In 1800, the Act of Union legally united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. This decree is still present in what we would recognise in the United Kingdom today, with the most significant amendment being the fact that it now only applies to Northern Ireland, rather than the modern-day Republic of Ireland. Overall, the political and religious impacts of the Act were disastrous for Irish peace and sovereignty, and arguably laid the foundation for the tumultuous future that lay ahead for Ireland.
In order to examine the impact of the Act of the Union holistically, it is important to consider its potential positive impacts before delving into its catastrophic long-term consequences. Firstly, Ireland’s union with Great Britain provided a springboard for economic growth due to sharing Britain’s ever-expanding economy. Thus, the union seemed like a sensible decision for the economies of both nations (particularly Ireland) at the time. One may also argue that a potential propitious impact of the union was that Roman Catholics would be respected as a minority in the United Kingdom rather than in constant conflict with the Protestants, as was the case in the original Kingdom of Ireland. However, the reality was that Roman Catholics became even more oppressed than they had ever been before, with freedom of religion and political representation becoming a huge issue in this new Union. The parliament at Westminster completely ignored the economic problems that Ireland were having, which was made even more difficult with the prospect of war.
The catastrophic religious impacts of the Act of Union for Roman Catholics can be examined in the wording of the Act itself. Despite Catholicism being one of the most prominent religious groups in the Kingdom of Ireland, it stated that the Anglican Church (attributed to Protestantism) was to be the official Church of Ireland, and no Catholics were allowed to hold public office. Thus, a large proportion of the original Irish population were completely undermined by this Act, especially as religion was fundamental to one’s life during this period. This was a significant factor in the formation of anti-unionist groups and demonstrations, and in turn, creating a foundation for civil and religious unrest to thrive. This impact also raises an even larger question of Irish nationality in general. The abolishment of the parliament in Dublin for seats in the official parliament of Great Britain completely eroded the concept of Irish institutions and traditions. The Act of Union itself preserved what we would call the Irish nationality, and thus we would expect it to preserve Ireland’s own separate institutions, customs, and interests. However, the creation of one parliament diminished this concept (even though Ireland kept its own Courts of Justice and Civil Service), creating a conflict between the notions of Irish nationality and Irish independence. Thus, the Act of Union was not sustainable in the long-term, as it provoked unrest that would later become a major problem for the Irish people. None of the religious, political, or economic grievances of the Irish citizens were even attempted to be solved (with war making this extremely difficult), and even greater schisms between religions and nationalities were created. This not only exacerbated pre-existing problems in Ireland, but also made the united parliament divided and inefficient, which could prove to be fatal during the prospect of war.
Overall, the impact of the Act of Union did not settle any tensions in Ireland as was intended, but rather further encouraged religious divides and civil unrest. The conservation of Irish nationality without preservation Irish institutions such as the parliament of Dublin proved to be a disastrous move for both Ireland and Great Britain. Consequently, this Act exacerbated the religious and political tensions in Ireland even more, and these tensions would continue up until the 1990s during ‘The Troubles’. To conclude, there was a prospect of the Act of Union being beneficial to the Irish economy and settling political divides, but this was rooted in mere idealism, and the reality created a tumultuous political landscape that would continue for decades.
By Alex M
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