Chapter 11

The Irish Plantations

2.1 RECOGNISE how a pattern of settlement and plantation influenced
identity on the island of Ireland, referring to one example of a pattern
of settlement, such as the growth of towns, and one plantation

11.1 Timeline
11.2 Cornell Notes
11.3 Keywords
11.4 Knowledge Organiser
11.5 Questions
In this chapter, you'll learn about the colonization and settlement of Ireland by English
and Scottish Protestants, the impact on Irish society, and the resistance to plantation
policies.

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 Chapter 11
The Irish Plantations
2.1 RECOGNISE how a pattern of settlement and plantation influenced identity on the

Strand Two: The History of Ireland

island of Ireland, referring to one example of a pattern of settlement, such as the growth of
towns, and one plantation
Queen Mary I orders the Battle of Kinsale
King James I orders
Plantation of Laois and Hugh O'Neill and the
the Plantation of
Offaly, confiscating the Spanish Armada fail
land of the O'Moores and against the army of Queen Ulster, the only
O'Connors Elizabeth I successful plantation

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1537 1557 1583 1601 1607 1609 1652
Surrender and Regrant Queen Elizabeth I The Flight of the Earls Oliver Cromwell
Henry VIII sends first orders the Plantation of Hugh O'Neill and Rory confiscates Irish land
English Protestants to Munster after two failed O'Donnell flee Ireland and confides Irish
Ireland Desmond Rebellions but die in exile. Catholics to Connaught
THE IRISH PLANTATIONS • The Irish Plantations is the name given to the 16th and 17th centuries in Irish history when Irish
land was confiscated by the English Crown and then colonised by British settlers which
coincided with the British Reformation.

IRELAND IN THE 1500S • Ireland was home to three major groups of people:
• The Old English – people living in the Pale who were loyal to the English Crown. As a result of
the Reformation, tensions between the Gaelic Irish and the Old English increased.
• The Anglo-Irish – Anglo-Norman descendants who adopted many Gaelic customs and laws
into English ways of life. Powerful Anglo-Irish families included the Fitzgeralds of Kildare, the
Fitzgeralds of Munster and the Butlers of Ormond/Kilkenny.
• The Gaelic Irish – The Gaelic Chieftains who followed Irish Brehon Law which dated back to
the Iron Age and did not recognise the English king as ruler of Ireland. Powerful Gaelic Irish
families included the O’Neills of Tyrone, the O’Donnells of Donegal and the MacCarthys of Cork.

THE TUDORS AND • Henry VII came to power in England in 1485, beginning the reign of the Tudor Era. The Tudors
IRELAND
had several reasons for wanting to fully conquer Ireland:
• to expand their territory • to spread their new religion (Protestantism)
• to spread English customs, culture and laws • to prevent further rebellions
• to prevent the Gaelic lords forming alliances
• to save money in the long term
with other Catholic countries (France and
Spain) against England.

HENRY VIII (1509-1547):

• Henry VIII initially tried to control Ireland through peaceful means through the policy of
SURRENDER AND
REGRANT surrender and regrant. This meant that Anglo-Irish and Gaelic Irish lords would “surrender”
themselves and their property to Henry VIII and he would “grant” them their land back along
with and English title (lord, earl or baron).
• Some families gained wealth and power under this policy.
• Many Anglo-Irish and Gaelic Irish lords now accepted Henry VIII’s rule over Ireland.
• Irish lands were now passed down under English system of succession (father to oldest son)

Irish Plantations The Irish Plantations was the period of Irish history when Irish land was colonised by British
Old English settlers. The Old English who were loyal to the English Crown and resided in the Pale while the
Anglo Irish Anglo-Irish combined English and Irish traditions in their ways of life. The Gaelic Irish continued
Gaelic Irish to follow Brehon Law from the Iron Age and did not recognise the English king as ruler of Ireland.
Tudor Era The Tudor Era (1485 – 1603) saw the English Crown begin its consolidation of control over the
Surrender and regrant island of Ireland. This process began initially under Henry VIII who wanted to use a peaceful
English title approach; through the policy of surrender and regrant. This gave some families English titles
Succession while introducing the system of succession to the island.
THE POLICY OF • When the king confiscated Irish lands, he allowed them to be rented by or sold to English
PLANTATION
settlers (plantation).
• The new settlers (planters) spread English language, customs, law and religion while also
defending their new land from the Gaelic Irish.

