Plantation
Elizabeth I was scared Ireland would ally with England’s Catholic enemies. She was determined to rule Ireland firmly. Her attempt ended in 1601. To reward her supporters, the lands taken from Catholics was given to the English and Scottish, if they swore an oath of loyalty. James I carried this even further and he began to do it fully in 1609. Soon nearly all the Catholics had were poor farmlands in the west. This created bitterness towards the English because all their lands and possessions had been took off them for doing nothing. They probably thought this was too much and hated them for giving them a very poor way of life.
Violence and conflict in the second half of the 17th Century
In 1641 England was in a civil war. The Catholics thought this was the best time to rebel. They didn’t succeed. In 1649 Oliver Cromwell had become England’s new leader. One of the first things he did was travel over to Ireland and crush the rebellion. His method was very harsh. He went to a town called Drogheda and killed more than 3000 people, more land was taken from the Irish too. In March 1689, the Catholic King James’ army went and trapped over 35,000 Protestant civilians in the town of Londonderry, in Ulster. When food ran out they started to eats cats, dogs and mice etc. Disease broke out and thousands died. In July 28 British ships came to the rescue. The siege was over after 15 long weeks. James II’s son-in-law took over from him and won great battles over the Catholics, like the battle of the Boyne in 1690. Protestants still celebrate these victories today by marching, wearing Orange sashes. These marches are practically rubbing these innocent deaths in the Catholics’ faces and must causes hatred towards the English. They also sang, and still do sing, hateful songs too, about things like freeing them from slaughter, and “There’s no better Catholic than one with a bullet in his back”. Any Catholic hearing that is certain to be angry.
The Potato Famine
After Protestant plantation, all the Catholics had were small rented farms in the west. Their staple diet was potato. In 1846 there was a potato blight which wiped out most of the crop. This was a big problem, the Catholics could eat the crops ready to be sold, and face eviction, or pay up and starve. When all the food was gone thousands died. Robert Peel tried to revoke the Corn Law, but it was too late. A million people died. Over a million emigrated to America and Canada but many died on the Atlantic trip. Many Irish feel nobody could have died if they had owned their own properties. Fintan Lalor quoted, “Had the people of Ireland been the landlords of Ireland, not a single person would have died of hunger”. He was right. The landlords defiance in the famine led to many deaths. If plantation had never occurred then everyone would most likely have survived. With many Catholics dead, anger must have been rising towards the English who have killed many, many people over the centuries.
Easter Rising
Irish Republicans wanted to carry on from the late Wolfe Tone and try and unite Ireland as one. The Irish Citizen Army, led by James Connolly planned to take over Dublin at Easter 1916, while England was off fighting in WWI. Their plans went wrong and Sir Roger Casement along with others were arrested. On Easter Monday they started their rebellion. By Saturday the rebels had surrendered. The leaders, on the charge of treason, were executed. The Irish thought this was too harsh and attitudes towards the English changed practically overnight. The rebels who had tried to take over Dublin hated this and most Irish people started to despise the British.
Conclusion
Overall, the British have attacked the Irish many times over the centuries, starting from when it was first populated. During these attacks many people died or lost all their lands. Probably what angered them the most is they had done nothing to provoke it. English kings were mainly to blame for this hurt and suffering. Children growing up affected by these things are certain to grow up loathing Britain for their problems. These children have children of their own, and the resentment is passed down. These feelings would spread and eventually most of Ireland would resent Britain. These feelings would influence rebellions, such as those similar to the IRA. These attacks hinder progress, and just create more friction and problems.
Ryan Turton