Gary Hillyard, Ashfield School

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Year 13: Ireland 1801-1921Unit 1: Lessons 1-8

The Act of Union; Daniel O’ConnellCatholic Emancipation; Repeal & reform

PowerPoint presentations OHTs Other visual sources used in lessons

Gary Hillyard, Ashfield School

‘Ireland in Schools’ NPS School of Education, U. Nottingham

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MenuLesson 1 Why did some people oppose the Act of Union?

OverviewOHT How Ireland was governed before 1800?

Lesson 2 What impact did the Act of Union have on Ireland?OverviewOHT Dublin riotBeat the teacher

Lesson 3 How did Catholic Emancipation fare before O’Connell?OverviewOHT Connections

Lesson 4 Who was Daniel O’Connell?Overview

Lesson 5 How was Catholic Emancipation achieved?OverviewOHT Vocabulary builder – Clare electionOHT Cartoon ‘The Reformation’

Lessons 6-7 What next for Daniel O’Connell?Overview

Lesson 6 OHT Tara meeting Lesson 7 What exactly does O’Connell want?

Lesson 8 How successful was O’Connell in gaining what he set out to achieve?OverviewSources

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Why did some people oppose the Act of Union?

Aims

•To understand the arguments for and against the Act of Union.

Lesson 1

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Lord Lieutenant (Viceroy).

Ministers

Chief Secretary

Irish Parliament

Administered Ireland – often a member of the

aristocracy and a cabinet member.

Were usually always English – known as the

‘Castle’.

Responsible for pushing government legislation

through the Irish Parliament.

Until 1782 could only pass laws approved by

the English. Thereafter, could introduce their

own laws.Lesson 1

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Aims•To understand the arguments for and against the Act of Union.

Task:

You are going to be given a set of cards. Your group must come up with a speech which summarises your argument and your stance towards the Act of Union. Your aim is to persuade the rest of the group to your views.

You must include all of your arguments in your speech.Lesson 1

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Feedback – speak away!

So what were the arguments for and against the Act of Union?

Lesson 1

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Homework:

Read page 27 of the textbook and use it to complete page 2 of the workbook.

Lesson 1

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Lord Lieutenant (Viceroy).

Ministers

Chief Secretary

Irish Parliament

Administered Ireland – often a member of the

aristocracy and a cabinet member.

Were usually always English – known as the

‘Castle’.

Responsible for pushing government legislation

through the Irish Parliament.

Until 1782 could only pass laws approved by

the English. Thereafter, could introduce their

own laws.Lesson 1 - OHT

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What impact did the Act of Union have on Ireland?

Aims

•To examine change and continuity after the Act.

Lesson 2

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Aims•To examine change and continuity after the Act.

Read through

page 28 of your

textbook and log

supporting details for

your worksheet.

Change

Continuity

Lesson 2

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Great mobbing and rioting threatened, but I hope Mr Grattan is a little afraid of his head. He got out of one scrape miraculously. However, I trust he is aware that ‘miracles don’t happen every day’. The amiable idol was carried all about Sackville Street, Putland Square etc. etc. the day before yesterday in his sedan chair by a most tumultuous and riotous mob, and deposited afterwards at Mr George Ponsonby’s, where a fine dinner was made for him, and where he was ushered in with the shoutings, huzzaings and applauses enough to rend the skies! After which the mob proceeded to a Mr McClelland’s (a Northern member, I believe) whom they knew as a Unionist, and paraded before his house of a long time menacing and abusing and calling him to appear, that they might apprize him of his fate and all those who acted as he did. However, they dispersed at length after thundering at the knocker and frightening all the poor females of the family into fits etc. etc. I assure you, my dear Lord, none in this country can walk upon velvet…The exasperation of the town is most alarming. Indeed, one knows not what may be the end or issue of this formidable undertaken in the state and temper in which the whole kingdom is at present. God grant it may come to fortunate conclusion.

What is happening here and why?

Lesson 2

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Final task:

Write a 50 word summary of how the British would have appeared to Irish Catholics after the act was passed.

Lesson 2

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Beat the Teacher

• Read through the sheet about the work you should have completed for homework.

• Mark on the sheet the mistakes and replace them with the correct answers.

Lesson 2

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Emancipation before O’Connell

Aims

• To examine the build up to O’Connell’s challenge of Emancipation.

Lesson 3

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ANSWER – During the reign of Charles II, a law was passed which made it virtually impossible for Catholics to become MPs because to do so they would have to take communion at a Church England church.

Lesson 3 OHT

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Aims• To examine the build up to O’Connell’s challenge of Emancipation.

Task:

Read through the information sheet and use it to fill out the definitions for the keywords and people.

Lesson 3

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Aims• To examine the build up to O’Connell’s challenge of Emancipation.On the floor are the six key terms you were asked to

find definitions for in your homework. The aim is to go across all six stepping stones quoting what each keyword means. The rest of the class will decide how close you are to the definition.

Task:

Read through the timeline. Extract the information about O’Connell’s life and create a timeline of his life. There should be no details which do not relate directly to O’Connell on your timeline.

