The Plantations

The Irish Plantations

The Irish Plantations refer to the 16th and 17th centuries when Irish land was confiscated by the English Crown and colonised by British settlers during the British Reformation.

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Ireland in the 1500s

Three major groups in Ireland:

1. The Old English: Loyal to the English Crown, living in the Pale.
2. The Anglo-Irish: Anglo-Norman descendants who adopted many Gaelic customs.
3. The Gaelic Irish: Followed Brehon Law and did not recognize the English king.

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The Tudors and Ireland

Henry VII started the Tudor reign in 1485.

Reasons for wanting to conquer Ireland:

1. Expand territory.
2. Spread Protestantism.
3. Spread English customs and prevent rebellions.
4. Prevent alliances with other Catholic countries against England.
5. Save money long-term.

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Henry VIII (1509-1547)

• Henry VIII tried to control Ireland peacefully through surrender and regrant.
• Lords would surrender themselves and their property to Henry VIII, who would then grant them their land back with an English title.
• Introduced English system of succession.

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The Policy of Plantation

• Confiscated Irish lands were rented or sold to English settlers (plantation).
• New settlers spread English language, customs, law, and religion.

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The Early Plantations

• Edward VI became king in 1547 but died in 1553.
• Queen Mary I (1554-1558) initiated the Laois-Offaly Plantation, which failed due to lack of settlers.
• Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603) oversaw the Munster Plantation, which had more success.

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King James I (1603 – 1625): The Plantation of Ulster

• O'Neills of Tyrone and O'Donnells of Donegal led the Nine Years War against English control.
• Defeated at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601.
• Signed the Treaty of Mellifont in 1603, accepting English control.
• The Flight of the Earls in 1607 saw Ulster chiefs flee to Europe.
• James I succeeded Elizabeth I and started the Ulster Plantation.

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How the Ulster Plantation Was Organised

• Took place in Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Tyrone.
• Land divided into estates no larger than 2,000 acres.
• Three types of planters: Undertakers, Servitors, and Loyal Irish.
• Derry was renamed Londonderry and given to London craft guilds.
• Catholics had to live in The Bogside outside Derry's walls.

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Results of the Ulster Plantation

1. Large numbers of planters arrived.
2. Ulster became loyal to the Crown.
3. Protestantism rose, leading to religious division.
4. The 1641 rebellion led to Oliver Cromwell's violent conquest.
5. New towns, markets, English-style houses, and stone castles were built.
6. New farming methods were introduced, increasing tillage farming.

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The Effect of Plantation on Irish Identity

Gaelic family

• Protestant planters became the ruling social class.
• Lands of Catholic Gaelic Clans were taken over by Protestant British Planters.
• Religious divisions mirrored coloniser/colonised divisions.
• By 1700, Protestants owned 85% of the land but made up only 15% of the population.
• The Penal Laws suppressed Catholics, preventing them from buying or inheriting land, owning good weapons or horses, working in government, attending Mass, or voting.

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Cultural Change

• Gaelic Irish language and culture declined sharply.
• English became the main language of trade and power.
• Gaelic Brehon Law was replaced by English Common Law.
• English farming methods replaced Gaelic ways.

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Growth of Plantation Towns

New towns like Birr, Tullamore, Derry, Portlaoise, and Portarlington were built.

Features of plantation towns:

1. Square layout with defensive walls.
2. Wide, straight streets.
3. Market square ("the Diamond").
4. Courthouse, Protestant church, gaol, well, cannons on the walls.
5. Gaelic-style houses outside the walls.

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Plantation as a Contentious Issue

• The Irish Plantations led to deep religious divisions and a power difference between native Irish Catholics and British Protestant descendants.
• Penal Laws consolidated Protestant power and control.
• Discrimination against Catholics influenced political beliefs, leading to the rise of nationalism and unionism.
• Derry became a flashpoint of tensions, with the Siege of Derry (1688-1689) and the 1969 Battle of the Bogside marking significant conflicts.

