Act of UnionAct of Union

Passed 1 Aug 1800Passed 1 Aug 1800

Effective 1 Jan 1801Effective 1 Jan 1801

ContextContext

• PM William Pitt had started to consider the PM William Pitt had started to consider the possibility of union, coupled with Catholic possibility of union, coupled with Catholic emancipation.emancipation.

• Forced to abandon the combination of union Forced to abandon the combination of union and emancipation due to opposition.and emancipation due to opposition.

Arguments forArguments for

• Geography and military power. Ireland was the Geography and military power. Ireland was the weak link in imperial defence.weak link in imperial defence.

• Union would enable Britain to take full Union would enable Britain to take full responsibility for this.responsibility for this.

• A legislatively independent Irish Parliament was A legislatively independent Irish Parliament was already in dispute with London and potential for already in dispute with London and potential for difficulties were real.difficulties were real.

Arguments forArguments for

• Pitt stressed the economic benefits.Pitt stressed the economic benefits.• A Catholic minority in the new UK A Catholic minority in the new UK

would remove Protestant fears and would remove Protestant fears and make them more likely to grant make them more likely to grant equal rights.equal rights.

‘‘Strength and confidence will Strength and confidence will encourage liberality’ Castlereagh encourage liberality’ Castlereagh (Chief Sec)(Chief Sec)

Arguments againstArguments against

• Emotional and based on vague feelings of Emotional and based on vague feelings of nationality.nationality.

• The insistence that Ireland was a separate society The insistence that Ireland was a separate society (the Patriots), with its own institutions.(the Patriots), with its own institutions.

• Ireland was prosperous and cultured.Ireland was prosperous and cultured.• However, the nation they claimed to speak for, However, the nation they claimed to speak for,

like the Irish Parliament itself, represented only a like the Irish Parliament itself, represented only a tiny minority of the Irish people.tiny minority of the Irish people.

Passing the ActPassing the Act

• Anti unionists had little to offer.Anti unionists had little to offer.• RC hierarchy and laity supported it, anticipating RC hierarchy and laity supported it, anticipating

Catholic emancipation.Catholic emancipation.• Fears of a renewed French invasion resurfaced Fears of a renewed French invasion resurfaced

spreading fear and alarm.spreading fear and alarm.• Strength and dominance of Pitt as PM and the Strength and dominance of Pitt as PM and the

extent of his patronage.extent of his patronage.• Irish Parliament consented 158:115Irish Parliament consented 158:115

TermsTerms

• Established the UKEstablished the UK• Separate Irish Parliament disappeared.Separate Irish Parliament disappeared.• 100 MPs, 28 Lords temporal, 4 Lords spiritual.100 MPs, 28 Lords temporal, 4 Lords spiritual.• Union of Church of England and Ireland.Union of Church of England and Ireland.• Free trade.Free trade.• Legal systems remained as they were.Legal systems remained as they were.

ConsequencesConsequences

• High hopes were unfulfilled.High hopes were unfulfilled.• Political incorporation was half Political incorporation was half

hearted, Ireland still treated hearted, Ireland still treated separately.separately.

• Dublin Castle administration Dublin Castle administration remained in place as before.remained in place as before.

• Protestant Ascendancy Protestant Ascendancy continued to control Ireland.continued to control Ireland.

Cont’dCont’d

• Irish Protestantism, especially Ulster Irish Protestantism, especially Ulster Presbyterians, came to be identified with loyalty Presbyterians, came to be identified with loyalty to the Union.to the Union.

• Catholics became increasingly anti-unionist with Catholics became increasingly anti-unionist with a strong sense of their separate religious and a strong sense of their separate religious and national identity.national identity.

• Catholics felt betrayed that union was not Catholics felt betrayed that union was not coupled with emancipation.coupled with emancipation.

ControversyControversy

• Pitt came into collision with Pitt came into collision with George III who argued George III who argued emancipation would betray his emancipation would betray his coronation oath to defend the coronation oath to defend the Church of England.Church of England.

• Pitt resigned.Pitt resigned.• Economic advantages never really Economic advantages never really

materialised, Ireland couldn’t materialised, Ireland couldn’t compete with British commercial compete with British commercial interests, except in the North East.interests, except in the North East.

Cont’dCont’d• Rapid population growth led to large scale emigration Rapid population growth led to large scale emigration

from Ireland.from Ireland.• The religious and national divide, contrary to the hopes The religious and national divide, contrary to the hopes

of men like William Pitt, were strengthened rather than of men like William Pitt, were strengthened rather than weakened.weakened.

• Agrarian violence surged and Wellington said of Ireland Agrarian violence surged and Wellington said of Ireland in 1807 it, ‘must be considered to be enemy’s country’.in 1807 it, ‘must be considered to be enemy’s country’.

• In these circumstances a new leader of Catholic Ireland In these circumstances a new leader of Catholic Ireland emerged, Daniel O’Connell.emerged, Daniel O’Connell.

Daniel O’ConnellDaniel O’Connell