THE EARLY PLANTATIONS • Henry VIII’s only son, Edward VI, became king in 1547 when he was only nine years old. He
EDWARD VI (1547-1553) died because of tuberculosis six years later in 1553. Edward was succeeded by his eldest
half-sister Mary I who was a Catholic like her mother, Catherine of Aragon.

QUEEN MARY I (1554 – • The Gaelic Irish lords of Laois (the O’Moores) and Offaly (the O’Connors) raided the Pale for
1558): THE LAOIS-
OFFALY PLANTATION cattle and other resources frequently.
• Queen Mary I confiscated their lands before she had them divided into estates of between 350
and 1000 acres to loyal Englishmen who were born in England or Ireland.
• Laois was renamed Queen’s County while Offaly was renamed King’s County.
• The first plantation was a failure, mainly due to the fact it did not attract enough planters.

QUEEN ELIZABETH I
• Queen Mary I died in 1558 with no heirs. Her younger half-sister Elizabeth I succeeded her.
(1558-1603): THE
MUNSTER PLANTATION Elizabeth was Protestant like her father and mother, Anne Boleyn.
• Adventurers claimed land in Munster, declaring themselves to be descendants of Anglo-
Normans who had been granted land in Munster by Henry II.
• Elizabeth I appointed presidents in the region as well; they were tasked with imposing English
law, language and customs as well as spreading the Protestant religion.
• The Irish lords (the Catholic Fitzgeralds of Desmond) were angered by this, resulting in two
failed rebellions (the Desmond Rebellions).
• Desmond lands were given to undertakers who agreed to do as they were told with the land
given to them such as dividing land into estates of 4,000 – 12,000 acres, hire English tenants,
import English cattle, sheep and horses.
• Not a complete failure; new towns like Mallow, Tralee, and Ennis set up but not enough planters.

Plantation The policy of surrender and regrant was followed by the policy of plantation. Planters did not
Planters arrive in Ireland under the reign of Edward V but did under the reign of Catholic Queen Mary I.
Edward VI The Gaelic Irish Clans of Laois and Offaly had their lands confiscated by Queen Mary I who then
Mary I granted their lands to English planters. The Laois-Offaly Plantations were a failure due to not
Elizabeth I enough planters arriving from England. Mary I was succeeded by her half-sister, Protestant
Adventurers Queen Elizabeth I who oversaw the Munster Plantation which saw the adventurers,
Presidents presidents and undertakers plant previously owned Gaelic Irish land, spreading English laws,
Undertakers customs & language. The Munster Plantation had more success than the Laois-Offaly Plantations.
KING JAMES I (1603 – • The most powerful Gaelic Irish clans in Ulster were the O’Neills of Tyrone and the O’Donnells
1625); THE PLANTATION
OF ULSTER of Donegal. In the Nine Years War (1594-1603), the Ulster chiefs fought against the spread of
BACKGROUND English law, religion, language and customs with the support of King Phillip II of Spain. O’Neill
and O’Donnell were defeated at the Battle of Kinsale (1601).
• The Treaty of Mellifont was signed in 1603 to end the war, under terms that meant that the
Gaelic Irish lords had to accept English control.
• In 1607, O’Neill and other Ulster chiefs fled to Europe (the Flight of the Earls) with hopes of
returning with troops to take back control.
• Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, also with no heirs, marking the end of the Tudor Era. Her
cousin, James Stuart, succeeded her as King James I, marking the start of the Stuart Era. He
would be responsible for the Plantation of Ulster after his successful plantation of Scotland.

