3.3 - Towards emancipation 1774-1830:
Penal Laws (3 things) - discriminatory to Catholics
1- No Catholic could vote or hold public office
2-Any Catholic to have converted to a Protestant would be executed
3-No Catholic could buy or inherit land from a Protestant
Even tho 80% of Ireland were Catholic
Created a 2 tier system
Protestant ascendancy - Catholics bottom, Protestants top
Protestants had approx. 95% land - Catholics became tenants that 150 yrs before had been
theirs
1774 Oath of Allegiance - allowed Catholics and Protestant sects outside the established
church to declare loyalty to the king. Offered a chance to start breaking down anti-Catholic
sentiments.
Became a requirement for further reform, helped to facilitate such reform
Britain’s growing awareness of Irish Protestant nationalism - Britain reducing their
interference in Irish affairs
British Authorities more sympathetic to Catholics, to counterbalance the developing
Protestant nationalist demands
First Catholic Relief Act 1778:
American war made Britain more conciliatory to Catholics
France declared war on Britain (Catholic nation) didn’t want Irish Catholics to sympathise
with France
This act allowed those that had taken the oath to bequeath landholdings to their heirs and
buy land
Allowed Catholics to acquire long leases of up to 999 years
Intended to encourage positive feeling towards the British government - self interest
Catholic relief 1782:
Passed with support from British government
Granted the right to buy land as long as it wasn’t in parliamentary boroughs
Removed restrictions on Catholic education and the Catholic clergy
Especially progressive reforms
Self interest from Britain - done to strengthen their position in Ireland by appealing to its
majority population - threatened by the Irish Volunteers
French revolution and Catholic Relief 1792-93:
Relief only offered from Britain when there is a perception of a wider threat
Anti-Catholicism remained high
Eg. Anti-Catholic Gordon riots - 700 killed
Catholic Committee in 1791 - petition for additional rights
Lead to a convention in 1792 to speak to William Pitt about the abolition of the Penal Laws
Catholic Committee recognised the dominant position of Britain, so sought its support in
confronting the Protestant-dominated Irish parliament
United Irishmen had raised the prospect of unity between the two - had the upper hand
, Bill passed in 1793
1- Catholics able to hold most military and civil posts
2- Catholics could vote in local and general elections
Could now vote on the same terms as Protestants. Still a strategic bill from Britain, militia bill
also being considered at the time - 20,000 Irishmen for defence in the event of war.
Most of the penal laws had been repealed by 1793
Still couldn’t hold public office, or stand in parliament
Henry Grattan - Protestant, won over by emancipation :
Union with Britain in 1801, transformed the issue of extending Catholics the right to stand for
public election
Britain sympathetic to it as there was a Protestant majority, so would be able to defeat the
threat - previous argument was that Catholics would destroy the Church of Ireland
Not well organised, shrank from any action that would aggravate the British government
Middle class didn’t agree with his terms, their influence dwindled as it was apparent that they
didn’t share the interests of the wider Catholic community
Catholic Board 1811-14: O’Connell - leader
Intended to coordinate the growing Catholic demand for themselves
Wider representative base, a lot of middle class committed without veto this time
Political landscape now more accommodating
June 1812 a motion passed - 225-106 votes for the issue to be considered again
Also decided to be a free discussion without the influence of the government
Controversial bill was introduced - caused a split in the board
But, motivation for emancipation continued, 3 bills put forward, but defeated narrowly
Catholic Association 1823:
Wide social base
Subscription - 1 penny a month - ‘Catholic rent’
Sponsored organised activities and promote emancipation
By the end of 1823 had invested £10,000
Shows popularity - concerned the British government - Association got banned
New Association established, avoided fiery rhetoric
New election saw Mps who supported emancipation voted in
County Clare elections:
1828: Fitzgerald - strong position, MP for 10 yrs. Joining a government opposing further
Catholic reforms, the Catholic association was eager to challenge him .
