In examining this question, the following facts should be considered:

• The rebels, both in the north and in the south, were raw recruits pitched against the regular soldiers of the British army.
• A strong Yeomanry had been recruited to guard against any insurrection.
• French help, first at Bantry in late 1796 and then at Connacht in August 1798 and off Donegal in November 1798, came at the wrong places and at the wrong times to help the rebellion.
• Between 1796 and 1798 the British authorities had successfully infiltrated the United Irishmen with spies.
• General Lake’s harsh actions in Ulster in 1797 had deprived the movement of leadership and weapons.
• Many members of the Defender movement became involved for their own reasons. In Wexford, in particular, the uprising was directed against local landowners rather than the government.
• Tales of atrocities against Protestants in Wexford, combined with the fear of Lake’s troops, persuaded many northern Presbyterians at the last minute not to take part.

Concluding Activity

Examine the three statements below:

• The United Irish leaders were to blame for making people believe that they could be successful against the might of the British Government.
• The failure of the French to provide the help they had promised was the main reason for the failure of the rebellion.
• The uprising was doomed to fail because the rebels in Ulster took up arms for very different reasons from the rebels in Wexford.

Explain whether and why you agree or disagree with each statement. Rank these reasons for the failure of the rebellion from 1 to 3.

Complete a paragraph beginning:

Question 2

Who supported the Act of Union?

In examining this question, the following facts should be considered:

• The British government thought that the Union was the best way of securing Ireland against another French invasion.
• Many Protestant landlords felt that under the Union Ireland had the best chance of gaining economic benefits from the British Empire.
• Most Catholic landlords and bishops supported the Union because they believed the assurances that Catholic emancipation would soon follow.
• Many Protestant MPs in the Irish parliament were against the Union because they wished to preserve their parliament’s independence. Others saw the Irish parliament as the best way of ensuring that Protestants kept control of Ireland.
• Middle-class Catholics opposed the Union because they were convinced that England would use it to force its will on Ireland and impose heavy taxes.
• The British government, and its officials in Ireland, used all their power and influence to convince a majority of the Irish parliament to vote for the Act of Union; some accused them of changing people’s minds by offering them bribes and jobs.

Concluding Activity

Complete the table.

What would need to happen in the early years of the nineteenth century to win over those opposed to the Act of Union?

Question 3

What were the main strengths and weaknesses of O’Connell’s campaigns?

In examining this question, the following facts should be considered:

• O’Connell, a skilful lawyer, believed that both emancipation and repeal could be won if the mass of the Irish people showed they were determined to have them.
• He attracted a large following by persuading Catholic priests to allow his followers to recruit support outside the churches.
• Both campaigns were financed by collecting small sums of money (the Catholic rent) from ordinary people, who thus felt they could influence the situation.
• Journalists, priests and teachers were used to spread campaign ideas.
• O’Connell did not advise the use of physical force, but his mass meetings were meant to be shows of strength to intimidate his opponents.
• Propaganda campaigns against him by English newspapers damaged his cause in Britain but probably strengthened it at home.
• When he succeeded in gaining Catholic Emancipation in 1829 many British politicians had sympathy for his cause, but by the 1840s most were strongly opposed to repeal.
• By the 1840s O’Connell was ageing, and many Irish activists, such as the Young Irelanders, became impatient at his reluctance to take on the government, especially after he cancelled the meeting at Clontarf.
• Despite claiming to speak for all Irish, by using the Catholic Church so centrally in his campaigns, he made many Protestants suspicious and fearful of his intentions.

Concluding Activity

List the strengths and weaknesses of O’Connell’s tactics to achieve emancipation and repeal.

How would his campaign shape future attitudes to the Union with Britain?