Course Description:
The small country of Ireland has played a significant role not only in American history, but also in world history.  This significance is only recently being more fully appreciated.  This course begins with an introduction to the history of Ireland up to the Reformation, followed by an overview of the 16th century, in which the English Tudors launched the conquest and colonization of Gaelic Ireland. Over the next two centuries the English were able to establish a Protestant Ascendancy and a profound sectarian division occurred in the country. We will look at the Penal Laws which facilitated the Ascendancy, the rebellions against it, the development of populist Catholic politics in the early 19th century under Daniel O’Connell and the impact of the Great Famine. We will also examine the changing status of Catholics within Ireland and of Ireland within the United Kingdom at the dawn of the 20th century. The key developments and forces since partition in 1922 including “The Troubles” and the current peace process  will be explored with the goal of understanding the current situation in the Republic and in Northern Ireland, with some attention to the possible future for the island as a whole.

Course Requirements:
A research paper (15-20 pages) on a topic related to the course content (40%); class presentation on an individual from attached list (10%); final exam (40%); and class participation (10%).

Required Books:
Moody and Martin, The Course of Irish History
Maria Edgeworth; Castle Rackrent
McGlinchey, The Last of the Name
O’Faolain, Are You Somebody
Roy, The Fields of Athenry
Holland, Hope Against History

Schedule of Classes:
Sept.  4: Introduction.

Sept. 11: The Vikings and The Coming of the Normans; Moody,  1-8; Roy, 1-2

Sept. 18: Ireland and the Tudors; Moody, 9-10; Roy, 3

Sept. 25: The Breaking of the Irish; Moody, 11

Oct.    2: The Rebellion of 1641; Moody, 12; Roy, 4

Oct.    9: Reading Day

Oct. 16:  The Jacobite War and the Penal Laws; Moody, 13-14

Oct. 23:  Protestant Ascendancy–Done and Undone; Moody, 15; Edgeworth; Roy, 5
  Presentations begin

Oct. 30: The Plan of Union and the Great Emancipator; Edgeworth, cont.; Moody, 16

Nov. 6: The Great Famine and beyond; Moody, 17; McGlinchey, all

Nov.13: Home Rule, Civil War(s) and Partition; Moody, 18-19

Nov. 20:  Modern Ireland; O’Faolain; Roy, 6; Moody, 20-21; Holland, Part I

Nov. 27: Ireland Today; Moody, 22-23; Holland, Part II/III

Dec.  4: The Ireland of Tomorrow

Class Presentation:
Each student should select a figure on whom to make a 5-7 minute presentation to the class. Details will be discussed in class.
 
 

St. Patrick  St. Kevin St. Columcille St. Columbanus Brian Boru Ormond(s) Desmond(s) Geraldine(s) O'Neill(s)

Henry II Henry VIII Elizabeth I Thomas Wentworth William Laud Oliver Cromwell Isaac Butt Henry Grattan Robert Emmet

James Napper Tandy Wolfe Tone Daniel O'Connell John Doheny Thomas Meagher John Mitchell William Smith O’Brien Charles Trevalyen

Charles Stewart Parnell Lady Gregory Countess Markievicz Michael Collins Eamonn de Valera Arthur Griffith Edward Carson Roger Casement

Patrick Pearse James Connolly Gerry Adams Ian Paisley Sean Lemass Charles Haughey Bertie Ahern Mary Robinson