This course will cover the period following the Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland in the 1650's. It will examine the Jacobite Rebellion and the emergence of the Protestant Ascendency in Ireland and the Penal Laws that were introduced from the late 17th Century.

After the Plantation of Ulster starting in 1610, the Cromwellian Settlement in the 1650's,  and the Williamite Wars (1688-1691) Ireland was a devestated and defeated land. Following the Treaty of Limerick (1691) more than 30,000 people were exiled to France. In the following fifty years it is estimated that upwards of 450,000 Irishmen - the "Wild Geese"- died in the service of the French armed forces. 

By the end of the 17th century Ireland was under the control of a new Protestant landowning elite who forcibly took control and ownership of almost all the land in Ireland and extended that control by excluding the Catholic and Dissenter population from the political and social structures of the country. Penal Laws introduced at this time were designed to isolate and marginalize native Irish people and others that remained outside the established Church of Ireland/England. The new Protestant landowning elite were intent on ensuring that English laws, customs, language and religion would become so dominant that no native Irish population would ever challenge them again. In that they failed.

The effect of the Anglicization of Ireland in the 17th and 18th centuries was to criminalize and impoverish much of the population and lay the ground for the Rebellions of 1798, 1803, 1848, 1867 and 1916;  the Act of Union 1801; Catholic Emancipation (1829); the Great Hunger/Famine of the 1840's; the land wars (1879-1882); The Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) and the partition of Ireland.

This course examines the events of the late 17th century and 18th century to show how the future of Ireland and its people was changed forever as a result of these events. 

The course is presented live on Zoom. Each student will receive a Powerpoint presentation for each lecture. Lectures will be recorded and will be available on request should a student miss a class.