Page 46 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

44  INTRODUCING IRELAND

Georgian Ireland

The Protestant Ascendancy was a period of great prosperity
for the landed gentry, who built grand country houses and
furnished them luxuriously. Catholics, meanwhile, were
denied even the right to buy land. Towards the end of the
18th century, radicals, influenced by events in America and
France, started to demand independence from the English
Crown. Prime Minister Henry Grattan tried a parliamentary Ireland in 1703
route; Wolfe Tone and the United Irishmen opted for armed Counties where Protestants
owned over 75 per cent
insurrection. Both approaches ultimately failed. of land

State bedroom

The saloon, the Casino’s
main room, was used for
formal entertaining. It
has a magnificent
parquet floor.

Stone lions by
Edward Smyth
(1749–1812)
The Irish House of Commons
This painting shows Irish leader Henry
Grattan addressing the house (see p64).
The “Grattan Parliament” lasted from
1782 to 1800, but was then abolished
by the Act of Union.
The basement contains the
servants’ hall, the kitchen,
pantry and wine cellar.

Surveyors
The 18th century saw work
begin on ambitious projects
such as the Grand Canal, new
roads and Dublin’s network of
wide streets and squares.

1731 Royal Dublin
Jonathan Swift 1724 Swift Society founded 1738 Death of Ireland’s most
(1667–1745) attacks Ireland’s to encourage famous harper, Turlough
penal code in A agriculture, art O’Carolan (see p28)
Modest Proposal and crafts
1710 1720 1730 1740 1750
1731 First issue of 1751 Dublin’s
1713 Jonathan Swift the Belfast News­ 1742 First performance Rotunda Lying-In
appointed Dean of letter, the world’s of Handel’s Messiah Hospital is first
St Patrick’s Cathedral oldest continually given in Dublin maternity hospital in
(see p86) running newspaper the British Isles

044-045_EW_Ireland.indd 44 08/03/17 11:05 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Starsight history template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1)
Date 22nd October 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm