Burning Sense of Injustice of the Plantation
Above : Map Of Ireland, Purple Color = Ulster Plantation
Of a lower class than the tenant farmers were the Irish labourers, and it was evident from the first that all of these could not be expelled. It was arranged that a quarter of the labourers on each estate should be allowed to remain, on condition that they taught their children English and brought them up as Protestants. This regulation was, however, not enforced. The planters showed themselves quite indifferent as to the creed professed or the language spoken by those who ploughed their fields and reaped their corn. Instead of the children of the labourers learning English, the children of the newcomers learned Irish, and what changes of religion took place were generally in the same direction.
The colony, far from increasing, rather dwindled. In 1622, there were estimated to be but 8,000 colonist families in all Ulster. Under these circumstances, the number of soldiers which it was expected that the colonists would furnish for the service of the Irish Government was naturally not forthcoming.
The Ulster Plantation produced amongst the native Irish a burning sense of injustice, and a desire for revenge. It was probably one of the chief causes of the great Insurrection of 1641.
During the reign of James I, and in the early years of that of his successor, Charles I, many minor Plantations were made in Ireland. About 300 or 400 old proprietors were deprived of their lands in Co. Wexford, and a good many in Longford. Small portions of Leitrim, King’s Co., Queen’s Co., Cork and Wicklow were also planted. These Plantations followed the same course as the Ulster one. In regard to the substitution of English for Irish land tenure,- and to the introduction of improved methods of agriculture, they were not without effect.