Historical Summary
Ireland - Early 1700's
The century opens with the death of King William III of England and Scotland in 1702. His legacy in Ireland is a Protestant Nation where his supporters in the religious battles of the last decade are now in the ascendancy, and his Catholic opponents are the targets of marginalization and penalization. The Irish parliament is also under William's thumb, and they must disavow themselves of Catholic doctrines.
For their allegiance to Catholic King James II, the Irish Catholics were disarmed, their bishops banished. Penal laws were introduced to strengthened the position of the English Protestants in power, and reduce the Irish Catholics to impotent servants.
Historical Summary
Ireland - Middle 1700's
Economic hardships plague Ireland in the mid 1700's and the internalized harvest-dependant economy keeps Ireland on the brink of calamity. Low prices cause a bank failure in 1733 and famine strikes in 1740 causing bread riots in Dublin. The next year brings dysentery and 400,000 die in the year of the slaughter. The suggestion to cultivate the sturdier corn is met by calls of unfair competition from Britain, and famine returns in 1744 reducing the poor to eating grass. This is about the time Patrick was born.
Historical Summary
Ireland 1760's - The time we are told that Patrick left for America.
The growth of both political extremes: the agrarian secret societies and the parliamentary Patriots, show there is a common Irish desire for freedom from oppression. Their views on oppression are quite contrasting, however, as the religious British imposed inequalities have created grave socio-economic and judicial disadvantages for Catholics.
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