United Irishmen
What were the aims of the United Irishmen?
In order to answer this question, it is pivotal to look at the motivations behind the formation of the United Irishmen and the international context, which to a large extent influenced and inspired the leaders of the organization, such as Wolfe Tone and Fitzgerald. As well as this, Catholic Irish’s struggle with sectarianism and the privileged Protestant (who dominated almost the entire Irish social hierarchy), plus the deeply unsatisfying English prerogative over Irish politics which infuriate many Irish politicians should be considered alongside in order to reach a substantial understanding of the organization’s objectives.
The roots of the rebellion can be found in the transatlantic democratic revolutions that swept America and Europe at the end of the 18th Century. The American Revolution of 1771-81 and the French Revolution of 1789 were key events that stimulated a democratic revolutionary movement in Ireland. It can be argued that the United Irishmen shared a common ideology with such movements, that is: independence, sense of patriotism and the ability to retain the authority of decision making (both political and religious) to your own citizens. As the ‘declaration, resolutions, and constitution of the societies of United Irishmen” stated: “we have no national government, we are ruled by Englishmen, and the servants of Englishmen, whose object is the interest of another country.” This implied a lack of sovereignty and control, and perhaps suggests that one of the aims of the United Irishmen was to regain its autonomy back from the monopolized government under the English influence.
Ireland of the 1790's was ruled by the ascendancy that only represents a small minority of the population. The majorities were excluded from College Green because the only source of political power was derived from ownership of land, privileged position of established church of Ireland and membership of the political nation. “The
In order to answer this question, it is pivotal to look at the motivations behind the formation of the United Irishmen and the international context, which to a large extent influenced and inspired the leaders of the organization, such as Wolfe Tone and Fitzgerald. As well as this, Catholic Irish’s struggle with sectarianism and the privileged Protestant (who dominated almost the entire Irish social hierarchy), plus the deeply unsatisfying English prerogative over Irish politics which infuriate many Irish politicians should be considered alongside in order to reach a substantial understanding of the organization’s objectives.
The roots of the rebellion can be found in the transatlantic democratic revolutions that swept America and Europe at the end of the 18th Century. The American Revolution of 1771-81 and the French Revolution of 1789 were key events that stimulated a democratic revolutionary movement in Ireland. It can be argued that the United Irishmen shared a common ideology with such movements, that is: independence, sense of patriotism and the ability to retain the authority of decision making (both political and religious) to your own citizens. As the ‘declaration, resolutions, and constitution of the societies of United Irishmen” stated: “we have no national government, we are ruled by Englishmen, and the servants of Englishmen, whose object is the interest of another country.” This implied a lack of sovereignty and control, and perhaps suggests that one of the aims of the United Irishmen was to regain its autonomy back from the monopolized government under the English influence.
Ireland of the 1790's was ruled by the ascendancy that only represents a small minority of the population. The majorities were excluded from College Green because the only source of political power was derived from ownership of land, privileged position of established church of Ireland and membership of the political nation. “The