G'day Uncle Dave,

English History, let alone Irish, isn't big in my Antipodean aenda, but I understand Ireland was declared part (or possession) of England in (~) the 11th century by the Pope ... "The English Pope" ... the only time the Pope was English! I can't find a good listing of early popes - but this bloke was English-born, however he was associated with one of the French seminaries (St Denis ... ?) and rarely even lived in England.

Of course, the Irish did not agree ... they weren't happy with the Roman style of Catholicism ... but they lost the crucial religious battle about a century before (Nice ... ?).

All that said, I think it all came to a head with Henry VII and Protestantism ... and then Queen Elizabeth was the one that strengthened English forces in Ireland - and instituted "The Pale" ... the ring of castles that defined the limits of strong English rule. (Chase up the origin of the expression "blarney" to see aspects of that episode.

Subsequently, it was Cromwell that used main force to assert English rule (Hey! He might have no regard for the Pope ... but did not relinquish the deed of gift.)

Regards,

Bob Bolton