Hatred between Ireland and England?

Question

Im english and my girlfriend is Irish and to be honest I´m not up on my history between the two nations. I understand the potatoe famine but I need to know what happened between the two nations to make the Irish tend to dislike the English. Ireland tend to say that England came and took whole counties of which they now own in Ireland. Some English people will say that Ireland was our to begin with and we took it back. I just want someone to fill me n with the true history between these two nations. Because when I am spoken to about it when I viit Ireland I dont have a leg to stand on because I know nothing. Let´s see who can give the best answer.

Answer 1

why not get a book about it?

Answer 2

This goes back about 700 years really. lets see I suppose it began with the Plantation in Ireland at the time of Queen Elizabeth and Oliver Cromwell who took the land of the Irish and gave the land to wealthy landlords in England. They banned Catholicism and education of any Catholic traditions, took the language off the people and all things associated with Irish tradition. The Flight of the Earls from Donegal was a important event in the loss of the old Gaelic Order but I would suggest looking that up it's a lengthy and complicated subject.

Landlords were cruel to the Irish charging unfair rent, evicting them without notice. The Irish unhappy with this system started to fight back, some with violence, some with politics. Land Acts were established to try and solve the land question and it wasnt until 1909 that the Birrell act solved it by forcing landlords to sell. During this time Ireland started to push for Home Rule and would have got it only WW1 happended.

During WW1 the 1916 Easter Rising occured when the Irish rebels stormed the GPO in Dublin and various other buildings the siege didnt work and the rising was put down. Now most people probably would not have become so angry towards the English at this stage only the English executed the rebel leaders, leading to high tensions and the Irish War of Independence.

During the WOI Winston Churchill who was Minister of Foreign Affairs at the time sent over a group called the Black and Tans, a bunch of criminals and men who had gone mad from WW1 trenches. They were feared and despised by the Irish. On one occassion they went into Croke Park and killed innocent people who were just watching a game. They killed without question, didnt care who they killed. It wasnt until the Treaty in 1921 that they left the country. Then Ireland was thrown into Civil War. The fact that Ireland still is not to this day a completely united country also adds to the ill feelings of Irish to English. Today though it is'nt as bad but there are still the nationalists who want a united Ireland.

That is the reason, but I would advise you too look it up as i said a vast and complicated subject

Answer 3

OK, here's a short version and I'll try to be as unbiased as possible.

It's not just a Catholic/Protestant thing or a North/South thing. It began well before the famine too. Ireland was steadily taken by the English in Tudor times through plantations and forcing of their laws on the then Celtic/Gaelic style Irish (around 17th century).
Religon became a huge factor after the failed 1641 Irsh Rebellion against this oppression from the English as the Catholic Irish were banned fom voting. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries life was made tougher for the 90% of the Irish poulation who were Catholic as their entirely Protestant "rulers" removed their rights and any oppurtunity to prosper.

The famine was a trigger to a rekindled Nationalism in Ireland as the people were left to starve by their English government. In the early 1900's a real effort to reclaim the island for the people of Ireland began. 1916 saw the Easter Rising in Dublin with Nationalists trying to use Englands involvement in WW1 as an oppurtunity to take over the capital.

This failed but at the same time it was a turning point for a Nationalist campaign which was close to collapse. The English executions of leading Irish rebels gave the Nationalists martyrs, and drove them to continue their campaign. This culminated in the War of Indepence in 1921. Britain seeing this war was one they could lose brought the Nationalists negotiators to London where a deal was struck and Ireland was split into what we now know as Northern Ireland (British) and Republic of Ireland (Not British).

So a lot of people still feel that Britain is holding onto 6 counties of 'our' country and if they gave Hong Kong back to Chinawhy don't they give the North back to Ireland and let all Irish people live under one rule and one flag.

Not too many people these days hold the contempt for England that most older generations did. Most would happily sit and talk to an Englishman and never mention the North. But those who do talk about it still feel Ireland should be united as has been the wish of the majority of its population for hundreds of years. This majority was oppressed by a richer and more powerful handful of British politicians with one thing in mind, building an empire.