McNamara (protestant) said no as Fitzgerald was his friend
O’Connell stood, but wasn’t able to sit in parliament as he would have to swear an oath of
allegiance to the British Monarch
Well organised Catholic Association - canvassers, transported voters to vote
He won 2,057 to 982
Embarrassing for the government, shows the gross unfairness of the Penal Laws
Penal Laws (3 things) - discriminatory to Catholics
1- No Catholic could vote or hold public office
2-Any Catholic to have converted to a Protestant would be executed
3-No Catholic could buy or inherit land from a Protestant
Even tho 80% of Ireland were Catholic
Created a 2 tier system
Protestant ascendancy - Catholics bottom, Protestants top
Protestants had approx. 95% land - Catholics became tenants that 150 yrs before had been
theirs
1774 Oath of Allegiance - allowed Catholics and Protestant sects outside the established
church to declare loyalty to the king. Offered a chance to start breaking down anti-Catholic
sentiments.
Became a requirement for further reform, helped to facilitate such reform
Britain’s growing awareness of Irish Protestant nationalism - Britain reducing their
interference in Irish affairs
British Authorities more sympathetic to Catholics, to counterbalance the developing
Protestant nationalist demands
First Catholic Relief Act 1778:
American war made Britain more conciliatory to Catholics
France declared war on Britain (Catholic nation) didn’t want Irish Catholics to sympathise
with France
This act allowed those that had taken the oath to bequeath landholdings to their heirs and
buy land
Allowed Catholics to acquire long leases of up to 999 years
Intended to encourage positive feeling towards the British government - self interest
Catholic relief 1782:
Passed with support from British government
Granted the right to buy land as long as it wasn’t in parliamentary boroughs
Removed restrictions on Catholic education and the Catholic clergy
Especially progressive reforms
Self interest from Britain - done to strengthen their position in Ireland by appealing to its
majority population - threatened by the Irish Volunteers
French revolution and Catholic Relief 1792-93:
Relief only offered from Britain when there is a perception of a wider threat
Anti-Catholicism remained high
Eg. Anti-Catholic Gordon riots - 700 killed
Catholic Committee in 1791 - petition for additional rights
Lead to a convention in 1792 to speak to William Pitt about the abolition of the Penal Laws
Catholic Committee recognised the dominant position of Britain, so sought its support in
confronting the Protestant-dominated Irish parliament
United Irishmen had raised the prospect of unity between the two - had the upper hand
, Bill passed in 1793
1- Catholics able to hold most military and civil posts
2- Catholics could vote in local and general elections
Could now vote on the same terms as Protestants. Still a strategic bill from Britain, militia bill
also being considered at the time - 20,000 Irishmen for defence in the event of war.
Most of the penal laws had been repealed by 1793
Still couldn’t hold public office, or stand in parliament
Henry Grattan - Protestant, won over by emancipation :
Union with Britain in 1801, transformed the issue of extending Catholics the right to stand for
public election
Britain sympathetic to it as there was a Protestant majority, so would be able to defeat the
threat - previous argument was that Catholics would destroy the Church of Ireland
Not well organised, shrank from any action that would aggravate the British government
Middle class didn’t agree with his terms, their influence dwindled as it was apparent that they
didn’t share the interests of the wider Catholic community
Catholic Board 1811-14: O’Connell - leader
Intended to coordinate the growing Catholic demand for themselves
Wider representative base, a lot of middle class committed without veto this time
Political landscape now more accommodating
June 1812 a motion passed - 225-106 votes for the issue to be considered again
Also decided to be a free discussion without the influence of the government
Controversial bill was introduced - caused a split in the board
But, motivation for emancipation continued, 3 bills put forward, but defeated narrowly
Catholic Association 1823:
Wide social base
Subscription - 1 penny a month - ‘Catholic rent’
Sponsored organised activities and promote emancipation
By the end of 1823 had invested £10,000
Shows popularity - concerned the British government - Association got banned
New Association established, avoided fiery rhetoric
New election saw Mps who supported emancipation voted in
County Clare elections:
1828: Fitzgerald - strong position, MP for 10 yrs. Joining a government opposing further
Catholic reforms, the Catholic association was eager to challenge him .
McNamara (protestant) said no as Fitzgerald was his friend
O’Connell stood, but wasn’t able to sit in parliament as he would have to swear an oath of
allegiance to the British Monarch
Well organised Catholic Association - canvassers, transported voters to vote
He won 2,057 to 982
Embarrassing for the government, shows the gross unfairness of the Penal Laws
