The Irish Republic. A historical memoir on Ireland and her oppressors

Front matter

Opinions' of tla© Press. THE HUSH REPUBLIC. A historical memoib OF Ireland AND HER OPPRESSORS. By P. Cudmore, Counselor at Law. of a people who will constitute .so import ant an element in this republic. — Western Watchman, St. Louis. Irish born citizens, and others, as well, will find the book exceedingly interesting. — Si. Paul Ptoneer. The work appears to have been faithfully done, and no doubt will attract the attention of patriotic Irishmen generally. — Chi cago Daily News. This book will be re id with pleasure and profit by Irishmen and the friends of Ire land. Every Irish family should have it. — Northwestern Chronicle, St. Paul. A go< d deal of information can be ex tracted from the work by lovers of Ireland. — Chicago Evening Mail. It presents, in clear, eloquent and forcible terms, suitable to the capacity of every reader, the wrongs that Ireland has sus tained for centuries at the hands of the British Government, and should le read by every Irishman in the country, as well as every student of history, no matter what his nationality. — St. Paul Dispatch.

In many respects rt will prove a useful book of reference, and, without doubt, it will prove acceptable to the majority of Irish readers. — Prairie Farmer, Chicago There are those to whom it will have a deep interest. — Chicago Tribune. It is what its title would indicate, and is ably written. — Le Suevr [Minn ) Conner. Those who have read the standard his tories of Ireland will find th's volume a useful and convenient manual as a book of reference. — Western Catholic, Chicago. It boldly and successfully refutes many untruths and slanderous statements sent forth by English historians, and must certainly prove a handbook of value to all Irishmen and others who wish to get at the root of matters. — Farihault (Minn. ) Democrat. Mr. Cudmore is evidently thoroughly im bued with the love of his country, and his P'lges are industriously put together. — New York Tablet.

A copy of this book should be procured by every honest, true Irishman. — St. Peter (Minn.) Advertiser. The author of this valuable contribution to Irish history has succeeded in condensing into one volume a very readable and inter esting sketch of the wrongs, grievances and misgovernment of Ireland. The memoir em braces a range of historical discussion. " Anglo-Saxon civilization" is subjected to some sharp criticism. On the whole, the Irish lepublic has the proper " ring" to it. — The Irish World, New York. The volume appeals to pride, honor and patriotism, and gives, at the same time, many important facts in history. — Si. Louis ■ Re'pnhhcan. &Jt will be found convenient and reliable for reference. — St. Louis Times It is a book of referance, and should be read by Irishmen. — St. Lords Democrat.

Preface

. The object of the author in presenting this volume to the public, has been to give in one volume a condensed sketch of the wrongs, grievances and misgovernment of Ireland under British despotism, the colonial tyrants of the pale, and the tyrannical landlords of Ireland. To place be fore the world the wrongs of Ireland, under British despotism and misrule, since the time of Henry II. to the present. Those who have neither time nor opportunity to read the standard works on Ireland, will, the author hopes, find in this volume an interesting outline of the political history of Ireland from the early ages to the present ; and those who have read the standard histories of Ireland will find this volume a useful and convenient manual as a book of reference. This volume has been carefully compiled from the most approved standard authors, ancient and modern, lay and clerical.

The author has, in some instances, given the exact language of the authors themselves. This, he presumes, will give more satisfaction to his readers. The author confidently hopes that this volume will be welcomed by every Irish patriot ; and that Irishmen in the United States will send it to their friends in Ireland, England, Scotland, the British Possessions, and Australia. April, 1871. DEDICATION. TO IRISH PATRIOTS, STATESMEN, WARRIORS, AND EXILES; AJfD TO THE MEMORY OF THE IMMORTAL DEAD, WHO FOUGHT FOR THE LIBERTY AND INDEPENDENCE OF IRELAND, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY THE AUTHOR.

Introduction

. Ireland has been known to the ancients. The Phœnici ans made frequent voyages to Ireland, in remote ages. At a very early period of the world's histofy, Ireland was known to the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. In the early ages it was known to the pagan world as the Sacred Island, and as the chief seat of the Druids. The people of Ire land in all ages were distinguished for their valor, hospitality and generosity, as well as for the eminent learning of the bards in pagan times — and for piety, learning and Chris tianity in modern times. In the days when Europe was enveloped in darkness and ignorance, Ireland was known to the world as the Isle of Saints. But the great source of Ireland's weakness, and of those sad divisions which agitated and weakened the Irish people, resulted from their form of government.

