The policy inaugurated by Queen Mary of establishing English colonies in Ireland, as a means of extending the authority of the Crown, seemed to her sister worthy of imitation. She gave permission, on request, to certain private individuals to " plant " specified portions of land, which, if they succeeded in their enterprises, they could hold from the Crown. The rights of the Irish proprietors who were to be dispossessed were not considered.   The first two of these attempted colonisations—that of Chatterton in ... Read More

On July 6th, 1553, Edward VI died, and Mary, his half-sister, succeeded him. The new Queen was an ardent upholder of Catholicity, and detested the Reformed doctrines.The Catholic was church restored. The accession of a Catholic sovereign caused the greatest rejoicings in the Irish towns. In the Celtic parts of the country the Catholic religion had never been much interfered with, so the change of Sovereign 'in England excited little interest.   Mary at once proceeded to restore the official position of the Catholic Church ... Read More