How and why did the French Revolution affect Ireland essays

How and why did the French Revolution affect Ireland essays The French Revolution had an overwhelming affect on Ireland. The similar situations in the two countries meant that the French Revolution had real relevance for Irish society, as it provided an example of how to overthrow a tyrannical regime and helped break the sectarian deadlock which had disabled the reform movement of the 1780s, as Presbyterians were encouraged by the actions of the French Catholics to embrace the Catholics of Ireland. The Irish Catholics, due to the restrictions imposed by the Penal Code, accepted the principles expressed in France, as did the Presbyterian community for both pragmatic and ideological reasons. The politicization and radicalization of the Irish Catholics, under the Catholic Committee caused the Irish government to further adopt suppressive methods to deal with this revolutionary force. The French Revolution helped spark the rebirth of the Irish reformist movement, expressed through the radical United Irishmen, who helped develop a Catholic-Presby terian alliance and the beginnings of an Irish separatist movement, again serving to increase the intransigence of the Ascendancy, as war with revolutionary France broke out in 1793. Ireland was a fertile ground for revolutionary principles to gain acceptance due to previous developments and the tradition of dissent, which existed throughout the country. The tradition of Colonial Nationalism, and wide belief in the Social Contract Theory combined with the experiences of the American War and Volunteering meant that the country was already rich in the principles expressed in France, and had experience in opposing a corrupt system of government. The subsequent failure of Grattans Parliament to represent the views of the Irish Presbyterian and Catholic communities, and the failure of the reform movement, caused by the Catholic question, had already induced feelings of frustration within the country, making the message...