Elizabeth I and Ireland

Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until 24 March 1603.

One of her first moves as queen was to establish an English Protestant church, of which she became the Supreme Governor. Elizabeth became famous for her virginity, and a cult grew up around her which can be seen in the portraits, pageants, and literature of the time.

According to the English monarchs and noblemen of the time the Irish people were considered uncivil, rude and barbarous. They had been trying to control the Irish in the hope of imposing new obedience to the English law. Elisabeth was determined by a sense of missionary license to civilize the Irish, whom she felt were getting out of control. During this time Elisabeth’s armies used all their force, strength and might in trying to control the Irish and enforce her laws. The aggressive acts of the English administrators and soldiers and the incompatibility of Gaelic Irish society with English law and government were the reason for the rebel’s violence.

During a revolt in Munster led by Gerald FitzGerald, Earl of Desmond, in 1582, an estimated 30,000 Irish people starved to death. Elizabeth advised her commanders that the Irish be well treated; but she showed no remorse when force and bloodshed were deemed necessary. Between 1594 and 1603, Elizabeth faced her most severe test in Ireland during the Nine Years War, a revolt that took place at the height of hostilities with Spain, who backed the rebel leader, Hugh O'Neill, who was the most powerful Irish Lord in Ireland. O’Neil surrendered in 1603, a few days after Elizabeth's death.  As a result after this period, by the end of Elisabeth’s reign, the English had for the first time the control of the government. The Irish culture, law and language were replaced.

 Elizabeth I and Irish legend.

There is a Stone called the ’Blarney Stone’ and it’s based in Blarney Castle near Cork city in the County of Muster.  http://www.blarneycastle.ie/

It said that whoever kisses this stone receives the ‘Gift of the gab’, It means, you became able to talk for a long time, tell stories and convince people to do what you want using this new skill.

The legend that involves Elizabeth I is that while she was requesting an oath of loyalty to retain occupancy of land, The Lord of Blarney (Cormac Teige McCarthy) was promising her loyalty without surrendering to her. When she received this answer she said: “This is all Blarney, what he says he never means”.

So she created this new word, ‘Blarney’, which reportedly means: influence by a gentle urge.

Analice Amaral.