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The Laois-Offaly Plantation - 10 Key Points

1. The Laois-Offaly Plantation was one of the first attempts by the English government to settle English people in Ireland, starting in the 1550s.
2. The goal was to control the rebellious Irish clans, particularly the O'Mores in Laois and the O'Connors in Offaly.
3. Queen Mary I of England initiated the plantation to extend English rule and culture in Ireland.
4. English settlers, called planters, were given land taken from the native Irish chiefs and clans.
5. The planters built new towns and forts, such as Maryborough (now Portlaoise) and Philipstown (now Daingean), to secure the area.
6. The native Irish were forced to live in specific areas called reservations or had to leave altogether, leading to tensions and conflicts.
7. The plantation was supposed to bring peace and stability but faced resistance from the local Irish population.
8. Many of the English settlers faced difficulties due to attacks, poor land, and unfamiliar farming conditions.
9. Despite its challenges, the plantation set a precedent for future English colonisation efforts in Ireland.
10. The Laois-Offaly Plantation is significant as it marked the beginning of a long period of plantation and colonisation in Irish history.

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The Munster Plantation - 10 Key Points

1. The Munster Plantation was an attempt by the English government to colonise the Munster region of Ireland in the late 16th century, starting in the 1580s.
2. It was initiated after the defeat of the Irish lords in the Desmond Rebellions, where the powerful Earl of Desmond and his followers resisted English rule.
3. The English government confiscated the lands of the defeated Irish lords and distributed them to English settlers known as planters.
4. The planters were expected to build new towns, farm the land, and establish English customs and laws in the area.
5. Settlers included both English and Welsh people, and they were often given large estates to manage and defend.
6. Some of the new towns established during the Munster Plantation include Killarney, Mallow, and Bandon.
7. The plantation aimed to secure English control, spread Protestantism, and reduce the power of the native Irish chiefs.
8. Many Irish people were displaced from their lands, leading to tensions and conflicts between the settlers and the native population.
9. The Munster Plantation faced numerous challenges, including attacks from displaced Irish, economic difficulties, and poor management.
10. Despite these challenges, the Munster Plantation had a lasting impact on the region, influencing the culture, economy, and demographics of Munster for centuries to come.

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Key Terms

1. Irish Plantations: the settling of English and Scottish Protestants on confiscated land in Ireland during the 16th and 17th centuries, aiming to control and anglicize the region.
2. Protestantism**:** a branch of Christianity that broke away from the Catholic Church during the Reformation, emphasising direct access to the Bible and salvation by faith alone.
3. Surrender and Regrant: This was a policy where Irish chiefs surrendered their lands to the English crown and received them back with English titles, aiming to integrate them into the English legal system.
4. Succession**:** the order in which a new ruler or leader is chosen to replace one who has died or stepped down, often a significant issue in monarchies and noble families.
5. Nine Years War: Nine Years War (1594–1603) was a conflict in Ireland where Gaelic Irish lords, led by Hugh O'Neill, resisted English rule but were eventually defeated.
6. Treaty of Mellifont: Treaty of Mellifont was an agreement in 1603 that ended the Nine Years War, leading to the submission of Irish lords to English authority.
7. Flight of the Earls: the departure of Hugh O'Neill and other Irish noblemen to continental Europe in 1607, marking the end of Gaelic aristocratic power in Ireland.
8. Protestant Ascendancy: the political, economic, and social dominance of the Anglican Protestant minority in Ireland from the 17th to the early 20th centuries.
9. Penal Laws: harsh laws imposed by the English to restrict the rights and freedoms of Catholics in Ireland, aiming to maintain Protestant dominance.
10. English Common Law: the legal system of England that is based on court decisions and customs rather than written codes, influencing many legal systems worldwide.

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Revision Questions

1. What were the Irish Plantations?
2. True or False: The Old English were loyal to the English Crown and lived in the Pale.
3. Who initiated the policy of surrender and regrant?
4. Fill in the blank: The Munster Plantation was overseen by _______.
5. What was the outcome of the Nine Years War?
6. True or False: The Ulster Plantation took place during the reign of Elizabeth I.
7. What was the purpose of the Penal Laws?
8. Fill in the blank: By 1700, Protestants owned _______ percent of the land in Ireland.
9. What were the features of plantation towns?
10. True or False: The Siege of Derry is still commemorated each year.

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