The Glamorgan Treaty


King Charles I Picture

Above : Painting Of King Charles I

In December, 1644, the King intimated to Ormond that the Earl of Glamorgan was coming to Ireland, ” to further the peace there.” Glamorgan was probably selected for this mission as likely, being a zealous Catholic, to be specially acceptable to the Confederates. He crossed to Ireland the following July and, on landing, at once proceeded to Kilkenny, where he exhibited privately to the Council an authorisation from King Charles, given under his signet, to negotiate and conclude a treaty. This authorisation was most explicit.

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The Ormond Peace


Rinnucini Picture

Above : Picture Of Rinuccini

Unfortunately, the majority of the members of the Supreme Council had listened to the deceitful words of Ormond and were playing into his hands. On March 28th, 1646, the peace was signed, without the knowledge of Rinuccini.

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The Normans


Normans Knight

Above : Picture Of Normans Knight

It is necessary to understand who and what were those Normans to whose King the deposed Diarmuid had gone for support against his fellow-countrymen.

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A Cessation Agreed On


Belfast Castle

Above : Belfast Castle

Meanwhile the negotiations were being carried on between Ormond and the Confederates. The former had been directed by the King to agree to a cessation of hostilities for a year, during which arrangements for a permanent peace might be made. The old Irish, like the Parliamentarians, though, of course, for widely different reasons, disapproved of the proposed cessation, and indeed held that an attempt to treat with any English party at this juncture was a mistake, ff they continued to press their conquests, they would be in a position to force good terms from whichever side should be victorious in England ; whereas the cessation would give their enemies time to sow dissensions amongst them; moreover, the loss of 10,000 men whom they were to send to the King’s aid would seriously diminish their military power, and consequently their chances of a successful resistance, should the negotiations end unsatisfactorily, or the terms granted them not be observed. The Anglo-Irish party, however, were the stronger in the Supreme Council and also apparently in the General Assembly.

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Diarmuid Macmurrough


Diarmuid Mac Murrough

Above : Picture Of Diarmuid Macmurrough

It was, apparently, towards the close of the year 1166 that Diarmuid furtively left his dun of Ferns and sailed across the Irish Sea for the coast of Wales. He first made his way to Bristol, then the chief city of the West of England, with close associations with the people of Leinster. Thence lie journeyed to seek Henry of Anjou. That King was then in Aquitaine, a great province lying south of France, of which he was Duke under the nominal suzerainty of the King of France. Henry was busily engaged at the time in fighting his own subjects of Aquitaine and also his liege lord, the King of France. He was so much occupied by his ambitions for Continental power that he was unable to give personal assistance to Diarmuid. But he welcomed the exile, and sympathised with his story of revolted subjects and an unjust suzerain. Besides, he had for some time fostered designs upon the western island. Accordingly, he gave liberty to Diarmuid to recruit such of the Norman adventurers on the Welsh marches as might be enticed into an enterprise in Ireland.

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General Expectations Of The Catholics & Their Emancipation


Francis Burdett

Above : Painting Of Sir Francis Burdett 

There can be no doubt that, amongst the Irish Catholics, it was the almost universal belief that the passing of the Act of Union would practically at once be followed by the removal of their remaining disabilities and their establishment on a footing of all around equality with their fellow-subjects. It is equally certain that it was mainly this belief which prevented them from offering a steady and united opposition to a measure which very few of them really liked.

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The First Adventurers


Robert Fitz-stephen

Above : Picture Of Robert Fitz-Stephen

 In the month of May, 1169, the first body of the adventurers arrived under the leadership of Robert Fitz-Stephen and others. About 2,000 strong, they landed at Bannow Bay in the extreme south of the present county of Wexford. The district was part of Ui Cinnsealaigh, and the people of the open country were loyal to their chief. But on the one side lay Waterford, and on the other Wexford, and the Norse inhabitants of both towns were bitterly hostile to Diarmuid. From Ferns, Diarmuid sent a body of men under his natural son, Domhnall Caomhanach (” Kavanagh “) to meet his friends, and the combined forces attacked Wexford. Retreating before the mail-clad knights, the inhabitants defended the walls and beat off their assailants. At length, however, they yielded on terms, and recognised Diarmuid as their lord. The town and surrounding country were granted to Fitz Stephen and his principal associates.

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Adventurers Continues


 St Laurence O’Toole

Above : Picture Of St. Laurence O’Toole

Two of the great seaports on the eastern coast were now in the possession of the invaders. Greater than either, however, was Dublin. Like them, it was occupied by inhabitants of Norse descent, and, like Wexford, it was situated in Laighin, and Diarmuid, therefore, had claims over it. All the Norse, however, had fiercely resisted the supremacy of Diarmuid, and they were even less friendly disposed towards the Norman barons and their armies of Flemish soldiers, whose record of pillage in England was well known to them. The Norse of Dublin had a special reason for fearing Mac Murrough, for they had murdered his father and given him an ignominious burial. Accordingly when Diarmuid sent messengers demanding their submission, their King, Asculph Mac Torkill defied him, and, on the other hand, besought the help of the Ard Ri.

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Action Of Prime Minister Pitt


Lord Cornwallis

Above : Portrait Of Lord Cornwallis 

Pitt, when making his famous defence of the Union project in January 1799, had broadly hinted that, should success in this be achieved, the Catholic disabilities would probably soon be removed. That he really desired that this should be done, and done so quickly as to seem a direct result of the Union, there can be no doubt. He soon, however, realised that he had greatly underestimated the strength of the King’s opposition and the difficulty, perhaps impossibility, of obtaining his consent. This discovery evidently disconcerted and even for a time alarmed him, as any violent display of hostility on the part of the Catholics would be most inconvenient, or possibly, even now, dangerous. His chagrin was shared by Castlereagh and still more by Cornwallis.

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Success of the Insurrection: Kilkenny Draws Up a Scheme of Government


Owen Roe O’Neill

Above : Picture Of Owen Roe O’Neill

The period of Irish History on which we are now entering is one extremely difficult to treat within narrow limits. It is, as has been well said by Carlyle, both confused and confusing. ” There ara Parties on the back of Parties, at war with the world and with each other.
There are Catholics of the Pale, demanding freedom of religion. . . . There are old Irish Catholics, under the Pope’s nuncio . . . and Owen Roe O’Neill, demanding, not religious freedom alone, but what we now call ‘ Repeal of the Union.’ Then there are Ormond Royalists of the Episcopalian and mixed creeds, strong for King without Covenant; Ulster and other Presbyterians, strong for King and Covenant ; lastly, Michael Jones and the Commonwealth of England, who want neither King nor Covenant.” In order to convey a clear idea of the course of events, it will be necessary to confine ourselves to the relation only of those which exercised important influence and modified the situation as a whole.

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