eedom from Britain. James II traveled to Ireland in 1689. He did not come alone; he brought the bulk of the French army. James wished to spread religious tolerance in Ireland. An ensuing conflict with William of Orange was the only thing that stood in his way. James gained massive support from many non-Anglicans from both sides of the spectrum, Protestants and Catholics alike. But like the debacle of Charles I, Catholics in Northern Ireland chose the wrong ally. With James’ defeat by William of Orange, the Catholics found 120,000 of their people in exile. All non-Anglicans found themselves being denied their suffrage and the right to hold public office as a result of the conflict. Catholics were punished for this transgression; they were forced to divide all land among all of their heirs. This was a harsh punishment because after a few generations the estates would be so small they would carry very little power. Despite all the hardships confronted trying to gain a free nation the Catholics persevered.The times kept changing and a new menace emerged that threatened the Northern Irish way of life. This threat was not of war or of rebellion; it was a new colony. The year was 1782 and many Irish Protestants were planning on relocating to the American Colonies. This forced the men in Parliament to take drastic action. They declared Ireland a separate sovereign nation, yet kept it subject to the English monarch. In essence, this change didn’t give the Irish the power they thought it would. However, it seemed as if the hopes and dreams of many Catholics of the nation would be realized. Little did they know of the hardships that lay ahead of them. Ireland prospered under this new arrangement throughout the mid-1780s. Catholics were granted the right of equality in land-ownership. Just as Catholics seemed to be able to gain power of their own and a good life, the ugly head of violence crept over the Irish Catho...