HOW THE ULSTER

• The Ulster Plantation too place in Armagh, Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh and Tyrone.
PLANTATION WAS
ORGANISED • Land was divide into smaller estates that in Munster with no bigger than 2,000 acres.
• Estates were given to three kinds of planters:
1. Undertakers: English or Scottish planters – received most of the land.
2. Servitors: English or Scottish soldiers who had fought for the Crown.
3. Loyal Irish: native Irish who had stayed loyal to the English during the Nine Years War.
• The entire county of Derry was reserved for London craft guilds and renamed Londonderry.
Each section of land in the county was given to a guild e.g. blacksmiths and goldsmiths.
• Catholics had to live in The Bogside (the boggy area outside Derry’s town walls)

RESULTS OF THE • The Ulster Plantation was a success, resulting in the following:
ULSTER PLANTATION
• Large numbers of planters arrived. • Ulster became the most loyal to the Crown
• Protestantism rose leading to religious division • The 1641 rebellion and massacre of
and tensions between Catholic natives and Protestants led to Oliver Cromwell’s violent
Protestant settlers. conquest of Ireland.
• New towns with markets, English style houses • New farming methods were introduced and
and stone castles were built. tillage (crop) farming increased.

Nine Years War The Ulster Chiefs, O’Neill and O’Donnell rebelled against the spread of English control during the
Battle of Kinsale Nine Years War before they were eventually defeated at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. The war
Treaty of Mellifont officially came to an end with the Treaty of Mellifont that forced Gaelic Irish chiefs to accept
The Flight of the Earls English rule in Ireland. The O’Neills and O’Donnells fled during the Flight of the Earls. In 1603,
James I Londonderry Elizabeth I died and was succeeded by James I who would organise the Ulster Plantation. Land
Undertakers The Bogside was divided up between undertakers, servitors and loyal Irish. English way of life spread while
Servitors Oliver Londonderry became home to English Guilds while the Bogside was home to the Catholic Irish.
Cromwell
Loyal Irish Oliver Cromwell would go onto violently consolidate English control over the island of Ireland.
THE EFFECT OF • Protestant planters became the ruling social class.
PLANTATION ON IRISH
IDENTITY • Lands of Catholic Gaelic Clans were taken over by Protestant British Planters.
RELIGIOUS IDENTITY • Religious divisions mirrored colonised/coloniser divisions, especially in Ulster.
• The majority of Ireland’s population remained Catholic but by 1700 owned 85% of the land,
becoming the Protestant Ascendancy.
• Anger and mistrust between Catholics and Protestants grew more and more violent over the
next few centuries, later developing into the Troubles in the late twentieth century.

POLITICAL CONFLICT • Power difference between Catholics and Protestants added to the religious tensions.
• Protestants consolidated their power and control by the introduction of the Penal Laws in 1603.
These laws suppressed the status of Catholics by forbidden Catholics from buying or inheriting
land; owning a good weapon or horse; working in government; attending Mass; voting.
• The Penal Laws would greatly affect Irish identity and shape people’s political beliefs.

CULTURAL CHANGE • Gaelic Irish language and culture decline sharply – by 1700, English was the main language
of trade and power on the island.
• Gaelic Brehon Law was replaced by English Common Law.
• English farming methods replaced the Gaelic ways in many areas as tillage farming increased.

GROWTH OF • Many new towns were planned and built all over Ireland during the Plantations: Birr, Tullamore,
PLANTATION TOWNS
Derry, Portlaoise and Portalington
• Plantation towns were very different to the medieval housing and had the following features:
• Square layout with defensive walls. • Wide straight streets.
• Market square “the Diamond” • Courthouse
• Protestant Church • A gaol
• Well • Cannons on the walls
• Gaelic-style houses stayed outside the walls, usually on poorer quality land.

