Ireland at the Turn of the Century
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Ireland at 1718: Society in Transition the turn of 1718: Society in Transition the Century Top Left: Portrait of James II Above Right: Etching of Louis XIV of (c.1684) by Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt. France, published by John Smith, ©National Portrait Gallery, London c.1683–1729. Louis’ support of James Much of the legislation, especially the 1703 and 1709 Acts to Parliament invited The War of the Two Kings (1688–1691) II was part of an ongoing conflict The Penal Laws and The replacement of James II by William William and Mary to Above, Left: Etching by Romeyn de between France and William of Orange. Prevent the Further Growth of Popery, restricted many aspects replace James II as In France, James II was offered military assistance by Hooghe (c.1689) showing William ©National Portrait Gallery, London Protestant Ascendancy of daily life for Roman Catholics, including religious practices, of Orange as the king of England, of Orange and Mary Stuart as King King Louis XIV before crossing to Ireland where he was joint monarchs of and Queen of England, Ireland Top Right: Execution of United Irishman, Although the 1689 Bill of Rights excluded James II and his son education, family matters, socialising in groups, eligibility to Ireland and Scotland in 1688 was seen England, Ireland and widely supported. James intended to use Ireland as a and Scotland. Francis J McKinley, Dervock, hung in vote, legal representation, ownership of property and the ©National Portrait Gallery, London Coleraine for his part in 1798 Rebellion. from the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland, the Stuarts springboard to reconquer England and Scotland. However, as a Glorious Revolution by many Scotland. James II fled Watercolour by J. W. Carey, 1904. continued to claim the title of King. Their claim was supported practicing of trades. to France, the most following the unsuccessful Siege of Derry (1688–1689), by Catholic France and, from 1691–1766, by the Pope. Presbyterians, Methodists and other dissenting Protestants Protestants. For Roman Catholics and powerful Catholic state James’ forces were narrowly defeated at the Boyne (1690), also found their lives more difficult under the new laws. in Europe, gaining decisively beaten at Aughrim (1691) and ultimately Papal support for the Stuart dynasty was a threat to the dissenting Protestants, it led to a loss Anyone who refused to swear oaths recognising the Protestant support from King surrendered in Limerick (1691). Protestant monarchy as Catholics were, in theory, obliged to Many Ulster Protestants sought shelter in Londonderry succession and acknowledging the monarch as the head of the of power, rights, and many lives. Louis XIV. Parliament support the Stuarts. The Irish Catholic majority were therefore During the war, Coleraine was briefly besieged by including George Canning of Garvagh with his local regiment, Church, or who failed to reject transubstantiation (that during passed an English Bill viewed with suspicion by the Anglican dominated Parliaments forces loyal to James II before lack of ammunition and the young James McGregor and his family from Magilligan, Mass, the sacrament becomes the body and blood of Christ), of Rights which barred in both London and Dublin. provisions caused the defenders to withdraw. The bridge and Helen Macnaghten of Benvardin with her young children. was penalised. Only Quakers were excused from giving oaths. King James II and William of Orange Roman Catholics from at Coleraine was destroyed, as were three bridges in In the 1690s, bad weather and poor harvests in Scotland the royal succession, Like many Presbyterians, Lieutenant Matthew Clark of In the second half of the 1680s, the English parliament Newtown-Limavady. Newtown-Limavady itself was burned. resulted in famine and led to massive emigration to Ulster. The first Penal Laws were repealed in 1771. However, limited royal power, Kilrea, and Thomas Ball, William Caldwell, John Barr and became ever more concerned with the actions of James The enlarged Scottish Presbyterian population in legislation remained restrictive and was a major factor leading and established the Abraham Blair from Ballymoney, signed up to fight on Stuart, a king who ruled increasingly without their consent. the north of Ireland was also seen as a threat to the to the rebellion of the United Irishmen in 1798. The repeal of rights of Parliament. behalf of William. However, all were disillusioned by the His earlier conversion to Catholicism and, now, his policy of Anglican establishment. the last of the Penal Laws was not finalised until 1920. religious toleration and the promotion of Catholics to senior restrictive laws imposed after the war and later