Constructing The Republic

Ireland stands apart from the other Celtic countries and regions quite obviously because of its status.

So far, The Republic of Ireland is the only one of those nations to reach the status of independent sovereign state.

But the history of Ireland does not compare easily to that of say, Wales, Scotland and Brittany.

Even if the influence of Britain as an imperial power and later as post-modern multiculticural remains primordial in both Wales and Scotland ( the UK…), the relationship between the British State and the island of Ireland up until c1920 was of a quite different order.

The imprint of the British State on Ireland in structural terms can be seen to this day in the Irish judiciary, some political frameworks, and urban culture.

A walk around the older parts of Dublin. Probably the most lasting element of

Ireland’s colonial past is the English language itself, albeit in an Irish garb.

The Irish Language ( An Ghaeilge)

The key to an understanding of Ireland today, and the existence of Northern Ireland still, lies in the realization that Ireland by the 1900s was attempting to emerge from an entirely colonial structure imposed by the UK over the centuries.

Again, one of the major differences between Ireland and the other Celtic countries is that Wales and Scotland were integrated politically into the UK (Acts of Union) which were largely accepted by the political classes of both countries by the 19th century.

The Welsh gentry of the pre 1540s sought for such an Act because it would allow them to be treated no longer as ‘foreigners; but as fully-fledged members of the Tudor elite.

In Scotland too, and especially after the defeat of the Clans in the mid 18th century, there was a sense amongst the Lowlanders at least that they were ‘northern Britons’.

Incipient nationalism was in both countries non-violent, and often the aim was not independence but various forms of autonomy (19th century).

Ireland although very much under British rule from the 16-17th centuries onwards, only ever became conjoined to the United Kingdom constitutionally in 1800 with an Act of Union which brought the Irish Parliament to an end.

Henry VIII had declared himself ‘King of Ireland’ in 1541.

Any real military resistance to British rule in Wales came to an end c1415 with the end of the Owain Glyndwr revolt (we would say ‘insurgency’ today)

Although not an out and out defeat, too many of Glyndwr’s supporters in the gentry were losing heart and giving in to blandishments from the enemy side.

In Scotland the whole tradition of uprisings was entwined in the Jacobean revolts of the 17th and 18th century. Gaelic Scotland was the great loser, and Lowlander Scotland was the great winner.

There would be no more military risings in Scotland. Major change would only begin in the later 20th century in an entirely democratic setting.

In Brittany, the nearest one can come to a popular rising by Bretons belongs to the period of the French revolution (end of 1790s).

The so-called chouannerie were pro-Royalist Breton militia men who were against the revolution because it was deemed to be anti-Catholic, and anti-Breton in tone.

Returning to Ireland it is clear that the situation faced by the UK in its dealings with Ireland (since c1600) was entirely different.

Firstly, the situation in Ireland was infinitely more unbalanced.

Political and military resisitence to the British military presence was much more organized and present.

Most importantly, Ireland had a tradition of Risings.

The British had from an early date been obliged to deal with hostile and less hostile members of the native nobility who had run Ireland on their behalf for generations.

Although Ireland had rarely possessed a monarchy of its own for the whole island, it did have many regional ‘kings’ who through a system of clientship ruled the island.

But this was no longer the case after c1200

Several of the native aristocracy were appointed by the British powers to positions such as High Deputy of Ireland.

Henry VIII had himself declared himself ‘king of Ireland’ in 1541.

More than anything, the 16th century saw the beginnings of real settlements (or colonies) deep in the Irish rural areas as a means of bring protestantism to Ireland.

This was another element which set Ireland apart from the other major Celtic countries in their dealings with the colonial or semi-colonial power.

Wales became protestant by c1620; the Lowlands of Scotland had spearheaded the rise and spread of that religion in Scotland. It reached as far as the catholic Highlands, so that today only a few of the Gaelic speaking islands remain Catholic.

Ireland was a very different case. Ireland was solidly Catholic until the beginnings of the settlements on a large scale in the late 1500s.

Religion became a highly politicised issue. Britain by becoming Protestant put itself under threat from other European countries especially Spain and France. (eg Queen Elizabeth I was in frequent danger of assassination)

Hence, for the English it was essential that its colony Ireland should become protestant as a means of defending the islands from Catholic attack.

This is why the history of Ireland from c1590 becomes violent, uncompromisingly so as Britain tries to impose an ever greater colonial grip on Ireland.

