarchy in England and Charles II made some efforts to conciliate Irish Catholics with compensation and land grants.In 1678, there was another brief burst of anti-Catholic repression during the Popish Plot, when it was rumoured that Irish Catholics were planning another rebellion with French help.

It seemed the king's troops would prevail, but with the "New Model Army", collected by Oliver Cromwell, the situation changes. With the defeat and death sentence of the king, and the declaration of the Commonwealth, Cromwell fights against the return of the monarchy and the radical tendencies of the army, also tames Scotland and is appointed Lord Protector of the Republic. In 1655 he then established a personal dictatorship, and during his government thanks to the Navigation Act he strengthened England's commercial position, but caused the outbreak of two wars which led him to cede New York.

... While on the side of the Parliament there were the Roundheads, together with London itself, the docklands, the merchant bourgeoisie, the artisans and the small landowners.

On the King’s side were the Knights, supported by the aristocracy...

The First English Civil War was the result of a measure issued by the monarch Charles the 1st, who wanted to arrest the opposition leaders: said measure was rejected by the English people, and so rebellion and feuds broke out.

He carried out the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, or Cromwellian war in Ireland, from 1649 to 1653. He invaded it with his New Model Army: the conquest was brutal, and Cromwell remains a deeply reviled figure in Ireland. The impact of the war on the Irish population was unquestionably severe and although there is no consensus as to the magnitude of the loss of life, most modern estimates generally fall in between 15 and 50% of the native population. The war resulted in famine, which was worsened by an outbreak of bubonic plague, and at least 1/3 of the Irish Catholics were killed, or deported.

About a century later, 2 very cold winters led directly to the Great Irish Famine (1740-1741), killing over 400.000 people and in 1801 came the Act of Union: Ireland was a rural society at that time, and people were largely Catholic, but Protestants owned most of the land, and mistrust existed between all groups of Protestants and Catholics. Irish autonomy was undermined by reliance on Britain, and this unrepresentative system led to the development of clandestine agrarian societies. Calls for reform, inspired by the American and French revolutions, resulted in an uprising in 1798. These conditions expedited plans to unite Ireland with Britain. It declared Great Britain and Ireland to be united for ever from 1 Jan. 1801.

The Great Famine was a period of starvation and disease in Ireland lasting from 1845 to 1852, that constituted in a historical social crisis and subsequently had a major impact on Irish society and history as a whole. The most severely affected areas were in the western and southern parts of Ireland, and the worst year of the famine was 1847, which became known as the infamous "Black '47".

During the Great Hunger, roughly 1 million people died and even more more fled the country, causing the country's population to fall by 20–25%. The principal cause of the famine was the infection of the potato crops by blight (Phytophthora infestans) throughout Europe during the 1840s. It struck the country during 1845–49, leading to mass starvation and emigration. The impact in Ireland was severe: the population dropped from over 8 million before the Famine to 4.4 million in 1911.

The Irish rebellion of 1803 was an attempt by Irish republicans to seize the seat of the British government in Ireland, Dublin Castle, and trigger a nationwide insurrection. Renewing the struggle of 1798, they were organised under a reconstituted United Irish directorate. Hopes of French aid, of a diversionary rising by radical militants in England, and of Presbyterians in the north-east rallying once more to the cause of a republic... Were disappointed. The rising in Dublin misfired, and after a series of street skirmishes, the rebels dispersed. Their leader, Robert Emmet, was executed, while others went into exile.

The Young Irelander Rebellion of 1848 was a significant event in Irish history. It was led by a group of intellectuals and activists known as the Young Irelanders, who sought to achieve Irish independence from British rule through a combination of political agitation and armed rebellion. The rebellion was inspired by the wave of revolutionary fervor that swept across Europe in 1848, known as the Year of Revolutions. The Young Irelanders believed that the time was ripe for Ireland to assert its independence, taking advantage of the political instability in Europe. It began with an attempted uprising in County Tipperary on July 29, 1848, led by William Smith O'Brien, one of the prominent leaders of the Young Ireland movement. However, it quickly faltered due to poor planning, lack of support from the peasantry, and the swift response of British authorities.