joined positions, aroused suspicion among the predominantly the migration to America. In response, the Dublin Parliament enacted a series of Anglican English. The birth of his son James Francis Edward Penal Laws after 1695 which restricted most rights, and all Stuart in 1688 – a Catholic heir – prompted Parliament to act. power, to members of the established Church of Ireland while penalising non-Anglicans. James’ eldest daughter, Mary, was a Protestant married Above, Right: Draft Declaration of Below: To fund his campaign Jacobites – In support of to her cousin William, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of the Rights, 12th February 1689. against William, James II produced Courtesy Parliamentary Archives, HL/PO/JO/10/1/403D emergency coins by melting down James II and the Stuarts. Netherlands and the leading Protestant ruler in Europe. cannons, church bells and other Bottom: The Grand Alliance. In 1690, metals. Known as gun money, they Following the Williamite Wars, many Irish soldiers Ireland was just one theatre in a were to be exchanged for good silver left for continental Europe where they formed wider conflict between France and a following James II’s victory. coalition of European powers, fought Courtesy of Dr J.F. Rainey Irish Brigades in the armies of France and Spain. across Europe, North America, the An estimated 450,000 Irishmen served in the Caribbean and India. French army between 1691 and 1745. Several attempts were made by Jacobites to restore the Stuarts, most notably by landing troops in Scotland in 1715 and 1745. Randal McDonnell, 4th Earl of Antrim was imprisoned as a suspected Jacobite in 1715. The playwright William Phillips (son of Sir Thomas Members of the Grand Alliance Phillips) from Newtown-Limavady, wrote several plays including Hibernia Freed (1722) which showed The Kingdom of France Jacobite leanings. In 1745, the blind harper Denis O’Hempsey, from Garvagh, played for the Jacobite Y INGRIA prince, Bonnie Prince Charlie. He later admitted that A W he kept a Jacobite hat badge at his father’s house, R ESTONIA O N ready for the return of the Stuart kings. - N DE K E S R W C S LIVONIA However, enforcement of the Penal Laws made O North A T M L a CO A U Sea N e RL it impossible for Catholics to rise in support of the N A E S ND D D ic Stuarts. Without foreign aid, there would be no lt Ba large scale Jacobite rebellion in Ireland. S R E A S I U I N S R S. POM. S G U E HOLST R S L L P S A POMERANIA A I N N A D G W R D BU A N . DE POLAND & LITHUANIA L N P HANOVER RA E B E S R H DUTC Above: Reproduction of the Relief of Below: The relief of the Siege of Derry, SAXONY SILESIA Derry, by George Frederick Folingsby July 1689 by the Mountjoy and the SPANISH NETH. (c.1889). Lady Macnaghten of Phoenix. The siege started in December 1688 when Alexander McDonnell, nnel Benvarden is shown centre right Fact or Fiction? Cha BOHEMIA ish with a child in her arms, pointing 3rd Earl of Antrim, attempted to secure ngl MORAVIA E towards the ships on the Foyle. the city for James II. HABSBURG On his way to Londonderry in 1689, James II A Courtesy Cuil Rathain Historical and Cultural Centre RI ZAPORIZHIA VA stayed for three days in Ballymoney. There, A B HUNGARY MOLDOVIA LORRAINE AUSTRIA he is said to have taken a shine to a farmer’s MONARCHY FRANCE SWISS TYROL daughter who subsequently gave birth to a CONFEDERATION n E a IC daughter, Dorothea. Dorothea married a Coleraine RE EN BANAT e SA P. OF V Bay of V c O CRIMEA merchant, Mr Ross, but died in 1713, possibly Y O Biscay WALLACHIA ic during child birth. Is there any truth to the story? Above: Cover of the 1703 Act to t AVIGNON TUSCANY Prevent the Further Growth of Popery. P Adriatic Sea n A Black Her gravestone at Ballywillan graveyard does bear P RAGUSA a A Courtesy Linen Hall library l L Sea t S the Stuart coat of arms. T A O A T E T Right The blind harper Denis O’Hempsey CORSICA S T OM (1695–1807). N James McGregor took refuge in Derry during the A A P N CROWN L E siege. It was later said that he fired a canon from S EM L OF SPANISH MONARCHY PI the tower of St Columb’s Cathedral to announce the A R G Aegean E U CASTILE arrival of the Mountjoy and Phoenix, and the relief of T Sea R O the city. He was later ordained as the Presbyterian P ANATOLIA Mediterranean Sea SICILY minister in Aghadowey and would play a leading role in the 1718 migration to North America. CYPRUS CANADA MAINE Bangor Newry Belfast Merrymeeting Bay Brunswick Freeport VERMONT 1718: Bann Valley Emigration 1718: Bann Valley Emigration Casco Bay 1718: Bann Valley Emigration 1718: Bann Valley Emigration NEW HAMPSHIRE PORTSMOUTH Londonderry Derry Windham Colrain Dracut Lowell Left: Petition to Governor Samuel Shute from ‘Inhabitants of the MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON North of Ireland’, 26 March 1718.