Relations between Ireland and England have always been complicated. From British invasions of Irish territory to the present day, the link between the two countries has always been peppered with conflict, violence and wars of domination. And one of the most important episodes in the history of these two nations is the Act of Union (or Union Act), signed on January 1, 1801. The latter formalized the creation of a unified Kingdom, bringing together the Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and the Kingdom of Ireland to create what is known as the “United Kingdom” of Great Britain and Ireland. This act took effect on January 1, 1801, and officially marked Ireland’s full membership of England… A political text that will plunge the Emerald Isle into a particularly tense climate…
Antique map of Ireland at the time of the Act of Union – © max_776
It’s been over 700 years since England’s colonial invasions of Ireland.
It all began in the 12th century, at the time of the Norman Invasions, when Henry II, King of England, set his sights on taking over the Irish island… leading to clashes of unprecedented violence.
Since then, centuries have come and gone.
As the years went by, the conflict worsened, power struggles intensified, and the English succeeded in establishing a lasting presence on Irish soil, despite repeated attempts by the Irish to drive the English off their island.
Certainly, the Irish population gives the English a hard time. They are multiplying their assaults and military strategies to cope.
But they are no match for an England whose soldiers are far more numerous, funded directly by London, and better prepared and equipped for war.
Henri VIII – Public domain
Over the centuries, the Kingdom of England extended its domination over Ireland. Plantation policies were put in place, and the Irish were forced to live under the domination of imperialist settlers determined to make Ireland their new territory.
The Irish then saw the English take over their own land and start cultivating it. To add insult to injury, these wealthy Englishmen employ the Irish themselves to tend their land, ploughing, planting and harvesting… all for derisory wages.
Meanwhile, English nobles administer Irish territories, decide local politics and govern the laws of daily life.
The ultimate affront: the English, who had broken with the Catholic Church – and instituted their King Henry VIII, head of the Anglican Church – tried to convert the Catholic Irish to Protestantism by any means possible… A real scandal for the Irish population, known for being very attached to their Catholic faith since the 5th century, when Saint Patrick evangelized the island!
Oliver Cromwell – Public domain
The tension was palpable… until 1541, when everything accelerated for Ireland when a British Protestant minority dominating the Irish Parliament passed an Act proclaiming Henry VIII of England as King of Ireland.
The text was fiercely criticized and contested by the Irish, who saw it as an insulting formalization of English supremacy over Ireland.
Uprisings were organized. But Irish anger was soon put down in bloodshed. Sadly emblematic names such as Oliver Cromwell terrified the population. The Irish are massacred in numbers. Men, women and children perished under English violence, plunging the Emerald Isle into a wave of terror that would forever mark the country’s history.
Years go by. The Irish were resigned, but made no secret of their anger, and tensions continued well into the 1800s.
During these years, England struck while the iron was hot and pursued its colonialist policy. It then implemented increasingly repressive measures to destroy the rights of the Irish people.
Convinced that the Irish are inferior to them (many historical texts sadly mention these terms), they implement an anti-Catholic policy to deprive them of their most basic civil rights and foster their social misery.
As a result, Irish Catholics are seeing their fundamental rights eroded. Penal laws were introduced to reduce their freedom to nothing. They are then refused:
These laws precipitated numerous attempts at uprising and rebellion.
The Irish Parliament, a few years before the dissolution of the Act of Union
Despite the centuries-old tug-of-war between Ireland and England, George III felt it was time to sign the Act of Union, officially incorporating Ireland, Wales and Scotland into theUnited Kingdom.
It was a maneuver enabling George III to extend his supremacy, and to formalize the Irish geopolitical situation as a reality: from now on, Ireland was to be considered British.
Surprisingly, the Act of Union was seen by some Irish people of the time as an opportunity. For some, such a text could give the Irish hope of a form of supervised emancipation. Some expected Ireland to regain a form of independence, while remaining attached to the United Kingdom…
This hope was fuelled by the English Prime Minister of the time, William Pitt, when he promised the Irish people that the Act of Union would enable them to regain fundamental rights such as the right to vote and to be elected to Parliament.
Promises in the air, never to be kept by King George III… Barely signed, the Act of Union clearly favors British interests, as opposed to Irish ones. King George III reneged on all his minister’s promises, plunging Ireland into a geopolitical situation where its population was clearly at a disadvantage to the English.
The Act of Union dates from 1800. At the time of its presentation, it contained 8 articles:
This text is voted by the Irish Parliament and the British Parliament. At that time, the 2 Parliaments prohibited Catholics from voting, thus knowingly preventing the Irish from voting against the Act of Union.
As for the deputies who dared to speak out against the Act, they were generously bribed with all manner of bribes, until the Act was passed by 158 votes to 115.
Following this vote, a flag representing the United Kingdom was created, known as the Union Jack. This is the flag we still know today. This one is blue, red and white, and brings together the flags of England and Scotland, incorporating the St Patrick’s Cross, the high symbol of Ireland.
Daniel O’Connell – Public Domain
The Act of Union came into force in the early 1800s, and remained in force for over thirty years. Thirty difficult years, in which Ireland saw the emergence of an unequal society, with a widening social gap between the Irish (often living in poverty, with no rights) and the Protestant English (from wealthy families, protected by their British governments).
The British became wealthy, investing heavily in new industries. These industries are mainly based in Belfast, which has seen the emergence of various activities such as the textile industry and shipyards (with the construction of the famous Harland & Woff, which later gave life to the Titanic).
As a result, the North of Ireland is becoming richer… to the detriment of the south…
The angry Irish watched helplessly as their island and its resources were dispossessed. An unacceptable situation, which allowed a man to reveal himself: Daniel O’Connell (1775-1847). This Irishman is convinced that civil rights can be regained through peaceful struggle. His hard work won him many political battles with the British… and led to real changes in the text of the Act of Union. So much so that he is still considered a national hero today!
4.20/5 (5 votes)
4.33/5 (3 votes)
