CHAPTER III

THE QUESTION OF THE IRISH LAND--SKETCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE LAND SYSTEM OF IRELAND TO THE YEAR 1870

Great importance in the history of Ireland of the conditions of land tenure--The ancient Celtic land system and its characteristics--The Norman conquest of Ireland--Norman feudalism in the Irish land--The policy of Henry VII., and especially of Henry VIII.--The era of the conquest and confiscation of the Irish land--The possessions of the O'Connors of Offaly wrested from them--Forfeiture of the domains of Shane O'Neill, and of the Earl of Desmond--Attempts at colonisation--All Ireland made shire land--The extinction of the old Celtic land system--The Plantation of Ulster-- Progress of confiscation during the reigns of the two first Stuarts--The Civil War--Immense confiscations made by Cromwell--His scheme of colonisation a failure--The era of confiscation closes after the battle of the Boyne and the fall of Limerick--The Penal Code of Ireland--Its fatal effects on the Irish land--Dismal period in Irish landed relations-- Gradual improvement--The period described by Arthur Young-- Evil traces of the past remain--Whiteboyism and agrarian disorder--State of Irish landed relations up to the rebellion of 1798, and after the Union--Over-population and the results--Distress after the Peace--State of Irish landed relations up to 1844--The Report of the Devon Commission--The Famine and its effects on the Irish land--The Encumbered Estates Acts--State of Irish landed relations from 1848 to 1868 84-129