After the Milesi ans got 'possession of Ireland, they at first divided the country into two rival kingdoms, and afterwards into five kingdoms. Those five kingdoms were governed by one monarch. Both the monarch and the provincial kings were elected from certain great ruling families. This stimulated ambition, jealousy, envy and rivalry among the branches of the families of the ruling princes of the provinces, as well as a strife among the provincial kings for the high dignity — that of monarch of Ireland. From'this source we may trace the countless wars in Ireland between rival

INTRODUCTION.

. kings and provinces, which devastated the country and divided and weakened the nation. Had the Irish people been united under one ruler, as one united nation, with the rulers elected from the people, as in the United States, they could not be conquered by Danes, Normans or Saxons ! Another source of the weakness of Ireland was, that she had not contended with foreign foes before the invasion of the Danes. The Irish were unacquainted with the Roman mode of fighting within walled towns; their battles were fought in the open field. The fate of their kings generally rested on the result of one of their pitched battles in hand to-hand fighting; consequently, they were unacquainted with sieges. The Norman invaders took advantage of the divisions and mutual rival jealousy of the Irish kings and princes.

Had these princes been united they could not be conquered by the Norman invaders. The government of England did not try to unite the people of Ireland, native or Saxon. But she done all in her power to prevent the English of the pale from uniting with the old Irish in habitants, for she dreaded that the old Irish and the new English settlers would become one people, that in a few years could defy the government of England ; for the descendants of the first Norman invaders, in many in stances, had united with the old Irish by marriage, and had become " more Irish than the Irish themselves^ To prevent this union, the English government sent, from time to time, over to Ireland English officers to govern the pale. In this manlier the authorities of the pale became the jail ers of the colony. In this manner England created a gulf of hate between the " colony bred men " and the old Irish natives. But in the times of Henry VIII., Elizabeth and

INTRODUCTION.

. Cromwell, Catholic and Protestant became the line of de marcation between the Irish! In the reign of William III. the Catholics were excluded from the Irish parliament. In this reign and that of Queen Anne, the Catholics, under the terrors of the penal code, were put outside of the pale of the laws ; they were ex cluded from all offices, civil and military. They had no voice in the government— they were excluded from the legal profession — they could not Own real estate. They were denied the free exercise of their religion, and were not allowed to be educated. In short, they had no rights, under the laws, which the government or the colonial tyrants would respect. This was the condition of ihe Catholic Irish during the terrors of the penal code. Ire land was governed by a mere contemptible minority.

This petty faction held a monopoly of church and state — the purse and the sword. Ireland was doomed to suffer in the sunshine of British prosperity, when the British flag triumphed over the seas of the world. But in the hour of British discomfiture, when the British flag was pulled down at Saratoga, then, and only until then, did the colonial jailers relax the odious penal code, when they granted the first Catholic relief bill, in 1778, which gave the Catholics a right to lease lands for a term of 999 yearn. The second Catholic relief bill was granted in 1782, which gave Catholics the right to open Catholic schools in Ire land, and to acquire freehold estates. The third Catholic relies bill was passed in 1793, which gave Catholics the right to hold offices in the army as high as colonel, as also the right to practice in the courts ; it also extended to Cath olics the elective franchise. These relief bills stimulated

INTRODUCTION.

. the Catholics to agitate for Catholic emancipation. The agitation for emancipation stimulated the agitation for the repeal of the union. The " Repealers " gave birth to the " Young Ireland" party of '48. And the agitation of '"48" promoted the Fenian organization. This opposition to England from generation to generation under one name or other, has gained for Ireland many con cessions from the government of England. But the Fenian organization in Ireland, England, and the United States, and the Clerkenwell prison explosion, so terrified the British oligarchy that they consented to the disendowment of the " Irish Church establishment " — the death of the tithes. During the Franco-Prussian war England passed an act, a mere apology for a " tenant right bill? in 1870. Thus, step by step, Ireland gained one concession after another during England's difficulties.

In this manner Ireland will eventually gain her independence ! The liberal Democrats of England should unite with the Irish patriots and abolish the House of Lords, and make all officers in the government elective, as in the United States. The next step should be to demolish both royalty and no bility. After this the people would soon establish an En glish Republic. And the English people should give Ire land her liberty, and be one of the first nations to recognize the Irish Republic. Let them do this, and Irishmen will forget the dark deeds of the past. The Irish, in every clime, should keep up the agitation for the freedom of Ireland until Ireland is free— until the world beholds the Irish Republic !! ! A HISTORICAL MEMOIR os IRELAND AID HER OPPRESSORS.

Chapter I. Ireland Before The Introduction

OF CHRISTIANITY.

The falsehoods of the English historians of the pale — Lying Cambrensis— His attempt to cast doubt and ridicule on the ancient history of Ireland — Manuscripts in the Irish language date back before the christian era — The falsehoods of Hume and Gibbon — Glory and greatness of the Irish nation — Her progress in arts and sciences — Ancient Irish writings — The learning of the Druids — The round towers — Druidic altars — Ancient Irish architecture — Irish civilization — Colonial task-masters — Ireland the instructress of Europe — Partholan — Ireland discovered before the deluge— The ancient names of Ireland — The natives — When and by whom Ireland was settled — The Milesian race — Progress of civilization under the Milesian kings — The reign of Ollam Fodla — The conventions of Tara — Seminaries of learning — The Druids — Bards and Brehons — The equity of the Brehon laws.

The English historians of the pale, since the time of the lying Cambrensis, have studiously endeavored to cast doubt and ridicule on the ancient history of Ireland. They tell us that the Irish, before the time of St. Patrick, were cruel, ignorant, and barbarous. That they were unlettered. They make the bold and sweeping assertion that the Irish were unacquainted with the use of letters previous to the introduction of Latin letters by the Apostle of Ireland, yet we have several manuscripts in the Irish language, which date back before the Christian era. They also tell us that the historical accounts of the venerable Irish historians — the O'Connors, O'Halloran, Vallancey, O'Flaherty, and Keating, are the mere fictions of the Irish bards — tales of a vainglorious people. Even the eminent historians* of England, Hume and Gibbon, have copied the lying fictions and wholesale and unfounded slanderous assertions of the partisan historians of the pale.

They unblushingly tell us that Ireland owes her civilization to England. That the records and researches of the Irish historians should be rejected. Unfortunately for Irishmen, the writings of English historians are taken for good authority in the United States. So the histoiy of Ireland is read through the medium of prejudiced British historians. Now, let us for a moment consider how we can prove the authenticity of the ancient history of Ireland, even without written evidence, but from the monuments of arts, sciences, and architecture, which we find in Ireland. How futile it would be to deny the ancient civilization of Egypt, Greece or Rome. Can we obliterate, by a mere stroke of the pen, the Egyptian pyramids, subterranean temples, artificial lakes, the Sphinx, and the monuments of arts and sciences ?

Could the remains of the ancient palaces, temples and aqueducts of Rome be obliterated by mere assertion ? How, then, could the lying historians, the colonial historians, and English partisan writers, doubt of the an cient fame, glory, and greatness of the Irish nation — her progress in the arts and sciences. Such assertions are malicious falsehoods. The Irish historian is verified by the ancient writings found in old Irish manuscripts ; the great learning of the Druids ; the monuments of ancient arts and sciences. We can, notwithstanding the vile aspersions and falsehoods of Hume and Macaulay, proudly point to the living monuments of Ireland's ancient greatness, and fame, and glory. We behold with laudable pride the round towers, Druidic altars, ruined, ivy-clad castles, churches and palaces — lying historians to the contrary, notwithstanding !

Let any dispassionate and unprejudiced mind travel through Ireland, and behold her ancient architecture, of Egyptian style, and then doubt of the ancient grandeur, glory, great-ness, and civilization of Ireland! The ancient and venerable monuments of our dear fatherland refute the slanders of British and colonial writers ! The mean understanding of the colonial task-masters, conceived that the only way to subdue Ireland, was first to rob her of her wealth and lands, to wield over her a rod of iron, and then to blacken her character as a justification of their tyrannical conduct. Those colonial usurpers and in vaders could never feel secure in their ill-gotten possessions until all traces of the ancient glory and fame of Ireland was obliterated ; for they well knew that Irishmen, in all climes, at all times and places, would cherish a fond and laudable veneration for that country which, for centuries, was the instructress of Europe — the immortal island of saints.

