It is needless to say that this essay does not pretend to be a history of Ireland. It is an attempt to trace the general course of the history as it leads up to the present situation.

The works published in recent years to which I have been chiefly indebted are: Joyce’s “Social History of Ancient Ireland,” Richie’s “Short History of the Irish People,” Bagwell’s “Ireland under the Tudors,” Froude’s “The English in Ireland,” Lecky’s “Leaders of Public Opinion in Ireland,” together with the special chapters on Ireland in his general history, Ingram’s “Two Chapters of Irish History” and “History of the Irish Union,” Ball’s “Irish Legislative Systems,” T. P. O’Connor’s “The Parnell Movement,” and Sir Horace Plunkett’s “Ireland in the Twentieth Century,” with the comments on it by Father O’Riordan.

To Mr. Bagwell’s “Ireland under the Tudors” I am specially indebted for his narrative of the Tudor wars. To Mr. T. P. O’Connor I am specially indebted for the most vivid accounts of the famine and of the evictions, as well as for an improved insight into the Parnell Movement and of the doings which preceded it. Of part of those doings I was myself in some measure a witness, through my social connections with a circle of English politicians who were inclining to an Irish alliance.

The annals of the Tudor wars are horrible and heartrending. But history cannot drop the veil over them. They long left their evil traces on Irish character and sentiment, explaining and extenuating some terrible things which ensued. Nor, in truth, have they become obsolete as warnings to us in general of the acts into which civilized nations may be betrayed when they make wars of conquest on those whom they deem barbarians.

It seemed that a brief account of the recent land legislation for Ireland might be useful to readers of an essay of this kind. I append one which has been prepared for me by my friend, Mr. Hugh J. McCann, B.L., of the Dublin Bar. Its author is in no way committed to any opinion expressed in the other part of the work.

CONTENTS

PAGE
[I]From Early Times to Edward I (1272)[1]
[II]Edward I to Henry VII (1272-1509)[19]
[III]Henry VIII to Mary (1509-1558)[28]
[IV]Elizabeth to James I (1558-1603)[37]
[V]James I (1603-1625)[55]
[VI]Charles I to the Protectorate (1625-1660)[61]
[VII]The Restoration (1660)[80]
[VIII]The Revolution (1688)[86]
[IX]The Penal Code (1695-1727)[91]
[X]Anne to the Revolution of 1782 (1702-1782)[105]
[XI]The Revolution of 1782 and the Rebellion of 1798[121]
[XII]Union (1801)[148]
[XIII]Daniel O’Connell (1823-1847)[164]
[XIV]Gladstone (1868-1893)[191]
[XV]The Present State of the Question[204]
ACCOUNT OF THE IRISH LAND CODE[227]
By Hugh J. McCann, B.L., of the Irish Bar.