A Detailed Review of McGrath's 'Ireland, English Colonisation' Article

This literature review delves into Charles Ivar McGrath's article, "Ireland, English Colonisation," which provides a historical overview of English colonization efforts in Ireland starting in the late fifteenth century. The review highlights that while initial English presence was limited, the English Monarch became the Lord of Ireland, marking the beginning of a significant interrelation between Ireland and the British Empire. The analysis incorporates Canny's perspective on cultural evolution and the application of Social Darwinism by English colonizers. It further explores the political instability in England that led to focused policies towards Ireland, the English colonizers' perception of civilizing less advanced societies, and the impact of the Tudor Dynasty, particularly the influence of Poynings’s Law on Irish legislature. The review also addresses the failure of early reforms due to the Kildare rebellion and the subsequent shift towards systematic and diplomatic policies, emphasizing the lasting influence of English acts and legislations on Irish law, and concluding with Canny's claim on how the colonization of Ireland influenced the ways in North America.

English colonization of Ireland in the 1500s.

 Article: Ireland, English Colonisation
 Author: Mcgrath, Charles Ivar
 Is Part Of: Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450
Summary
This article authored by Charles Ivar Mcgrath has been adapted from the Encyclopaedia of
Western Colonialism since 1450. This article informs about the history of English
colonisation in Ireland in the end of fifteenth century. The article informs that English
colonisation in Ireland had been centred in small areas and what efforts were taken by the
English colonisers to enhance their presence in Ireland. The author informs that there is a
significant interrelation between Ireland and British Empire that started from colonisation and
continued till today.
Analysis
The article provides the information regarding the English colonisation in Ireland. It has been
identified that, though the English colonisation in the 15th century in Ireland was limited to
the small number of areas, yet the English Monarch became the Lord of Ireland. The work of
Canny has informed that English colonisation in Ireland was mainly the part of the process of
cultural evolution and through the process of cultural evolution,1 Canny identifies that the
English colonisers applied the modern concepts of Social Darwinism and the “White Man’s
Burden.”2. Another significant aspect of the English colonisation during the late 15th century
was that England had suffered the political instability due to many years of war, therefore,
they focused on adopting the coherent policies towards Ireland.
Studies have identified that English colonisers held the view that they have the responsibility
spreading civilization to the less advanced people and societies, which was as perceived by
the Romans in what they had done for early Britons3. This was the main reason that English
colonisers adopted more sustained policy that further led to the advent of the Tudor Dynasty
under the regime of Henry VII in 1485. Under the supervision of Sir Edward Poynings, led
the foundation for the first Tudor attempt for establishing a permanent English presence in
Ireland through the means of constitutional reform and military conquest in Ireland. Until the
late 18th century, the enactment of the Poynings’s Law had been the significant base for
1 Canny, The ideology of English colonization: from Ireland to America, 578
2 Nelson, Connecting Ireland and America: Early English Colonial Theory 1560-1620, 28
3 Loeber, The geography and practice of English colonisation in Ireland from 1534 to 1609, 15.

defining the Irish legislature, as well as the relationship between the Irish and English
executives of government. Therefore, White has also identified that such influence of English
Acts, legislations and policies could be still identified in Irish law4. Mcgrath identified that
early endeavours of the reform in Ireland by the English colonisers had failed due to the
Kildare rebellion5. However, the suppression of this rebel created the further opportunities for
reform all over Ireland. In the middle and late 15th century, the English government focused
on developing the systematic and diplomatic policies and missions that were aimed towards
establishing the English rule through peaceful means. The similar efforts continued in the 16th
and 17th centuries as well. Canny has therefore claimed that experience of English colonisers
in Ireland had also influenced their ways in their colonisation attempt in North America.
Bibliography
4 White, The impact of British colonialism on Irish Catholicism and national identity: Repression, reemergence,
and divergence, 23.
5 Mcgrath, Ireland, English Colonisation, 646.

Canny, Nicholas P. "The ideology of English colonization: from Ireland to America." The
William and Mary Quarterly: A Magazine of Early American History (1973): 575-598.
Loeber, Rolf. The geography and practice of English colonisation in Ireland from 1534 to
1609. No. 3. Group for the Study of Irish Historic Settlement, 1991.
Mcgrath, Charles I. “Ireland, English Colonisation.” In Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism
since 1450, edited by Thomas B., 646-648, Macmillan Reference USA, 2007.
Nelson, Robert Nicholas. "Connecting Ireland and America: Early English Colonial Theory
1560-1620." (2005).
White, Timothy J. "The impact of British colonialism on Irish Catholicism and national
identity: Repression, reemergence, and divergence." Études irlandaises 35-1 (2010): 21-
37.