The Irish can look back with pride and emotion on her long list of monarchs, two thousand years before the accursed Norman invasion ! It is true that the ancient history of all nations reaches back into obscurity, yet some Irish historians prove, beyond cavil, that Ireland was discovered before the Deluge. They give us a list of kings, such as Partholan and his sons. We read of the Numidians, the Firbolgs, and the gigantic Fomerians, and the Tuatha de Danans. Ireland has been known by the names of Hibernia, Inisfail, Erin, Erne, Iris, Jerna, Juernia, Iren, Juverna, Insula Sacra, * and Scotia. The Goths called it Ireland, on account of the fierce and warlike spirit of the people — for the warlike and martial spirit of the people, ancient and modern, has met with uni versal approbation all over the world !

Some Irish historians tell us that Ireland was first settled by the Scythians : others tell us that it was first discovered by the Phœnicians — some assert that Ireland was firstdis covered by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Gauls. But certain it is that the Milesians, under Heber, Heremon and Ith, gave Ireland a race of kings who reigned for two thousand years. They had full possession of Ireland down to the time of Henry the Second. Under the government of the Milesian kings, Ireland advanced in the arts and sciences, poetry, music, agriculture, refinementand civilization. Those Milesians had with them laborers and mechanics, who, with such of the natives as remained after the Mile sians got control of the Island, became the plebeians, with whom the Milesians did not intermarry, as they considered the Firbolgs and Tuatha de Danans as an inferior race.

Thus the Milesian race became the rulers of the country. They were the nobility. In the reign of Ollam Fodla, triennial conventions were held at Tara, in Meath, composed of kings, bards, and priests. This celebrated monarch institut-ecf seminaries of THE IBISH REPUBLIC. learning in various parts of the nation, whose missiona ries spread the knowledge of Christianity over Europe. The Druids were the most important personages. They were the principal bards and brehons, or judges ; they administered the laws in the spirit of equity. The brehon laws were in force until they were abolished by King John, within the scope of the pale. The decisions of those venerable and time-honored Druids we're deemed sacred by kings and warriors — for the Irish, in all ages, held poets and men of learning in great esteem. At length, the pow er of the Druids had to yield to the influences of Christian ity, under the venerable apostle of Ireland.

Chapter II. Ireland Before The Norman Invasion

St. Patrick — Christianity introduced — Latin letters introduced — The Irish kept the Latin language pure, and sent learned men through Europe — The Seminary of Armagh — The glory of the Isle of Saints — The slanders of Hume — Irish hospitality — No need for inns — Oswald sends to Ireland for missionaries, to teach the Saxons Christianity — Irish missionaries introduce Christianity into many parts of Europe — Alfred brought over Irish professors for his Oxford College — Hume and Gibbon copy the falsehoods of the historians of the pale — The kings of Northumberland make a descent on Ireland — The Romans did not invade Ireland — Danish invasion — Turgesius proclaimed king — Barbarities of the invaders — Seminaries and religious houses destroyed — The Danes defeated by Malachy and Brian — Clontarf — The Ostmen converted — The Danes intermarry with the native Irish — The Danes who remained in Ireland obeyed the laws of the Irish kings — The English invaders — Strongbow — The kings of Ireland — Bloody deeds of the invaders — Henry landed in Cashel — He did not make any change in the laws of Ireland — Henry conferred the title of Lord of Ireland on his son John — The kings of England assume the title of Kings of Ireland in the reign of Henry VIII. — The English colony in Ireland divided into counties — Sheriffs appointed — Henry's pretext to promote religion — O'Neil's letter to Pope John — Bruce invited to rule Ireland as King — England hostile to liberty — England feared the union of the native Irish with the Norman race — The ascendency of the party in favor of English interest — Edward wrote to his Chief Justice to remove all persons from office who had lands in Ireland — Ireland put under the control of the ascendency party of the pale — The statutes of Kilkenny — It was made a crime to speak the'Irish language — It was made a crime to entertain the Irish bards — An attempt to govern Ireland by English laws — Poyning's law — Henry VHI. introduced the system of corruption in Ireland — The limits of the pale — Reli gious bigotry — The reign of terror — No compromise — The independence of Ireland — Charges against the English government- — England must do justice to Ireland — The Irish landlords — Absentees — What England must do for Ireland — -The Irish republic — Ireland must be separated from England.

