I am curious here.

When Great Britain; that is England, Scotland and Wales accepted the Protestant Reformation, why is it that Ireland remained Catholic. And why did the people continue to remain in the Church even when it meant they could not own land or vote as a result of the Penal Laws established by King William III?

Because the Irish are stubborn as hell and refuse to conform.

i agree there. irish people are stubborn.

but according to a bbc doocumentary earlier this year, King William of Orange was not the bigot that he's been protrayed (it was his followers that created this myt that he's a bigot. indeed king william's army at the battle of the boyne was a more religously diverse army that king james and king william was also given a hero's welcome when he entered the towns of dundalk and ardee though this is because king james plundered these towns)

the penal laws were in place before king william's time, they were only fully inacted when queen elizabeth the first was excommunicated by the pope. king william was in favour of a getting rid of penal alws but the parliamentarians he left in charge of ireland did not see it his eway and that is why he is portrayed as being an anti-catholic bigot

It's because they couldnt spell Protestant. :D

In actual fact if you look at a religious map of Europe around that time it was the English who were the stubborn ones.

The rest of Europe, except for parts of Holland were Catholic. Both the French and Spanish attempted to invade England under orders of the pope. A Holy war if you will. Which is why Catholics were so mistrusted, especially when they were so close in ireland. And of course there were religious nutters on both sides.

The Penal laws were finally revoked by The Duke Of Wellington at a great cost to his own political career.

Irish Catholocism also blended very well with the indigenous Celtic/Pagan spirituality. To ask why they didn't reject Catholocism is to ask why they didn't also reject their own ancient path.

Irish Catholocism also blended very well with the indigenous Celtic/Pagan spirituality. To ask why they didn't reject Catholocism is to ask why they didn't also reject their own ancient path. True actually. One of the reasons why Ireland was invaded by the Normans was the Irish Church had a lot of heresies which were basically Druidic traditions which had survived into Christianity, Ireland did not listen to Rome and most importantly Ireland did not pay Church taxes to Rome. The Pope asked the King of England (Henry II I think) to invade so when an Irish regional king asked help from a Norman lord to win back his kingdom, and the Norman lord looked like he was trying to set up a rival kingdom in Ireland (his real reasons for helping the Irish guy), Henry invaded and thus carried out the Pope's wishes, put the lord back in his place and expanded his kingdom.

It's because they couldnt spell Protestant. :D

In actual fact if you look at a religious map of Europe around that time it was the English who were the stubborn ones.

The rest of Europe, except for parts of Holland were Catholic. Both the French and Spanish attempted to invade England under orders of the pope. A Holy war if you will. Which is why Catholics were so mistrusted, especially when they were so close in ireland. And of course there were religious nutters on both sides.

The Penal laws were finally revoked by The Duke Of Wellington at a great cost to his own political career.

and also both france and spain had tried to help/hinder ireland in the 16 and 17oo's.

france were a key ally in the 1798 rebellion (which was led by a presbyterian)

while spanish troops al;so tried to help ireland in the battle of kinsale in the late 16oo's or early 1700's aswell

both of which were big disasters

and also both france and spain had tried to help/hinder ireland in the 16 and 17oo's.

france were a key ally in the 1798 rebellion (which was led by a presbyterian)

while spanish troops al;so tried to help ireland in the battle of kinsale in the late 16oo's or early 1700's aswell

both of which were big disasters


Spanish troops invaded Scotland as part of the 1719 jacobite rising. They also invaded Cornwall back in the 1500's.

Neither invasion came to much.

Irish Catholocism also blended very well with the indigenous Celtic/Pagan spirituality. To ask why they didn't reject Catholocism is to ask why they didn't also reject their own ancient path.

Well catholicism certainly is backwood that is for sure. Cant help but feel irelnd would be a better place had it been ditched in the 1500.s

It would have be better for Ireland if Henry VIII hadn't changed his religion. All Christianity is "backwood", would have been better if ditched for secular humanism around 1500 ;).

It would have be better for Ireland if Henry VIII hadn't changed his religion. All Christianity is "backwood", would have been better if ditched for secular humanism around 1500 ;).

He didnt, Henry was a good catholic, he went to war with france in the Popes name. He may have split from Rome but it was Elizabeth who took the prostestant thing to heart.

There was no such thing as a secular society back then. I am not a fan of religion but Protestantism is a little less insane that catholisism.

I am not sure "good Catholic" is a label I would use for Henry but you are right, Elizabeth was a stuck up b***h ;).
I am not sure about the less insane part really either.

No secular humanists back then, but there were Christian humanists (not sure if they were very fashionable in merry ol' England though).

He was a very good catholic, untill he split with rome (which was just politics on all sides, nothing to do with religion). Up untill that point he was very much in the pope's good books, and had done a lot of Pro catholic Writing.

Hugs

lilnymph

I am not sure "good Catholic" is a label I would use for Henry but you are right, Elizabeth was a stuck up b***h ;).
I am not sure about the less insane part really either.

Not back then maybe. By our standards religins were pretty intolerant alround.

Elizabeth a stuck up bitch? Possibly but an effective and powerful ruler.

No secular humanists back then, but there were Christian humanists (not sure if they were very fashionable in merry ol' England though).

Cheap shot Myrddin.

Catholicisim is a hateful and violent religion whose crimes are so wide ranging i wont bother to list them. The whole thing is based on self denial and punishment isnt it.

Your own country is enjoying a renaissance I am glad to say, and is looking critically at the terrible things the church has done.

Whilst the early protestant werent a great bunch either, their various crimes against the jews and catholics are testament to that, it did give rise more easily to different thinking and different more peaceful sects. Something the catholics never allowed.

Like you I am no fan of religion, protestant, catholic, islamic or whatever. I guess if I had to choose a religion it would be Budhism.