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13
Other foundations for the future were also laid at this time. In the first place,
the early faint traces of a modern Irish nation can, with hindsight, be discerned in a
new closer association of the Old English and the Gaelic Irish. They already shared
much Gaelic blood and culture, but now the common adversity in experiencing a
new, ruthlessly interfering English government brought them closer to each other. A
further century of adversity would complete their amalgamation.
Secondly, something had already happened that encouraged that amalgamation –
the failure of the Reformation in Ireland. The Reformation of the Church – which
had made England Protestant and the English monarch supreme head of the Church
instead of the Pope – had not taken effect in Ireland. The simplest reason for this was
a straightforward physical one: the same as that which aggravated all England’s
problems in Ireland. Communication was extremely difficult with a population of
about a million people scattered across an Ireland half covered with bog and scrub,
and with almost no roads at all. Even if the English government had not had its work
cut out trying to impose civil law, let alone religious doctrine, the Irish Church –
which had itself shown no interest in the new Lutheran ideas – was to a great extent
still more inaccessible behind the major barrier of the Irish language.
As a result, although Ireland was by sovereign and government technically
committed to the reformed Protestant religion, Protestantism remained virtually a
deal letter except in and around the seat of government, Dublin. There was a political
reason too why Elizabeth was in no hurry to press the Protestant point. A real danger
existed that her difficult subjects in Ireland would make an ideological religious
appeal for help in their troubles to Catholic powers in Europe like Spain, who might
wish to use Ireland as a back door into England. Elizabeth did not want to strain
unnecessarily the loyalty of those who were prepared to be loyal by overantagonizing
them on points of religious doctrine.
The Gaelic Irish and the Old English thus acquired a further distinctive badge of
difference from the new English officials and settlers by remaining Catholic while the
new men were Protestant.
II. Answer the questions.
1. Why did the Old English resist the new order?
2. What foundations for the future were laid at that time?
3. Why did the Reformation fail in Ireland?
4. What did famous contemporaries write about Privy Council in 1576?
5. What did the pore Spenser write of the Irish?
III. Retell the text.
Unit Nine.
I. Read and translate the text.
The last of the great Gaelic Irish chieftains to make a stand against the intrusions
of government on the civil front was a fascinating if complex figure from the wilds of
13
Other foundations for the future were also laid at this time. In the first place,
the early faint traces of a modern Irish nation can, with hindsight, be discerned in a
new closer association of the Old English and the Gaelic Irish. They already shared
much Gaelic blood and culture, but now the common adversity in experiencing a
new, ruthlessly interfering English government brought them closer to each other. A
further century of adversity would complete their amalgamation.
Secondly, something had already happened that encouraged that amalgamation –
the failure of the Reformation in Ireland. The Reformation of the Church – which
had made England Protestant and the English monarch supreme head of the Church
instead of the Pope – had not taken effect in Ireland. The simplest reason for this was
a straightforward physical one: the same as that which aggravated all England’s
problems in Ireland. Communication was extremely difficult with a population of
about a million people scattered across an Ireland half covered with bog and scrub,
and with almost no roads at all. Even if the English government had not had its work
cut out trying to impose civil law, let alone religious doctrine, the Irish Church –
which had itself shown no interest in the new Lutheran ideas – was to a great extent
still more inaccessible behind the major barrier of the Irish language.
As a result, although Ireland was by sovereign and government technically
committed to the reformed Protestant religion, Protestantism remained virtually a
deal letter except in and around the seat of government, Dublin. There was a political
reason too why Elizabeth was in no hurry to press the Protestant point. A real danger
existed that her difficult subjects in Ireland would make an ideological religious
appeal for help in their troubles to Catholic powers in Europe like Spain, who might
wish to use Ireland as a back door into England. Elizabeth did not want to strain
unnecessarily the loyalty of those who were prepared to be loyal by overantagonizing
them on points of religious doctrine.
The Gaelic Irish and the Old English thus acquired a further distinctive badge of
difference from the new English officials and settlers by remaining Catholic while the
new men were Protestant.
II. Answer the questions.
1. Why did the Old English resist the new order?
2. What foundations for the future were laid at that time?
3. Why did the Reformation fail in Ireland?
4. What did famous contemporaries write about Privy Council in 1576?
5. What did the pore Spenser write of the Irish?
III. Retell the text.
Unit Nine.
I. Read and translate the text.
The last of the great Gaelic Irish chieftains to make a stand against the intrusions
of government on the civil front was a fascinating if complex figure from the wilds of
