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TranslationsTranslations

Historical and Cultural ContextHistorical and Cultural Context


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Ireland before the EnglishIreland before the English

GaelicGaelic--speakingspeaking

Living under LordsLiving under Lords

and Chieftainsand Chieftains Catholic populationCatholic population


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A slow process ofA slow process of

colonisationcolonisation Through the medievalThrough the medieval

period, the Englishperiod, the English

attempt to colonise andattempt to colonise and

rule Irelandrule Ireland

From 1608, policy ofFrom 1608, policy of

plantationplantation seizingseizing

land from the Irish andland from the Irish and

giving it to English (andgiving it to English (andScots) settlersScots) settlers

especially in in theespecially in in the

NorthNorth


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The Penal lawsThe Penal laws imposed by the Protestant ruling class inimposed by the Protestant ruling class in

the 17the 17thth CenturyCentury

The Irish Catholic was forbidden to receiveThe Irish Catholic was forbidden to receiveeducation.education.

He was forbidden to enter a profession.He was forbidden to enter a profession.

He was forbidden to hold public office.He was forbidden to hold public office.

He was forbidden to engage in trade orHe was forbidden to engage in trade orcommerce.commerce.

He was forbidden to purchase land.He was forbidden to purchase land.

He was forbidden to vote.He was forbidden to vote. He was forbidden to keep any arms for hisHe was forbidden to keep any arms for his

protection.protection.

He could not be guardian to a child.He could not be guardian to a child.

He could not attend catholic worship.He could not attend catholic worship.


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The LiberatorThe Liberator In the early 19thIn the early 19th

century,century, the Catholicthe CatholicAssociationAssociation formedformedunderunderDanielDaniel

O'ConnellO'Connell:: a national movementa national movement

to campaign forto campaign forCatholicCatholic

emancipationemancipation, which, whichwas achieved inwas achieved in1829.1829.


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The Potato famineThe Potato famine

late 1840slate 1840s The potato cropThe potato cropfails because of Blight.fails because of Blight.Catholic peasants largely leftCatholic peasants largely left

to starve by Protestantto starve by Protestantlandlords.landlords.

starvation, disease andstarvation, disease andemigration cause the Irishemigration cause the Irishpopulation to plummet by twopopulation to plummet by two

million by 1851, tomillion by 1851, toapproximately six millionapproximately six millionpeople.people.

TranslationsTranslations is set just beforeis set just beforethe Potato faminethe Potato famine


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Armed resistanceArmed resistance

1848 Catholic armed1848 Catholic armed

rebellion failsrebellion fails

1867 The Fenians1867 The Fenians

(Irish Republican(Irish RepublicanBrotherhood)Brotherhood)

attempted an uprisingattempted an uprising

in 1867, which failsin 1867, which fails


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Irish war ofIndependenceIrish war ofIndependence

1919: the Irish1919: the IrishRepublican ArmyRepublican Armyfights a war offights a war of

independence againstindependence againstEnglish rule.English rule.

1921: as a1921: as acompromise solution,compromise solution,

Ireland is partitioned.Ireland is partitioned.


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Partitioned IrelandPartitioned Ireland

Northern Ireland remainsNorthern Ireland remainspart of the Unitedpart of the UnitedKingdomKingdom

Catholics in NorthernCatholics in NorthernIreland feel like anIreland feel like anoppressed minorityoppressed minority

Southern IrelandSouthern Irelandbecomes anbecomes anindependent countryindependent country Eire.Eire.

Eire still aims to uniteEire still aims to uniteIrelandIreland


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The TroublesThe Troubles

1960s1960s the IRAthe IRAbegin a terroristbegin a terroristcampaign to try tocampaign to try to

achieve Irishachieve Irishunificationunification

Bombings andBombings andshootings continueshootings continuethrough the 70s andthrough the 70s and80s80shttp://www.youtube.com/watchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VL_5y8R8Gkh?v=2VL_5y8R8Gk

Friel writesFriel writesTranslationsTranslations in thisin this

contextcontext


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TodayToday a fragile peacea fragile peace

19981998 Good FridayGood FridayAgreement endsAgreement endsterrorist hostilitiesterrorist hostilities

power is now sharedpower is now sharedin Northern Irelandin Northern Irelandbetween Protestantbetween Protestantand Catholic politicaland Catholic political

parties, including Sinparties, including Sinn Feinn Fein


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Language, Culture andLanguage, Culture and

IdentityIdentity The traditional, native language in Ireland isThe traditional, native language in Ireland isGaelic.Gaelic.

1919thth

CenturyCentury --G

aelic is suppressed by theG

aelic is suppressed by theEnglish in Ireland. Education in theEnglish in Ireland. Education in the NationalNationalSchoolsSchools is compulsory and entirely in English.is compulsory and entirely in English.Gaelic usage dwindles.Gaelic usage dwindles.

T

odayT

oday, a small minority of Irish are fluent, a small minority of Irish are fluentGaelic speakers, though it is an officialGaelic speakers, though it is an officiallanguage in Eire and much is done to promotelanguage in Eire and much is done to promoteitit

http://www.irishhttp://www.irish--sayings.com/cats/irishproverbs/sayings.com/cats/irishproverbs/


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QuestionsQuestions does languagedoes language

matter?matter? Why has English been so successful in theWhy has English been so successful in the

world?world?

Would the world be better or worse if we all

Would the world be better or worse if we allspoke just one language?spoke just one language?

What would be lost if we all spoke oneWhat would be lost if we all spoke onelanguagelanguage e.g. English? Why might peoplee.g. English? Why might people

(e.g. the Irish) resist that?(e.g. the Irish) resist that? If you speak more than one languageIf you speak more than one language whatwhat

do these languages mean to you?do these languages mean to you?

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