A synopsis of key events in Irish history in the 16th 17th and 18th century.

1. Irish History

2. 16th Century: Tudor Kings and Queens
Henry 8th:
(King Of
Ireland): “If
you follow
English law,
you can keep
your land!”
English lived
mainly in the
Pale (Dublin).
Child 1:
King
Edward
6th:
Died
after 7
years
as King.
Child 2:
Queen
Mary 1st:
Failed to
‘plant’
Englishmen
in Laois &
Offaly.
The Irish
took back
the land.
Child 3:
Queen
Elizabeth
1st:
Took
Munster
from the
Irish.
Hugh O’Neill &
O’Donnell:
Asked for help
from Spain.
Spain landed in
the wrong
place and lost
in battle.
‘Hughs’ fled
Ireland. Ulster
was ‘planted’
by Britain.
1542 1553 1556 1586 1607

3. King Charles
1st:
Became King
of Britain and
all of Ireland.
People of Britain
split into 2 groups:
a) Royalists: Wanted a
king to rule.
b) Parliamentarians:
Wanted to set up a
parliament to rule the
country.
This led to a civil war.
Oliver Cromwell
(Parliamentarian):
Wins power over
Britain and Ireland.
Took Irish land from
the Irish and said,
“To Hell or to
Connaught with you!’
17th Century: Civil War in Britain
1625 1642 1653

4. Penal laws come
to Ireland:
“You cannot teach
Irish, the
Catholic religion,
or anything to do
with Irish
culture!’’
Rich British
landlords:
Rented land to the
Irish.
Wolfe Tone &
United Irishmen:
Wanted the Irish
to have equal
rights.
Went to France
looking for help.
18th Century: The Penal Laws
1695 1791

5. The British:
Heard about
Wolfe Tone’s
rebellion and
were ready to
fight back.
The Irish:
Surprised them at
first and won back
some land.
Failure:
The French never
showed up and Britain
won against the badly
equipped Irish army.
United Irishmen were
killed or jailed as a
result.
1798: The Wexford Rebellion

6. Patrick Pearse
reads the
Proclamation of
the Republic
outside the GPO
(O’Connell St.).
The Irish take
control of
important
buildings and fly
the Irish flag.
Locals begin
looting shops
The Irish
are running
out of
ammunition.
The British
gunboat the
Helga fires
at Liberty
Hall.
The Irish
are no
match for
the British.
James
Connolly (a
leader in
the Rising)
is hit by a
bullet and
injured.
The GPO
(headquarters)
is set on fire
by the British
and the Irish
are forced to
evacuate.
They
surrender to
the British on
Saturday,
April 19th.
Monday,
April 24th
Tuesday,
April 25th
Wednesday,
April 26th
Thursday,
April 27th
Friday,
April 28th
1916: The Easter Rising