Protestant Ascendancy The Protestant Ascendancy became the ruling social class on the island of Ireland, owning 85%
The Troubles of Irish land while making up 15% of the population. Religious divisions and political differences
Penal Laws between the native Irish Catholics and Protestant British settlers would lead to rising tensions
Gaelic Brehon Law that would sometimes boil over into violence and conflict such as the Troubles. Penal Laws
English Common Law discriminated against Catholics while the English Common Law replaced the Gaelic Brehon
Diamond Law. Plantation towns, particularly those in Ulster such as Derry, were very well planned and
Gaol organised. Each plantation town contained features such as a diamond (market square), a gaol,
Tillage farming Protestant church and large defensive walls. Tillage farming grew in these plantation towns.
CASE STUDY: THE • Derry stands on a monastic settlement from the sixth century, founded by St. Colmcille.
PLANTATION TOWN OF
DERRY (LONDONDERRY) • Derry drew rapidly during the late sixteenth century and early seventeenth century.
• During the Nine Year War, the English placed a garrison here then gave it the status of city.
• After coming to power, James I needed funding to plant Ulster. To do this, he offered the county
of Derry to the London guilds in exchange for funding; the guilds accepted and renamed the
county ‘Londonderry’.
• From 1610 to 1618, the guilds spent 8 years building a fortified city which was planned in a grid
pattern – which still remains today (best seen through aerial photography). High defensive walls
were built around the city to protect it from Gaelic Irish attacks which still stand today.
• Derry is the only remaining walled city on the island of Ireland that remains intact.

PLANTATION AS A • The Irish Plantations are an example of a contentious issue in Irish history.
CONTENTIOUS ISSUE
• The Plantations directly contributed to deep religious divisions (especially in Ulster) and a
power difference between native Irish Catholics and British Protestant descendants. By
the start of the eighteenth century, Protestants owned 85% of land while only making up 15%
of the population, leading to growing anger and mistrust with occasional outbreaks of violence.
• The Penal Laws of 1603 helped Protestants consolidate their position of power and control as
they denied Catholics the opportunity to escape poverty or achieve social/economic security;
this discrimination inflicted on Irish Catholics would forever shape their political beliefs in the
centuries to follow with the rise of nationalism and unionism.
• Differences between the two would lead to rising tensions, discrimination, conflict and violence
across the island, particularly in Northern Ireland.
• Derry became a recurring flashpoint of these increasing tensions and conflicts.
• The Siege of Derry (1688-1689) saw Protestant supports of King William of Orange resist a
siege by the supporters of Catholic King James II; it is still commemorated each year.
• The 1969 Commemoration of the Siege of Derry would spark three days of rioting that would
become known as the Battle of the Bogside – one of the first conflicts of three decades of
The Troubles.

Contentious Issue The Irish Plantations are an example of a contentious issue in Irish history. The plantations led
Religious Divisions to religious divisions on the island of Ireland and created a political power difference between
Penal Laws James II between native Irish Catholics and British Protestant descendants. The Penal Laws were an
Discrimination Siege of Derry example of discrimination between the two religious groups which mirror their political status.
Nationalism Battle of the This discrimination would later lead to the rise of nationalism and unionism on the island. Derry
Bogside
Unionism would become a recurring representation of the boiling tensions with the commemoration of the
William of Orange 1688-89 Siege of Derry (William of Orange vs James II) leading to the 1969 Battle of the
Commemoration Bogside during the Troubles.
Anglicisation • Becoming more English in a language and culture.
• A group of people descended from the Anglo-Normans. Most had adopted the Gaelic Irish way
Anglo-Irish
of life by the 1500s.
• A group of English people descended from the Normans. They invaded Ireland in the twelfth
Anglo-Normans
century. They spoke English and followed English common law.
Bawn • A defensive stone wall around a house or castle.
Brehon laws • Gaelic Irish laws dating back as far as the Iron Age.
Colonisation • Where a country takes over another country, spreads its culture and settles its people there.
Colonist • A person who settles in a country that is under the control of their mother country.
Contentious Issue • An issue that people are likely to argue about.
Flight of the Earls • The event in 1607 when Hugh O'Neill and other Ulster chiefs left Ireland.
• A group of Irish people descended from the ancient people of Ireland. They spoke Irish and
Gaelic Irish
followed Brehon Law.
Identity • The characteristics or features that make a person or people who they are.
Lord deputy • The English Crown's highest representative in Ireland.
Lordship of Ireland • Parts of Ireland that accepted the rule of the English Crown.
Loyal Irish • Native Irish who had stayed loyal to the Crown during the Nine Years War.
• A failed rebellion (1593-1603) against English rule in Ireland. It was led by Hugh O'Neill, Earl of
Nine Years' War
Tyrone.
Old English • A group of people in the Pale who were loyal to the King and descended from the Anglo-Saxons.
Penal Laws • Laws that suppressed the status of Catholics in Ireland
• Members of the Anglican elite. They made up 15% of the population but owned 80% of the land.
Protestant Ascendancy
They were the only people allowed to take seats in the Irish parliament.
• English soldiers and government officials who served in the Nine Years' War and were rewarded
Servitors
with land in the Ulster Plantation.
• A policy of control that avoided warfare. A Gaelic chief surrendered his land to the English
Surrender and regrant
Crown. The Crown regranted the land back to the chief in return for a promise of loyalty.
The Pale • The area within and around Dublin where English rule was at its strongest.
The Plantations • A policy of control that replaced disloyal people in an area of land with loyal planters (settlers).
Undertakers • English and Scottish settlers who came to Ireland during the Plantations.
Wattle and Daub • Woven mesh plastered with a mixture of mud, dung, sand and straw.
 The Irish Plantations 2.1 RECOGNISE how a pattern of settlement and plantation influenced identity on the island of Ireland, referring to one example of a pattern of

