Pre-Famine Ireland

Prelude

 * We shouldn't see 19th century Irish history has somehow leading, inevitably, to the famine
 * We should instead see it in a moment of transition to modernity
 * & Intensifying political situation

Tourism & Language

 * Canal system -> "Fly Boats"
 * 1815 -> Network of Stage Coaches throughout Ireland (3500 miles)
 * Traveled at 8 miles an hour


 * Authentic Irish Past

Irish Language

 * Most dramatic and visible part of celtic heritage
 * Dying out in practical use
 * But very popular in tourist dialog
 * By 1850's -> English most prevalent
 * 1800 -> Irish was primary language of half of Irish people
 * 1851 -> Irish language down to a quarter
 * Only 1/5 of those were "monolingual Irish speaking people"
 * Traditional Irish language hotbed is on the Western side of the country

Reasons for Decline

 * English established as language of school mobility
 * Middle Ages onwards -> written Irish persists

Schools

 * Hedge Schools --> Legendary schools that preserved Irish Catholic tradition
 * "Hedge" -> System of education that happened "in the fields"
 * 1831 -> State Schools establish nationally.
 * "National Board of Education" created to formalize education
 * Teacher training school established in Dublin
 * Well funded public education
 * Church of Ireland created its own system of schools (Protestant)

Cork

 * Prefamine Cork
 * 80,000 people
 * Total secretarian division (Catholic & Protestant)

Religious Context
-> 10 % Protestant -> 9 % Presbyterian
 * 1834 study -> 80.9% Catholic

Catholic Church

 * Increasingly self-confident
 * Growing Catholic middle class
 * New Catholic emancipation
 * 26 Irish bishops governed the island
 * Founded college -> St. Patrick's
 * Pacify & Indoctrinate
 * Also, Irish priests were previously trained in France (radical and dangerous ideology)

War on Superstition

 * "Venerable old customs" of Irish people seen as dangerous pre-modern
 * Church attempted to reform the country & culture


 * Attack of semi-formal pagan ideas in the country
 * Rich culture of popular religion
 * Faeries, Banshees, Curses, Season Worship
 * Superstitions


 * Example :
 * Death was observed by wakes that involved heavy drinks
 * Games (carnivalesque with satires, parodies, cross-dressing) were played at wakes
 * These were rooted out by the church


 * 1839 -> Last meeting of the Faeries of Ireland in popular legend
 * After which they "quit" the Island


 * See [| Otherworld]
 * And [| Irish Mythology]


 * Luhansa
 * Celtic festival of the Harvest
 * August 15th is new date set for the tradition (Feast day for Mary)

Father Matthew & Temperance

 * Irish priest who started service in Ireland to stop the Irish from drinking
 * "Total Abstinence movement"
 * Pledge not to drink
 * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Matthew


 * "Small beer" -> Low alcohol content beer that agricultural workers consumed and worked

Sectarian Modernity

 * Belfast becomes a intersection of major social outfall
 * Catalyst of political change / radicalism

Orange Order

 * Dissolved in 1835
 * Re-emerged in 1846
 * Resisted popular Irish Catholic activity
 * British Conservative party linked to the orange order
 * Reverend Henry Coke -> "Wedded" Church of Ireland to Presbyterianism
 * High Rhethorician
 * Sought grand Anglo-Irish Protestant alliance
 * Social conservative-anticatholic-high protestant combination

Young Ireland & Cultural Nationalism

 * Part of larger Gothic / Romantic movement in Europe -> Irish Romanticism Appeared
 * Gothic ruins were freely available in Ireland
 * Connected to "Enemy Within" -> Irish gaelic ppl, Scottish Highlanders who threatened British society as "other"

Gaelic Societys

 * Gaelic Society Founded in 1807
 * Then Royal Irish Society
 * Then Irish Archaeological Society
 * Celtic Society founded 1845


 * Gaelic Society wanted to pursue the restoration/exploration of rich Irish heritage
 * Protest and Catholic Alliance


 * Young Ireland movement
 * Cultural backlash on the Anglican influence on Ireland
 * Had Newspaper -> "The Nation"
 * 40,000 readers
 * First text on Irish nationalist agenda desseminated in English (paradox)
 * Violent resistant to English occupation endorsed


 * "Irish Minstrelcy"