Georgian Ireland

Grattan’s Parliament

Heroes in Song

William Conolly (1662-1729)

Georgian Dublin

• Growth

– 1682 58,000

– 1800 200,000

Henrietta St. ~1720

Parliament House

Parliament House (Bank of Ireland), 1729

Leinster House, 1745

Dublin Castle

Essex Bridge

• Planned ~1753

• 1757 Wide Streets Commission

Progress of a FamilyCarbury Castle

• Motte built by Meiler FitzHenry who was granted the area by Strongbow

• Native Irish in the 15th C.

• ~1515 Colley & family goes to Ireland as civil servant or soldier under Henry VIII

• 1588 granted to Colley family

Colley Family

• Richard Colley (1690-1758)

– Becomes Richard Wesley when his cousin Garrett Wesley dies without issue

• Inherits Dangan Castle

Wesley family

• Garret Wesley [Wellesley] (1735-1781)

– 1760 First Viscount Wellesley of Dangan and first earl of Mornington

– Summer town house in Merrion Square

– 1764 First doctor of Music from Trinity

• Arthur Wellesley (1769–1852)

– 1814 duke of Wellington

Dangan Castle (1840)

Mornington House, Merrion Square

Merrion Square

Interior ~1750

1767, Magdalene Asylum

Magdalene Asylum

A Country HomeCoopershill, Co.Sligo

‘Owner’ Alice O’Hara

Defining Ireland

• Conflicts between English and Irish parliaments

• George Lucas

• Money Bills

• Undertakers

Control of government

Three parties

• The Castle – residence of the Lord Lieutenant and hence seat of the English presence

• The ‘Undertakers’

• Irish Parliament

Undertakers

A group of Irish politicians who agreed to promote (English) administration policies in return for some influence and patronage

– Government by an oligarchy

–Absence of lord lieutenant when parliament was not in session gives powers to Lords Justices

Dr. Charles Lucas

• Descendant of a Cromwelliansoldier

• Apothecary

• Reprehensive of barber-surgeons on Dublin Corporation

Lucas

• Attack power of government chosen alderman

• Blocked by the alderman he used the media to publicize abuses of power; expanded to attack ‘undertakers’

• 1749 Declared an enemy and exiled

• 1760 Returns on accession of George III

• Achieves 8 year election cycle

Money Bill Dispute (1753-6)

• Control by Parliament of money for Crown

• Conflict of personality and power between The Castle, the primate of Ireland and leading families

– Henry Boyle, speaker of the House of Commons

– John Ponsonby, his successor

Britain – A Change in Viewpoint

• 1766 James Francis Edward Stuart dies

– Pope recognizes Hanover dynasty

• Demands and powers of ‘undertakers’ considered excessive

– Seek more direct control of Irish parliament

New leaders Emerge

• Henry Flood

– First elected in 1759; works for shortening of the duration of parliament ; reduction of the pension list; establishment of a national militia, and complete legislative independence of the Irish parliament.

– 1775 Deserts cause; accepts a seat on the Privy Council of Ireland and the office of vice-treasurer

Henry Grattan

• Succeeds Flood as ‘Patriot’ leader

England Attempts to Assert Control

• Viscount George Townshend (1724-1807), Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1767–1772)

• Resident in Ireland

– Rival ‘undertakers’ for control of patronage

• Increase standing army in Ireland

• Taxes on absentees, stamp tax

Ireland and Revolution

• 1771 Franklin scouts mutual interests– Recommends exception to non-importation policy

– Apology and offer of haven

• 1775 Amendment to Parliament's address to the throne– Advocate "conciliatory and healing measures for

the removal of the discontent which prevails in the colonies.”

– Defeated 92-52 (300 members)

Irish Volunteers

• 1778 Replacement for regulars transferred to colonies

• Many with liberal views

– Agitation for free trade

– Agitation for local governance

– Grow to 60,000 by 1782

• 1793 Disbanded when England declares war on revolutionary France

Rally of Volunteersfor free trade

1783 Greater Independence

• Repeal of 1719 Declaratory Act that declared that Ireland was subordinate to Britain and its King, Privy Council and Parliament

• Repeal of Poynings’ law allows Irish Parliament to initiate legislation

Order of St. Patrick• Founded 1783

• Attempt to appeal to Catholics and Protestants

St Mullin’s Carlew (before 1729)

Bishop Frederick Hervey

Downhill

Mussenden Temple

1793 Catholic Relief Acts

• Remove penalties for

– Being a priest, Catholic education, building churches

• Permitted

– Practicing law

– Entering Trinity

– Join the military; keep arms under some condtions

– Vote

Long Tower Catholic Church

Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity Waterford 1793

Theobold Wolf Tone

• Government as a trust, with power ultimately lying with the people

• He and William Drennanproposed founding resolutions for the Society of United Irishmen– Separation from England

– Religious tolerance including Catholic emancipation

1798 Events

February Leinster Provincial Directory of the United Irishmen declares that it will not be diverted from its purpose by "anything that could be done in parliament”.

March Arrest of members of United Irishmen; martial law

April Disarming of potential rebels

May Rebel victory at Battle of ProsperousWexford rebel victory at the Battle of Three Rocks

Atrocities

Rebel massacre

1798 Events -June

Munro and the insurgents are defeated at the Battle of Ballinahinch, Co. Down – ending the rebellion in Ulster.

Massacre of 200 people, mainly Protestants in a barn by rebels at Scullabogue, Co. Wexford

Defeat of rebels at Vinegar Hill John Kelly killed.Lord Edward Fitzgerald dies of wounds.

Cornwallis made Viceroy and Commander-in-Chief

Battle of Vinegar Hill

General Lazare Hoche and the aborted invasion

1798 Events

July end of rebellion in Wexford

August Franco-Irish landing and vicotry at Castlebar

September French surrender

October-November Capture of French shipsArrest and suicide of Wolfe Tone

Castlebar Retreat

Republic of Connaught

1798 Rebel atrocities

Union

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