Chapter 11
Term Definition
settlement, such as the growth of towns, and one plantation
Anglicisation Becoming more English in a language and culture.
The Stone Age
A group of people descended from the Anglo-Normans. Most had The Irish Plantations were a series of colonization schemes undertaken by the English and Scottish governments in Ireland from the 16th to the 17th century, leading to significant cultural,
Anglo-Irish
adopted the Gaelic Irish way of life by the 1500s. social, and economic changes. They were driven by four main causes:
Control: The English government wanted to establish control over Ireland by redistributing land to English and Scottish settlers and suppressing the native Irish culture, language, and
A group of English people descended from the Normans. They invaded
traditions.
Anglo-Normans Ireland in the twelfth century. They spoke English and followed
Religious conflict: The English government viewed the Catholic Irish population as a potential threat to their control, which led to significant religious conflict between Protestants and
English common law.
Catholics in Ireland. The plantations were used to establish Protestant control over the country by settling Protestant English and Scottish settlers on land taken from Catholic Irish
Bawn A defensive stone wall around a house or castle. landowners.
Economic gain: The English government saw the potential for economic growth in Ireland through the establishment of new industries and farming methods. The new settlers brought with
Brehon laws Gaelic Irish laws dating back as far as the Iron Age.
them new methods of farming and industry, which created economic competition and to further impoverishment of the native Irish population.
Where a country takes over another country, spreads its culture and Land availability: The English government saw the opportunity to acquire land in Ireland, which was largely owned by native Irish landowners. The redistribution of land was seen as a way
Colonisation to both establish English control over the country and to acquire new land for economic gain.
settles its people there.
A person who settles in a country that is under the control of their The Laois-Offaly Plantation The Munster Plantation The Ulster Plantation
Colonist
mother country. The Laois-Offaly Plantation was a land confiscation and The Munster Plantation was officially authorized by The Ulster Plantation was officially authorized by James I in
settlement scheme undertaken in Ireland by the English crown Elizabeth I in 1586 and was carried out by English 1609, and it involved the confiscation of land from native
Contentious Issue An issue that people are likely to argue about.
in the mid-16th century, the first large scale confiscation of administrators such as Sir Walter Raleigh and Richard Boyle. Irish chieftains and the redistribution of that land to English
The event in 1607 when Hugh O'Neill and other Ulster chiefs left land in Ireland. In 1556, Mary I authorized the plantation and The plantation was a brutal process, involving the and Scottish settlers. The plantation was carried out over
Flight of the Earls
Ireland. granted lands to English settlers, while confiscating the displacement of many Irish people from their land and the several decades and was marked by violence, with many
property of Irish chieftains who resisted English authority. It suppression of any resistance to English authority. The native Irish people forcibly removed from their land. The
A group of Irish people descended from the ancient people of Ireland. established a precedent for the confiscation of land and the plantation also involved the introduction of English laws, plantation also led to the introduction of English laws,
Gaelic Irish
They spoke Irish and followed Brehon Law. displacement of Irish people, which continued with subsequent language, and customs to the area, which further language, and customs to the area, which further
The characteristics or features that make a person or people who they plantations throughout the country. It also led to increased established English control over Munster. The plantation had established English control over Ulster. The Ulster Plantation
Identity English influence in Ireland and helped to establish English a lasting impact on Irish history. It helped to establish had a lasting impact on Irish history. It helped to establish
