Key Events- The Irish Union (1801)

The Irish Union was when the Acts of Union were passed. These officially unionised Ireland and Great Britain to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The acts came into effect in January of 1801. There were many in both Britain and Ireland that were opposed to the idea of a unionised Britain and Ireland, Pitt had to deal with these in order for the event to be a success.   

Context 

• Irish had been under the rule of the English since the 17th Century 
• Most of the Irish population were peasants and/or Catholic 
• Majority of the land in Ireland had been granted to the Protestant settlers from England 
• Irish people became the tenants of absent landlords
• In 1782 legislative independence was granted by the Irish Parliament (still dominated by descendants of English) 
• Administrative duties controlled by Lord Lieutenant, who was English 
•  Irish Catholic and Presbyterians of the manufacturing classes still had few civil rights- their businesses had unfair restrictions and taxes which hindered their development

Key People- Wolfe Tone 

• Was a young barrister, founder of the Society of Irishmen (see below for details)
• Proposed that protestants work with Catholics to political rights and freedom for Ireland
• Wanted to completely separate England from Ireland  
• Got involved in plans for Revolutionary France to help Irish overthrow the government 
• He got captured and his rebellion overthrown by the English government's troops
• Realised that stability could not be kept by a Protestant parliament 
• Ended up killing himself in prison

Key Groups- United Irishmen

• Allied with French
• Worked for Irish independence and Parliamentary reforms  
• 1798- rebellion attempt with membership at 280'000
• Were encouraged to wait for the French but did not
• Government troops quickly quashed the uprising
• Failure was largely due to poor leadership, organisation and lack of weaponry 
• Members were massacred- spread fear and so membership decreased at a rapid rate

Passing the Act of Union (1801)

• Pitt had to do two things in order for the passing if the bill to be successful
• He had to convince Parliament in Dublin to accept fewer seats in Westminster
• He had to bribe Catholics- promising the emancipation which would avoid any further uprisings
• Pitt managed to persuade Protestants and Presbyterians with honours, appointments and pensions (Protestants), and the promise of concession in linen trade (Presbyterians) 
• George III intervened and prevented any promises being made with Catholics which meant they did not have the right to sit in Parliament- Pitt resigned because of this 

Opposition and Radicalism

• Many radical intellects began voicing their opposition to the Irish Union
• Some wrote texts calling for parliamentary reforms- ended up arrested and sent to Australia  
• Active radical groups formed in industrial towns like London
• These alarmed the upper classes- did not think they had the power nor political influence
• These groups ended up being very important to the intense shift from gradual parliamentary reforms to repressive methods used by the government (lassez-faire)