The Fenian Rising of 1867 was a pivotal event in Irish nationalist history, organized by the Fenian Brotherhood, also known as the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB). The Fenians were a secret society dedicated to the overthrow of British rule in Ireland and the establishment of an independent Irish Republic.

The British government swiftly suppressed the rebellion, and its leaders were arrested and tried for treason. William Smith O'Brien and several others were sentenced to death. Despite its failure, the Young Irelander Rebellion had a lasting impact on Irish nationalist movements. It galvanized support for the cause of Irish independence and inspired subsequent generations of nationalists. The Young Irelanders' emphasis on cultural revival, agrarian reform, and political activism also influenced later Irish nationalist movements, including the Irish Republican Brotherhood and Sinn Féin.

However, the 1867 uprising was poorly organized and lacked widespread popular support, and it was swiftly suppressed by British forces. Despite this setback, the Fenian movement continued to exert influence, both in Ireland and among Irish immigrant communities abroad. The Fenian Rising of 1867 demonstrated the enduring commitment of Irish nationalists to the cause of independence, even in the face of overwhelming odds. It also highlighted the challenges facing revolutionary movements in organizing effective resistance against a well-equipped and determined colonial power like Britain.

The First Dáil,1919 After the Easter Rising of 1916, and the executions that followed it, public opinion in Ireland turned against the British crown. In the 1918 general election, Sinn Féin, the nationalist party, won 73 of 105 Irish seats in the House of Commons. However, Sinn Féin had pledged not to sit in Westminster but to create an independent assembly in Ireland. The party made good on its promise by inviting all elected Irish representatives to attend a parliamentary assembly in Dublin. On 21 January 1919, the first Dáil met in the Round Room of the Mansion House. The room was crammed with onlookers and journalists, who greatly outnumbered the 27 Members who attended. Unionist and Irish Party MPs declined to attend and are listed in the Official Report as “as láthair” (absent). Many Sinn Féin Members were listed as “ar díbirt ag Gallaibh” (banished by foreigners) or “fé ghlas ag Gallaibh” (imprisoned by foreigners). Among these was Countess de Markievicz, who was imprisoned in Holloway prison, London.

During the two-hour sitting, Dáil Members adopted a Constitution and read out a Declaration of Independence, first in Irish, then in French and, finally, in English. This declaration ratified the Irish Republic that had been proclaimed on Easter Monday 1916 and ordained “that the elected Representatives of the Irish people alone have power to make laws binding on the people of Ireland, and that the Irish Parliament is the only Parliament to which that people will give its allegiance”. (We ordain that the elected Representatives of the Irish people alone have power to make laws binding on the people of Ireland, and that the Irish Parliament is the only Parliament to which that people will give its allegiance From the Declaration of Independence) Dáil Éireann, 21 January 1919

The Dáil then called on the free nations of the world to “support the Irish Republic by recognising Ireland's national status and her right to its vindication at the Peace Congress.” It also laid out a democratic programme, declaring the desire that Ireland be ruled “in accordance with the principles of Liberty, Equality, and Justice for all, which alone can secure permanence of Government in the willing adhesion of the people.” The first meeting of the Dáil in 1919 had coincided with the start of guerrilla attacks against the British security forces, which escalated into the War of Independence. In September, the Dáil was declared a dangerous association and was prohibited, but continued to meet in secret.

The Anglo-Irish Treaty was the result of negotiations between representatives of the British government, led by Prime Minister David Lloyd George, and representatives of the Irish Republic, including Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith

The treaty established the Irish Free State as a self-governing dominion within the British Commonwealth, with the option to leave the Commonwealth. It also provided for an Oath of Allegiance to the British Crown for members of the Irish parliament.