About the year 432, a new era commenced in Ireland, by the introduction of Christianity and Latin letters by St. Patrick, after whom Ireland can boast of pious and learned men, who spread Christianity over Europe. For centuries after, Ireland abounded in learned men, and kept the Latin language pure, even after Rome herself ceased to speak Latin, in the market places. While the clouds of darkness and barbarism obscured Europe, Ireland had 7,000 students in the seminary of Ar magh alone, who spread through Europe the literature and glory of the Isle of Saints. How completely this refutes the slanders of Hume and other English historians. Those hirelings would fain make the world believe that the Irish were barbarous before the Norman invasion ! And this in despite the fact that the hospitality of Ire land was enjoined as a religious duty.

No family was suffered to change their abode without notice, lest the traveler should be disappointed of his expected reception. There was no need of inns in a land of such true hospitality ! As a further proof of the greatness of Ireland, we can adduce, from the best of testimony, that Oswald, the Saxon king, applied to Ireland for missionaries to teach his people Christianity! Irish missionaries founded churches and monasteries in France, Italy, England, and Switzer land. Two hundred years before the time of the famous Charlemagne, the most learned men were of Ireland. Even the great Alfred brought over from Ireland professors for his Oxford college ! Yet we find Hume, and Gibbon, and other English writers, who copy the falsehoods of the historians of the pale, assert that no credit should be given to what they call the tales of the historians of Ireland.

So much for English falsehood. We are told by the venerable Bede, that Egfred, the king of Northumberland, made an abortive descent on Ire land, about the year 684. The Romans had meditated an invasion of Ireland, but the plan was never put in force. About the eighth century, the Danes and Norwegians made frequent descents on the coasts of Gaul and Britain ; and as they came from the north they were called North men in Gaul ; and as they came from thence east to the coast of Britain and Ireland, they were called Ostmen, or Eastmen. After frequent descents on the coast of Ireland, the barbarians made some settlements on the coast. Those places became afterwards flourishing cities. In 825, Turgesius landed in Ireland with a powerful force. He pillaged and devastated the country. After some re sistance he was proclaimed monarch of Ireland.

The barbarities of those northern invaders are depicted, by the historians of the time, in the most pathetic colors, for their oppression, cruelty, and great devastation of a highly civil ized and happy country. He destroyed the seminaries of learning and religious houses. The most prominent and flourishing settlements of the Danes were Dublin, Water ford, Limerick, and Wexford.* This oppression at length aroused the spirit of the nation. Malachy and the famous Brian Boreu defeated the Danes in several pitched battles. But the most decisive battle was that fought at Clontarf, by Brian, which broke the power of the Danes in Ireland for ever. Many of the Ostmen became Christians, others were united by marriage to the native Irish. This caused a mixture of the races, which became the bane of Irishmen and Ireland!

The Ostmen, many of whom were prosperous merchants en gaged in trade, were permitted to live in Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Cork, and Limerick, and other towns. And as their descendants embraced the Christian religion, they in time, by frequent intermarriages, lost their separate iden tity, as a separate and distinct people. The Christian Danes attached themselves to the soil, and obeyed the laws of the Irish princes, and marched under their banners. They became very wealthy, and paid a large tribute to the Irish kings. The Dano-Irish Christians built churches, but they preferred their own clergy. Dano-Irish bishops presided over the sees of Waterford, Dublin and Limerick. All the towns ending with " ford," or " wick," are all of Danish origin. Many of the noble families of Ireland can trace their origin back to those fierce invaders — to those northern warriors who bowed down before the shrine of Odin!