Lesson 3

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Who was Daniel O’Connell?

Aims

•To begin to learn the key features of O’Connell’s life.

Lesson 4

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Aims•To begin to learn the key features of O’Connell’s life.

Based on the obituaries, which words would you use to describe O’Connell?

Lesson 4

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Aims•To begin to learn the key features of O’Connell’s life.

Task 1:

Use pages 31-35 of the textbook to fill out the first section of the Catholic Association worksheet.

Task 2:

Now use the sources to answer the questions on the back of the sheet.

Lesson 4

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How was Catholic Emancipation achieved?

Aims

•To examine how Catholics achieved political freedoms.

Lesson 5

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Vocab Builder

In July 1828 Daniel O’Connell stood for election in County Clare. Voters ignored the views of their landlords and vote en mass for O’Connell. He won by 2057 votes to 982. Which words could be used to describe how O’Connell would have felt after the election?

Ecstatic Disappointed

Proud Rebellious

Daunted Confident Pessimistic Notable

Defiant Cooperative Hopeful Scared

What words would you use to describe how the British government would have felt?

Lesson 5 OHT/1

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Aims•To examine how Catholics achieved political freedoms.

Section 1 – The County Clare Election

Why was this going to cause a huge problem for the British Government?

Section 2 – The Catholic Emancipation Bill.

How would the Catholics in Ireland have reacted to this?

Section 3 - Was Catholic Emancipation granted to avoid civil war rather than out of a spirit of generosity and tolerance within Britain?

Lesson 5

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Cartoon, ‘The Reformation’, 1829. Lesson 5 OHT/2

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Aims•To examine how Catholics achieved political freedoms.

Homework:

You are going to be given a topic slip. The slip will have one section of the textbook from which you are to make notes. Over the next two lessons I will be leading a PowerPoint about the next section of work. The notes you make from your section will be fed-back during the appropriate section of the PowerPoint. Hence, it is crucial that you do it and that you are here!!!!!

Lesson 5

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What next for Daniel O’Connell?

Aim

•To examine O’Connell’s focus after Emancipation was achieved.

Lessons 6 & 7

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What does this image show?

Lessons 6 & 7

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What is next?

Reform?

‘I could try to ensure that I work within parliament to push for reforms for Ireland which could lead to greater justice and fairness and equality of legislation in Ireland’.

Repeal?

‘Or I could campaign in Ireland for a movement to push for the repeal of the Act of Union. I am, after all being paid the O’Connell tribute in recognition of my services to Irish Catholics’.

In the end O’Connell’s long-term aim of repeal was replaced with a short-term desire for reform. However, O’Connell was prepared to re-ignite the repeal campaign if the Union failed and equality was not achieved. But why did he take this stance?

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Stage 1 - Reform

Why reform?

Middle-class opposition

Opposition from the church.

Peasant frustrations

The ‘tithe war’ – 1831-1838

Rural violence

Lessons 6 & 7Lessons 6 & 7

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So what reform took place?

1. 1832 Reform Act –

2. The Coercion Act 1833 –

3. Education Reform 1832 –

4. Irish Church Act 1833 -

Lessons 6 & 7

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The Lichfield House Compact

Government was still very anti-repeal.

This ruled out repeal.

The Whigs and the Radicals were more likely to continue reform.

Therefore, O’Connell wanted an alliance.

That alliance came in February 1835 – the Conservatives were in a minority government which could have been overthrown by an alliance between opponents. The Whigs, Radicals and Irish (of which there were around 39) joined together and defeated the Conservative government.Lessons 6 & 7

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What…more reform?

1. The work of Thomas Drummond –

2. Tithes –

3. 1834 Poor Law Act –

4. 1840 Corporations Act -

Lessons 6 & 7

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Little had changed in Ireland – the position of the Irish was not much better and O’Connell appeared to be the Whigs’ lap-dog, compromising all of the time

…’if that experiment failed, I would come back with tenfold force to the repeal’.

Lessons 6 & 7

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My first object is to get Ireland for the Irish…Old Ireland and liberty! That is what I am struggling for…What numberless advantages would not the Irish enjoy if they possessed their own country? A domestic parliament would encourage Irish manufactures…Irish commerce and protect Irish agriculture. The labourer, the artisan, and the shopkeeper would all be benefited by the repeal of the union…They say we want separation from England, but what I want is to prevent separation taking place…what motive could we have to separate if we obtain all these blessings?...I want you to do nothing that is not open and legal, but if the people unite with me and follow my advice it is impossible not to get the Repeal…there was no pursuit of Roman Catholic interests as opposed to Protestant…the object in view was the benefit of the whole nation.

Daniel O’Connell, 14th May 1843

What exactly does O’Connell want?Lessons 6 & 7

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Stage 1 – Repeal (1840+)

Support?

Catholic Church

Parish Priests Some bishops

Archbishop MacHale

Young Ireland

X = Middle-classes?Lessons 6 & 7

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Mass Meetings

Repeal Rent

Increased support?

Methods of the Repeal Association

Lessons 6 & 7

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Why did the Repeal movement fail?

Failure?

