Lecture 15: The Irish Lecture

Lecture 15 The Irish LectureProfessor Brian CowanDate Oct 7 2011Jonathan Swift A Modest Proposal Modest Proposal trying to get reader to think about the relationship between Ireland and Britain one of the first Irish patriot Swift born in Ireland lived in England becomes chief propagandists for English Tories writes the Letter for Allies goes back to Ireland tried to gain a role as a Bishop in England much richer in England than in Ireland but never happened Queen Anne didnt like him for The Tale of the Toe thought it was disgusting and didnt want him to be a bishop in her churchHe was such a bad boy he shot his mouth off in print too much to be trusted as a bishop sent back to Ireland Dean of St Patricks Cathedral in Dublin redefines his role as a champion of Irish patriotism writes Modest Proposal and the Letter a kingdom the king of Ireland always has to be the king of England system existed since the Middle Ages Parliament in Ireland as well like other kingdoms within the British system Parliament in College Green in Dublin just like Scotland and unlike England when Irish Parliament met the king would not be there situation of the Parliament without a king English thought it was a secondrate Parliament had a role legislating for Ireland took care of Irish affairs no king of Ireland had actually gone to Ireland until 1689 exiled James with his Jacobite army tried to take over Ireland William follows to fight Battle of Boine very telling of how the monarchy viewed their kingdom when nobody would make a royal visit king doesnt call Irish Parliament it would assemble on a regular basis Lord Lieutenant rep of crown calls the Parliament like Canadas GovernorGeneral Ireland is extremely close to Western England and Scotland intense cultural and social ties yet political relationship and economic relationship was always one as clear subordination colonial relationship within the British system problem it had a very multivarious pop Gaels vast majority didnt speak English peasants Roman Catholic had an independent political system of warrior clans until 17th c when Queen Elizabeth I defeated and assimilated the Irish chiefs Gaelic language alive and well bilingualism developing Old English Catholic landowners who until 17th c were dominant landowning class of Ireland remnants of Norman invasion spoke English thought of themselves as primarily English settler despite living there for centuries