Those invaders broke up the peace and fidelity of the Irish, which was followed by self-indulgence, jealousies, and self-interest of the now mixed races — which is the con sequence of mixing a Christian and civilized race with a pagan and barbarous race. Even where there was no mixture of the races, the evil example of the Danes had an injurious and evil effect on the morals of the people of Ireland. After the defeat of the Danes, order, peace and security revived. Churches were built, ruined seminaries were rebuilt, lands were cultivated, and the laws administered. We will now come to the invasion of Ireland, in the time of Henry IL, which has caused more woe to Ireland than was inflicted by the pagan and barbarous warriors of the Baltic. The fierce sea-kings, the heroes of Valhalla, saved many monuments of art in Ireland, only to be destroyed by the christians of England.

The English invaders of Ireland were outlaws in their own country, the illegitimate offsprings of the harlot Nesta, a Welsh girl, who had two natural children with Henry the First. Those natural children were Robert Fitz-Roy and Henry Fitz-Henry. She afterwards married Gerald, con stable of Pembroke, by whom she had Maurice Fitz-Gerald, from whom sprung the Geraldines of the House of Kildare and Dermond. From this same Welsh lady sprung the families of Carews, Geralds, and Fitz-Williams, Graces, Fitz-Henries and Fitz -Maurices. Thus the first hordes, under Strongbow, were from Wales, and not England. This same Strongbow and his principal followers were the off springs of this harlot Nesta ! At the time Strongbow landed in Ireland, the country was divided into five kingdoms. The whole was governed by one monarch.

Ulster was governed by the house of Hy-Nial; Munster by the O'Brien; Connaught by the O'Connor ; Leinster by Dermond M. Murchad, (or M. Mor rough); and Breffney by the O'Rourk. Breffney included the counties of Cavan and Leitrim. M. Murchad seduced O'Rourk's wife. For this outrage he was banished from his kingdom by the united forces of O'Rourk and O'Con nor, the then monarch of Ireland. He fled to England, re paired to Henry, complained of his great misfortune, and im plored the aid of Henry to recover his lost kingdom. He promised to recompense the British king by becoming his vassal. Henry was too much occupied by the revolt of his French subjects, and also in his difficulty with Bishop Becket, to go in person to Ireland, but he gave license to any of his subjects who would engage in the enterprise, and assist Dermond to recover his lost kingdom'.

By the aid of the treacherous Dermond, the outlaws, Strongbow and Robert Fitz-Steven, landed in Ireland and enacted their bloody deeds of cruelty. He landed in Wexford. Those bloody invaders desolated the country with fire and sword. Though they called themselves christians, they wrere the bloodiest of any invaders known in ancient or modern history. Their cruelties were written in characters of blood. They knew no law but the law of the sword — the strong arm. Those invaders were savage, cruel, unculti vated, ambitious and avaricious adventurers. Henry landed in Ireland and assembled a synod of the clergy at Cashel, but he. did not innovate on the ancient laws of Ireland, nor the customs of the people. He did not attempt to impose the laws of England on the people of Ireland, but left them in the full enjoyment of the Bre hon laws !

In 1178, Henry conferred on his son John the title of Lord of Ireland, which was the only title assumed by the sovereigns of England until the reign of Henry the Eighth, who assumed the title of King of Ireland. In the reign of King John, the English colony in Ireland was divided into counties, and sheriffs and other officers were appointed — the great ambition of this monarch being to assimilate the laws of the two countries. Henry justified his invasion under the specious plea of promoting religion, and imparting to Ireland the great blessings of English civilization ! The civilization he did impart, the reader can best learn from the following letter of King O'Neil to Pope John, written in the reign of Ed ward the Second. We make no apology for inserting it here. It is as follows : " To the most holy father in Christ, Lord John, by the grace of God ; his devoted children, Donald O'Neil, King of Ulster, and by hereditary right true heir of Ireland, as also the chieftains, and nobles, and the people of Ireland, recommend themselves most humbly, &c, &c. " It is extremely painful to us, that the vicious detractions of slanderous Englishmen, and their iniquitous suggestions against the defenders of our rights, should exasperate your holiness against the Irish nation, but alas ! you know us only by the misrepresentations of our enemies, and you are exposed to the danger of adopting the infamous falsehoods which they propagate, without hearing anything of the de testable cruelties which they have committed against our ancestors, and continue to commit even to this day against ourselves.