Lessons 6 & 7

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The end of Repeal and O’Connell

October 7th 1843

May 1844

June 1846-1847

February 1847

15th May 1847

Lessons 6 & 7

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What? Even more reform?

Peel (Conservative Prime Minister from 1841) continued the Whig attempts reform Ireland.

• Proposed a new franchise reform allowing £5 freeholders to vote.

• Proposed a Bill to give compensation to Irish tenants who had been evicted. This would pay for the improvements made to their property.

• Maynooth College –

• The Colleges Bill –

Lessons 6 & 7

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How successful was O’Connell in gaining what he set out to

achieve?Aims

•To examine the success of O’Connell’s leadership.

Lesson 8

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Aims•To examine the success of O’Connell’s leadership.

Read through the text and try and work out what the missing words are by using the words around the gap to help you.

Lesson 8

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Source 1 - O. MacDonagh, The Emancipist - Daniel O’Connell 1830-1847, 1989.

It was his earlier pressure which had forced Peel and his Cabinet, at last, onto the path of concession in Ireland; and, once committed to that path, they saw the breaking of O’Connell’s power as the necessary preliminary to a course of Irish reform. The fact that it was a Tory and not a Whig administration which intended to yield ground should not blind us...to the essential fact that it was a British government which would yield, in the face of Irish agitation. O’Connell himself had repeatedly, if partly rhetorically, begged to be put out of business - the business of Repeal - by being outbid by ‘Justice for Ireland’. Up to a point, this was precisely Peel’s intention - to undercut O’Connell’s movement by concessions. Lesson 8

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Source 2 - Harriet Martineau, History of the Thirty Years Peace 1816-1846, 1848.

The untruthfulness of O’Connell must be regarded as a constitutional attribute in O’Connell two sets of characteristics were united...He was genuinely impetuous, ardent, open-hearted, patriotic, ad devoted; and then again, he was genuinely cautious and astute; calculating, sly, untruthful; grasping. selfish, and hypocritical. He was profuse, and he was sordid; he was rash, and he was unfathomably politic; now he was flowing out, and now he was circumventing. Among all his charges, however, he never was brave, he never was reliable or accurate; and he never kept his eye off the money boxes which supplied his annual income from the scrapings of the earnings of the poor.

Lesson 8

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Source 3 - O. MacDonagh in A New History of Ireland, volume 5, edited by W.E. Vaughan, 1989.

His part in the later campaigns for Catholic emancipation had both promoted him to a sort of national leadership and cleared away what was, in many ways, a great cross-issue obstructing the path of reform. His entry into parliament in 1830 transformed his situation and both enabled and induced him to develop an entirely new grammar of pressure politics...Well before he shifted his focus from Westminster again, he had established his domination in Catholic Ireland by persuading or compelling his political rivals, the trade unions, the priests, the Catholic bourgeoisie, and the rural masses to support him...throughout his parliamentary manoeuvres. In short, he had turned Catholic Ireland into something like a gigantic political party, which, of course, the leader had to tend and listen to, but which in the last resort he could count on to back him, even blindly.

Lesson 8

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Source 4 - John Mitchell, Jail Journal.

He led them, as I believe, all wrong for forty years. He was a lawyer; and never could come to the point of denying and defying British law. He was a Catholic, sincere and devout; and would not see that the Church had ever been the enemy of Irish Freedom. He was an aristocrat, by position and by taste; and the name of a Republic was odious to him.

Lesson 8

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Source 5 - A. MacIntyre, The Liberator - Daniel O’Connell ad the Irish Party 1830-47, 1965.

The age of O’Connell witnessed a series of important reforms in Ireland, undertaken by Government partly in obedience to current ideas about economics and society but also, in a more tangible and immediate fashion, in response to the presence and activity of the O’Connellite party in Parliament.

Whatever the final judgement on O’Connell’s party, there can be no doubt of its success as a political pressure group. From the conclusion in 1832 of the struggle for Parliamentary Reform until the effective rise of Chartism and the Anti-Corn Law League in the early 1840s, the Irish question formed a central theme of British politics.

Lesson 8

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Source 6 - P. O’Farrell, Ireland’s English Question, 1971.

O’Connell, with remarkable political genius, contrived a marriage of convenience between religion and national politics...He welded an effective and enduring alliance between nationalism and Catholicism in Ireland...O’Connell enlisted the power of Irish Catholicism to reformist political objectives.

Source 7 - Charles Greville, The Greville Memoirs, 7 June 1847.

Up to the conquest of Catholic Emancipation his was certainly a great and glorious career. What he might have done and what he ought to have done after that, it is not easy to say, but undoubtedly he did far more mischief than good, and exhibited anything but a wise, generous, and patriotic spirit. In Peel’s Administration he did nothing but mischief, and it is difficult to comprehend with what object and what hope he threw Ireland into confusion, and got up that Repeal agitation, the folly and impracticability of which nobody must have known so well as himself.Lesson 8

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Use the information from the last four lessons plus the sources to complete the writing grid for the essay which you will write up for homework.

Lesson 8

Gary Hillyard, Ashfield School

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