However, the treaty caused division within Ireland. While some saw it as a step towards independence, others opposed it, arguing that it fell short of full independence and led to the partition of Ireland. This division ultimately led to the Irish Civil War (1922–1923) between pro-treaty and anti-treaty forces.

The Irish delegation was led by Arthur Joseph Griffith (Dublin in 1871), an Irish writer, newspaper editor and politician along with Michael Collin (Woodfield, in 1890) an Irish revolutionary, soldier and politician who was a leading figure in the early-20th century struggle for Irish independence. Both were members of different organisations dedicated to the establishment of an "independent democratic republic" in Ireland such as “The Irish Republican Brotherhood''. Griffith had been involved in nationalist movements from an early stage; he founded the political movement Sinn Féin in 1905, in which Collins also took part in 1908. Collins participated in the Easter Rising which failed and he was arrested and later sent to Wales to be imprisoned at the Frongoch prison camp. It was here that Collins emerged as a leader in the republican movement. Despite the facts that Arthur Griffith did not take part in the 1916 Rising because of his connection with Sinn Féin, the British authorities believed he was responsible for the rising, leading to his arrest and internment in Reading Jail until 1917.

Collins is best known for his leadership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and role as Director of Intelligence (decoding messages and sorting through information ) throughout the campaign against Britain during the Irish War of Independence. When a truce was agreed with Britain in July 1921, Collins was one of the most powerful men in republican Ireland thus he led the Irish delegation which resulted in the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. After which he became chairman and finance minister of the provisional government established under the treaty. The republican movement split into those who opposed and those who supported the treaty causing the civil war where Collins took charge as commander-in-chief of the pro-treaty army. On August 22nd 1922 Collins was assassinated by anti-treaty forces in an ambush in County Cork.

In 1998 was made a biographical period drama film “Michael Collins” written and directed by Neil Jordan about the tumultuous period of Ireland's fight for independence from British rule which shields light on the life and legacy of significant historical figures who played crucial roles in the Irish struggle for independence. The character of Collins is portrayed as a passionate and charismatic leader, but also as a conflicted and sometimes ruthless figure willing to make difficult decisions for the cause of Irish independence, making him a controversial and complex figure. The film also highlights his complex relationship with fellow revolutionary leaders, such as Éamon de Valera, played by Alan Rickman and the film offers a compelling portrayal of his strategic brilliance. The film effectively depicts the complex political state of the time, the tensions within the Irish nationalist movement, and the personal sacrifices made by Collins and his comrades.

during the 1920s, there were significant Irish migrations to countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and England due to economic hardship and poverty in Ireland. Factors such as the aftermath of the Easter Rising, the Irish War of Independence, and the Irish Civil War, along with ongoing economic challenges, contributed to this mass emigration

during the Irish War of Independence and the subsequent Irish Civil War, tensions between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland were heightened.

Many Irish people sought better economic opportunities and a chance for a better life in these new countries.

Some Protestant communities, particularly in the predominantly Catholic southern part of Ireland, felt marginalized or unwelcome due to their religious identity and political affiliations. This contributed to the decision of many Protestants to emigrate from Ireland during that period.

UNITEDKINGDOM

IRELAND

Actual Map of Ireland:

Twice Prime Minister of England

BENJAMIN DISRAELI

"A dense population, in extreme distress, inhabit an island where there is an Established Church, which is not their Church, and a territorial aristocracy the richest of whom live in foreign capitals. Thus you have a starving population, an absentee aristocracy, and an alien Church; and in addition the weakest executive in the world. That is the Irish Question."

Caterina Molignano

Matteo Pelusio

Sara Turi

Felicia Genovese

Serena Ianniello

Roberto Vaccaro

Manuela Grillo

Karina Hladunyk

Gianluca Baldi

Manuela Karol Vitale

THANK YOU!!