So when somIrish person gives you a tough time for being English you'll just have to either take it on the chin, laugh it off, say you don't support anything Britain did it Ireland
or
try to defend Imperialism, Greed, Oppression, Etnic cleansing, genicide by negligence and many more evil deeds

Answer 4

Ireland was exploited by England for centuries.
Elizabeth I and Oliver Cromwell both sent forces there which carried out acts of genocide.
William III subdued the Irish who supported James II and imported Scots to colonise parts of Ulster robbing the native people of their land.
Ireland was always seen as a cash cow by absentee landlords who were mainly English and did nothing for their tenants,
During the Irish Famine in the 1840s they still insisted on taking their share of the crops even though the small farmers were starving.
Over a million Irish died and two million were forced to emigrate while the English did nothing to help.
The first attempt at independence in 1916 was brutally suppressed by the British Army and it was 6 more years before Irish independence was achieved but the Scottish settlers in Ulster insisted on remaining under the English rule so Ireland was partitioned.
This has been a running sore ever since.

Answer 5

Hello,

When England took over Ireland it was unfortunate that the Reformation had taken place and old Henry VIII broke yoke with the pope. The Irish were essentially punished and discriminated against from that time to the late 19th century for trying to hold on to their Catholicism.

Even I remember in recent history, there was a lot of discrimination against RC's in Ulster or Northern Ireland against Catholics in office, the work place etc. Ulster was essentially part of the English fold and I thought it quite ironic that while howling about Ian Smith's UDI in Rhodesia or apartheid in South Africa, the back yard there was not being cleaned up.

That said, it is time to move along. My ancestors had to leave or were driven away in part from Ireland but anyone who had anything to do with that died 60 or 70 years before I was born.
With one of the most hottest economies in Europe, Ireland can put the past behind her. Common sense has prevailed in the North thanks in part to your previous Prime minister and hopefully many negative attitudes between the two countries will be put on the back burner in the near future.


Cheers,

Michael Kelly

Answer 6

I wouldn't worry about it man. I'm Irish and yes there is the whole English / Irish thing but it's all in the past. My advice is to not worry yourself over it. Ask your girlfriend about it, she would be the best person to fill you in. The problem with the Irish / English debate is that it's still going on in my opinion. We should be looking forward not back. I know where i come from and the history that goes with it as i'm sure do you. The only thing that matters is You & your Girlfriend. Ask her is it important? I don't think it is. It's only important when it comes to the Rugby! ha ha ha Have a good one mate

Answer 7

This goes back long before there were any potatoes - let alone before the famine - it also predates protestants.

It not only has causes in English invasions of Ireland, but also racial discrimination against the Irish in England.

Answer 8

Ok here we go!

1169-Strongbow invaded Ireland..beginning the english control of the country..
1500-1700- 3 seperate plantations in which Irish land was taken. British people where given the land to live on. Irish forced to live on poor lands in Connaght or die."To hell or to Connaght" Seceratrian conflict was rampant with many planters being attacked.Penal laws attempted to suppress the Catholic religion. Laws failed
1801-Until 1801 Ireland had its own parliament any laws passed through had to be approved through Westminster.
Following a failed rebellion in 1798 England removed the irish parliament in 1801..irish mps had to go to westminster.
1801- Act of Union passed-Ireland integrated into the U.K.
1845-1859-Great Famine-A million people died a million emigrated..english did little to help..exception religion groups such as the quakers set up food kitchens
1870-1916-Home Rule campaign by the Irish
1916-IRB Rebellion which was planned for all of Ireland though through bad planning and England capturing a submarine from Germany with guns to help the Irish failed. the Rebellion was focused on Dublin.Leaders of the rebellion excuted.Irish people began to call for complete seperation from England.
1919-1921-Irish war of Independance- Irish leaders of Sinn Fein a republician party formed their own unofficial government-War- Mainily guerilla style warfare..English sent in ex British army officers called the Black and Tans who retelliated killing innocent people
July 1921-England called a truce..
1922-Irish Free State set up.Ulster was not included in this Free State as mainly had a Protestant population.
Catholics descriminated against politcially and socially.

