Irish Timeline, roughly 1800-1810

Irish, being the third oldest language ever written and spoken, after Greek and Latin has deep roots within Celtic mythology. Irish literature is also based within Celtic mythology as well as the within the suffering and hardships that the Irish people have endured through the course of their history. Wit and humor, often in forms of satire and/or irony, have characterized much of Irish literature.
 

In early 19th century, Irish poets writing in English set out to reinvent Gaelic tradition in the new language, frequently translating their bardic and other Irish poets; retelling stories from Celtic mythology in Romantic and Victorian verse and song. Very notable in this theme were the lyrics (poetical and musical) of Thomas Moore, author of several volumes of Irish Melodies, such as The Harp That Once Through Tara’s Halls, Believe Me, if All Those Endearing Young Charms, and The Meeting of the Waters. 
 

A number of new Irish novelists emerged during the 19th century, including Maria Edgeworth, John Banim, Gerald Griffin, Charles Kickham, William Carlton, George More and Somerville and Ross. Most of these writers came from the upper classes of society and they wrote what came to be termed "novels of the big house". Carleton was an exception to this, and his Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry actually showed life on the other side of the social divide. Bram Stoker, the author of Dracula, was outside both traditions, as was his early work of Lord Dunsany. One of the premier ghost story writers of the nineteenth century was Sheridan Le Fanu, whose works include Uncle Sillas and Carmilla.
1800 (The 2nd of July) The Parliament in Westminster passed the Act of Union, abolishing the Irish Parliament. It became a law on the 1st January 1801. This act formally bound Ireland with England and abolished the Irish parliament, which entailed the loss of the Irish Parliaments legislative independence.

With the Act of Union, any rise to power had declined and following the Act of Union, there were a number of revolts in protest against the large and ever growing numbers of the poor and homeless in Ireland. Soon after this English landlords realized that in turning their lad into grazing pastures, they could get more money then what they were receiving in rent from their Irish tenant farmers. In order to put their plans for grazing pastures into effect, they had to evict the farmers. This meant that thousands of farmers and their families were simply thrown out onto the streets and their homes destroyed all because the British had a better chance at more money without them.


Phytophthora infestans, commonly known as blight, began wiping out whole crops of potatoes during the 1700’s, and then again during the early 1800‘s.

In 1739 and 1740 crops were destroyed. In 1770 crops failed again. In 1800 there was another destruction to the crops, and in 1807 half of the crops were lost. In 1821 and 1822 the potato crops were completely destroyed in both Munster and Connaught, and then in1830 and 1831 Mayo, Donegal and Galway crops were destroyed. 
 

Ireland had 100 seats out of 658 in the Commons. The Union brought free trade with Britain, giving it some support from the Catholic bourgeoisie. However, British industrialisation meant that free trade was not to Ireland’s advantage. Nationalists denounced the exploitation of Ireland, and began calling the formed Union a failed marriage.


By 1800 the population of Ireland had doubled to a little over 5 million, with most of the growth being amongst the poorer classes. Many farmers would ‘loan’ out property to others who could not afford their own land for extra money. Since the population had grown so drastically jobs that paid enough to support families were few and far between.
1803 (The 23rd of July). Robert Emmet formed a plan to seize Dublin Castle and in doing so encourage the rest of the country to rebel. However, his followers murdered the Chief Justice, Lord Kilwarden, and Emmet fled. Emmet is remembered mostly for his speech on the dock just after his capture, in which he said his epitaph should not be written until Ireland was a free nation. He was executed on September 20th.
Later on in 1803 during a beginning to the Industrial revolution in Britain, Belfast was prospering. Linen and brewing trades were the most successful, other trades had difficult times staying afloat during these times. Though, none the less, they did managed to stay in the long run.


Honors blog, book one

The first book I'm going to read for the honors assignment is The Donegal Woman by John Throne.

Synopsis: The Donegal Woman is based on a true story of the author's own grandmother. Born to the poorest of Protestant farmers in the hills of Donegal, Margaret was hired out as a child, raped by her master, and then, pregnant, forced to marry another man many times her age. But Margaret survived in a silent world of her own, driven by her passionate determination to do right by her children.


I'm really looking forward to reading about Ireland because that's where half of my heritage comes from on my fathers side (the other half being Native American Indian).
I've never really done research or read anything on Ireland other then watching the movie P.S I love you, which just made me want to go and visit the rolling hills and countrysides of Ireland even more.