are.
control over large parts of the island. English control over a significant part of Ireland and paved English control over a significant part of Ireland, and it
Lord deputy The English Crown's highest representative in Ireland. the way for subsequent plantations in other parts of the played a significant role in the centuries-long conflict
country. The plantation also contributed to the tensions between Ireland and England. The plantation also
Lordship of Ireland Parts of Ireland that accepted the rule of the English Crown.
between the native Irish population and English settlers, contributed to the sectarian divisions in Northern Ireland
Native Irish who had stayed loyal to the Crown during the Nine Years which would continue to fuel conflicts in Ireland for that continue to this day, as the Scottish and English settlers
Loyal Irish
War. centuries to come. who were brought to Ulster were overwhelmingly Protestant,
while the native Irish population was largely Catholic.
A failed rebellion (1593-1603) against English rule in Ireland. It was led
Nine Years' War The Cromwellian Plantation Consequences
by Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone.
The Cromwellian Plantation was a brutal process that involved The Irish Plantations had many consequences and a significant impact on the identity of the island of Ireland. The
A group of people in the Pale who were loyal to the King and
Old English the confiscation of land from native Irish landowners and the redistribution of land from native Irish landowners to English and Scottish settlers. This created a divide between the
descended from the Anglo-Saxons.
redistribution of that land to English and Scottish settlers. The Protestant and Catholic communities in Ireland, with the majority of settlers being Protestant and the native Irish
Penal Laws Laws that suppressed the status of Catholics in Ireland plantation was marked by extreme violence and oppression, population being largely Catholic. This divide has continued to shape the political and social landscape of Ireland and has
with many Irish people forcibly removed from their land and often led to conflict and tension.
Members of the Anglican elite. They made up 15% of the population
subjected to harsh treatment. The plantation also involved the The plantations also had a significant impact on the Irish language, which was largely suppressed during this period. The
Protestant Ascendacy but owned 80% of the land. They were the only people allowed to take
suppression of the Irish language, culture, and traditions in language became associated with the native Irish population, and its use was discouraged by the English authorities. This
seats in the Irish parliament.
favor of English customs. It had a lasting impact on Irish helped to create a sense of Irish identity that was separate from English identity, with the Irish language often seen as a
English soldiers and government officials who served in the Nine Years' history. It helped to establish English control over a significant symbol of resistance and cultural heritage.
Servitors part of Ireland, and it contributed to the centuries-long The economic consequences of the plantations were also significant, with many native Irish people losing their land and
War and were rewarded with land in the Ulster Plantation.
conflict between Ireland and England. The plantation also had livelihoods. The new settlers often brought with them new methods of farming and industry, which created economic
A policy of control that avoided warfare. A Gaelic chief surrendered a significant impact on the population of Ireland, with many competition and often led to further impoverishment of the native Irish population.
Surrender and regrant his land to the English Crown. The Crown regranted the land back to Irish people being forced to leave their ancestral homes and
the chief in return for a promise of loyalty. settle elsewhere and its legacy can still be seen today in the
cultural, social, and political divisions that continue to affect
The area within and around Dublin where English rule was at its
The Pale Ireland.
strongest.
A policy of control that replaced disloyal people in an area of land

