The Irish Act of Union: A Study in High Politics, 1798-1801 - Hardcover

Geoghegan, Patrick M.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0717128830 ISBN 13: 9780717128839

Publisher: Gill & Macmillan Ltd, 1999

Synopsis

This book examines two key areas which although linked have previously been separated by historians: the passage of the Act of Union and the resignation of Pitt in 1801. Geoghegan's book covers the period from May 1798, the outbreak of the great rebellion, to March 1801 and the collapse of Pitt's ministry.

About this title

From the Author

The Union Debate
The Union was an act of arrogance. It was arrogantly conceived, and executed with the ruthless inefficiency that characterised much of government activity in the period. The year 2000 marks the bicentenary of the passing of the Irish Act of Union, a piece of legislation that ended the Irish parliament and in doing so became one of the defining events for the modern Irish political nation. The 19th century became dominated by attempts to repeal the Union, and even in the 20th century much of the violence on the island was between competing groups who want to end, mend, or ultimately defend the measure.

This book is an examination of the reasons behind the introduction of the Union, why Prime Minister Pitt was so anxious to see it pass, and how the British government did everthing necessary to ensure it succeeeded. The account follows on from G.C. Bolton's study 'The passing of the Irish Act of Union' (1966), and includes an analysis of new secret service papers that were only discovered in 1996.

Catholic emancipation was also entwined in the Union debate: Pitt wanted to allow the catholics to vote and sit in parliament, but an unwilling king, and the machinations of a group of anti-catholic conspirators ended up destabilising the government in the critical period of late-1800. Ultimately, Pitt resigned and his ministry was broken ensuring that the Act of Union never became the inclusive measure he had intended.

This book endeavours to tell the story of what happened between 1798 and 1801. It is an investigation of the high politics of the period, and an examination of the unusual circumstances that saw the abolition of the Irish parliament and the collapse of the British government.

About the Author

Dr. Patrick Geoghegan is an historian attached to the Royal Irish Academy where he is working on the multi-volume dictionary of Irish biography. He is also preparing a biography of Robert Emmet

Edition details

• Publisher: Gill & Macmillan Ltd
• Publication date: 1999
• ISBN 10: 0717128830
• ISBN 13: 9780717128839
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 300