1970's-Troubles-Catholic civil rights protesters and IRA bombing forced the British army onto the streets of Ulster..tit for tat bomibng and assinations ensued between IRA and Unionist groups..3000 people died from both the Catholic and Protestant community

Long winded i know though alot though it shows why there maybe tension.Personally i dont hate the english tho alot of resentment is still there amongst some people



"back in the days of the great british empire.
the british did indeed USE the Irish to their determent.
a growing irish population embraced the english invaders, when others did not & would never accept english rule.
many irish changed religion to suit & fought in WW1 & WW2, but as is usual they were taken advantage over royal allegiances & embarrassments of long, long ago.
look up about the Orange order, the parades that have no place in modern ireland, but is so important to many irish, it can't be ignored.

the irish peace process is a ruse.
the IRA still receive funds from the US & still want a united & Free Ireland."

1.The Irish did not change their religion..however some did IN ORDER to keep their lands..not to suit!!!!IRl is more than 90% Catholic for the love of god
2. The Irish fought in World War 1 in an attempt to convinve the English to give Ireland Home Rule as promised by Lyodd Geogre. We also had a hugh unemployment rate thats why we fought.
3. "Embraced"-i would hate to be an Englishman being embraased by the Irish i probably wouldnt come out alive

Answer 9

IRELAND WAS TRUELY NEVER ENGLANDS!!!!! the irish are proven to be a completely different race of people to the british, commonly known as celts or gaelic,the plantations under henry the viii started 500 hundred years of them claiming irish lands, persucating catholics, massacres of innocent people and general being over pompous assholes!!!! ye tink u no about the famine do u realise that the reason there was no other food for the irish people after the potatoe crop failed was because the british taxed them on every crop other than potatoe and their lands were too small due to the penal laws on inheritance for catholics! ...some other nice contributions by the british ...the cromwell plantations... in response to the irish killing 2000 brits in ireland that took their land sthe brits sent oliver cromwell for a bit of revenge!... 2million dead irish!.... he massacred every town he passed! and evicted pretty much every othre land owner...the ald sayind yo hell od to connaught from irealnd was because they were given the choice to give up their alnds and surrender with out a fight an dgo to connaught province in ireland which was not very fertile or to die!...if you wanna your start apoligising for 500 hundred years of her ancestors being evicted from their lands, starved with no relief and even being denied the right to education due to their religion!

Answer 10

back in the days of the great british empire.
the british did indeed USE the Irish to their determent.
a growing irish population embraced the english invaders, when others did not & would never accept english rule.
many irish changed religion to suit & fought in WW1 & WW2, but as is usual they were taken advantage over royal allegiances & embarrassments of long, long ago.
look up about the Orange order, the parades that have no place in modern ireland, but is so important to many irish, it can't be ignored.

the irish peace process is a ruse.
the IRA still receive funds from the US & still want a united & Free Ireland.

Answer 11

Potted history of Ireland.

Henry II Strongbow invades : Nicholas Brakespeare the only englishman ever to become pope 'gives the kingshiop to Henry in return for peter's pence. Various Irish rebelliuons continue to fail until Catholic favouring James II is replaced in England by Protestant William of orange. Legislation is made making it illegal for catholics to own land or property worth more than £5, denying them the vote, and making it treason for them to send their children to be educated! More Irish rebellions, persecution of Catholics by English landlords who now owned the Lands denied to catholics who had to rent their own lands from these foreign invaders. 1916 - 1921 Irish rebellion is finally successful and britain cedes independence to 26 of the 32 counties but keeps the six in the norrth to 'protect the rights of protestants there' completely uninfluenced by the Royal Navy's need for harland and Wolfe's shipyards. whilst foru counties have protestant majorities two have a catholic majority whose wish to be part of the free state is ignored by britain. in the six counties protestants continue to supress and persecute catholics leading eventually to civil rights marches and the troubles as the IRA and INLA seek, initially at least, to protect their own people from protestant militias. Hope this helps you to understand just how long we have been under English dominion. Ireland has never been English, the Anglo saxons from whom that term derives never succeded in conquering however like other places( india, large areas of africa etc) we fell under english dominion. no one suggests that india had no right to be free, proximity and common language (imposed upon us by the invaders) doesn't make us part of the union. Alas English politicians, media nad people often don't actually realise even that Ireland is a seperate country