It demanded that the native leaders (the old Gaelic aristocracy) became Protestant otherwise they would lose their lands, their position, and be exiled.

In the influx of Protestant yeomen from Northern England and Southern Scotland intensifies during the century from 1590.

In particular Ulster goes from being one of the most die-hard Gaelic speaking and nationalist areas, to that of Ireland’s most Protestant and Loyalist areas, giving rise in later centuries to Northern Ireland (partition) and the Troubles in the 1970s-1990s).

This period (c1550-1620) has all the hallmarks of a classic colonial situation where the military is of paramount importance.

Rebellions become relatively common throughpot Ireland, and will set the scene for later Irish experience in modern times.

Systematic suppression of rebel forces in Leinster (SE) and Munster (SW) leading to the death of the Earl of Desmond (prominent Irish leader).

1592- Red Hugh O’Donnell seeks to expel all English officials from the lordship of Tyrconnell (NW).

1593- Ulster rebels. Help sought from Catholic Spain.

1601 Defeat for the rebel army with Spanish at Kinsale.

There was a tradition of rebellions and uprising in the following century too.

Owen Roe O’Neill (Ulster Catholic Army) 1648

1663 Closure of court of claims for Irish lands, its business unfinished.

William of Orange defeats the Jacobin forces under James II at Battle of the Boyne 1690.

Wolfe Tone’s rebellion 1798

Robert Emmett’s rising 1803. By then most people might be willing to pay

lip service to the idea of Ireland taking her play in the concert of nations, but fewer were ready to take any action.

From 1801 Ireland had no parliament of its own.

A small number of Irish MPs (Protestant landowners) sat in Westminster.

Thomas Davis and Young Ireland, 1840s 1848 Rebellion. Late 19th century Land Reform and National

Independence. IRB. 1858.

The Fenians- rejected attempts to gain independence as futile.

Armed uprising in 1867 (a token gesture). Home Rule (separate parliament

subordinate to London). Eventually led by Charles Stewart Parnell.

National land league (1879-1882) Their campaigns were successful. Theold

landlord system was abolished, and ownership transferred to the tenants.

Various attempts to get Home Rule legislation through the Westminster parliament failed (1886-1914)

The importance of cultural nationalism. The Gaelic League. (the revival of the Irish language on a nationwide basis).

Sinn Fein -1905 –the idea that Irish MPs should not sit in Westminster.

Irish Citizen Army (socialist but also separatist). 1913.

Irishmen were encouraged to enlist in the British Army during the WW1 because it was argued that this would sustain British support for Home Rule.

Obviously not believing this, the Irish Volunteers (led by Patrick Pearse) and the Irish Citizen Army led by James Connolly staged a rebellion against British Rule This was the Easter Rising of 1916.

The decision by the British authories to execute several of the leaders alienated public opinion.

In the 1918 election Sinn Fein won nearly all the seats.

They now constituted themselves as the first Dail, or independent parliament in Dublin.

The Dail was led by Eamon De Valera (‘Dev’).

Following attempts by the British to destroy Sinn Fein, a War of Independence broke out in 1919-21. the Irish forces were led by Michael Collins.

Guerilla war. A truce was signed leading to the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty.

The 26 counties gained independence as the Irish Free State (Saorstat na hEireann).

Six Ulster counties were given their own parliament in 1920, and remained in the United Kingdom.

This treaty led to a civil war which lasted until 1923 between those who accepted the Treaty and the partition of Ireland, and those, led by Eamon De Valera who were opposed.

The first government of the new State was headed by William T Cosgrave (Cumann na nGaedheal, later Fine Gael).

De Valera’s opposition aprty was called Fianna Fail and they came to power in 1932.

An economic ‘war’ broke between Ireland and the UK between 1932-38 following dispute over continuous land payments.

In 1937, De Valera introduced a new constitution which declared Ireland to be sovereign, independent and a democratic state.

Ireland remained neutral during WWII. In 1948 the Republic of Ireland Act was

passed, severing the last constitutional links with Britain.

In 1955 Ireland became a member of the United Nations

1959 Eamon De Valera became Presiend of Ireland.

In 1973, Ireland became a member of the European Community, later known as the European Union.

The Irish parliamentary democracy is made up of three elements:

The President (an tUarachtan) A House of Representatives ( Dail Eireann). Senate (Seanad).

The first president of Ireland was Dr Douglas Hyde (1938-1945).

recent presidents: Mary Robinson (1990-)