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The Plantations with
loyal planters (settlers).
English and Scottish settlers who came to Ireland during the
Undertakers
Plantations.
Wattle and Daub Woven mesh plastered with a mixture of mud, dung, sand and straw.
The Irish Plantations
Doodle Revision Page or Sketch Notes
Include heading(s), short notes, keywords, timelines,
images (maps, drawings, diagrams) as needed

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The Irish Plantations ...at a glance
Ireland in the 1500s
The Old English: Lived in the Pale (Dublin and surrounding areas), loyal to the English Crown.
The Anglo-Irish: Descendants of the Anglo-Normans, living independently of the English Crown.
Powerful families: Fitzgeralds of Kildare, Butlers of Ormond.
The Gaelic Irish: Irish chieftains following Brehon law, did not recognise the English King.
Powerful clans: O’Neills of Tyrone, O’Donnells of Donegal.

The Tudors and Ireland

Henry VIII broke with the Catholic Church and declared himself Head of the Church of England.
Reasons for the Tudors' Conquest:
Expand their territory.
Spread English customs and Protestantism.
Prevent alliances between Catholic Ireland and France or Spain.
Surrender and Regrant: Irish lords surrendered their land to Henry VIII and were granted it back with
English titles.

Early Plantations
Laois-Offaly Plantation (1550s): Led by Queen Mary I, the lands of the O’Moores and O’Connors
were confiscated.
The plantation failed due to lack of settlers and constant Gaelic Irish attacks.
Munster Plantation (1580s): Led by Queen Elizabeth I after the Desmond Rebellions.
Large estates were given to undertakers (English settlers).
The plantation struggled due to attacks and low numbers of settlers.

The Ulster Plantation

Background: Hugh O’Neill and Red Hugh O’Donnell led the Nine Years War (1594-1603) against
English rule but were defeated at the Battle of Kinsale.
Flight of the Earls (1607): Irish lords fled to Europe after losing support.
Ulster Plantation (1609): Led by King James I, covering Donegal, Derry, Tyrone, Armagh,
Fermanagh, and Cavan.
Types of Planters:
Undertakers: Wealthy English and Scottish settlers.
Servitors: Former soldiers.
Loyal Irish: Native Irish who supported the English during the war.
New towns like Derry were built, Protestant settlers increased, and Gaelic Irish were pushed out.

Later Plantations
Cromwell’s Plantation (1650s): After the 1641 rebellion, Oliver Cromwell confiscated Catholic-
owned land and sent many Irish to Connaught or deported them.
By 1652, most Irish land was in Protestant hands.

Impact of the Plantations

Religious Identity:
Ireland’s ruling classes became Protestant, while the majority of the population remained Catholic.
By 1700, Protestants owned 85% of the land, creating divisions between Catholic Irish and
Protestant settlers.
Penal Laws: Restricted Catholic rights, including land ownership, education, and holding public office.
Cultural Change:
English became the dominant language.
English Common Law replaced Brehon Law.
Tillage farming replaced traditional cattle farming.
@MsDoorley

The Growth of Towns

New Plantation towns like Derry were built with wide streets and a market square.
Derry became a fortified city, renamed Londonderry by King James I.
The Plantations contributed to the growth of Irish towns and influenced the layout and infrastructure of
urban areas.
Ch. 11 - The Irish Plantations
Study this 1599 engraving of the Castle of Cahir and its estates below (the picture on the right is
a close-up) and answer the questions that follow.

Sh
uir
eF
in

20

(a) What type of source is this engraving?

(b) Give one benefit of this source and one limitation.
(c) What new farming methods can you identify in this source?
(d) From your study of the Plantations, describe two features of a plantation town.
(e) Name a plantation you studied as part of your Junior Cycle History course.
(f) Who ordered this plantation to take place?
(g) What changes occurred in Ireland as a result of the plantation that you studied?
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(h) Derry is an example of a plantation town. Name a type of source (other than engravings) that
could be used to research a plantation town, and explain why this type of source might be useful.

Taken from Artefact, 2nd Edition by Eimear Jenkinson and Gregg O'Neill (educate.ie)
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