We are trying to understand why Irish Protestants should figure so prominently in British military history and the collective Irish in world literature.
the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo
Lord Kitchener says your country needs you
My blog posts may seem to be of random origin, but in fact they are inspired by the scattered remarks of the readership. So today we will continue this great tradition with an attempt to explain why so many of Britain's greatest generals have been of Protestant Irish stock, and make an attempt to understand why Irish writers have been amongst the greatest in the world.
Background in the colonisation of Ireland
By way of background, recall the Protestant Reformation in 1517 when Martin Luther famously nailed his 95 Theses to the door of a church in Germany. The Reformation spread across Europe, challenging the authority of the Catholic Church everywhere.
In England, the Reformation took hold under Henry VIII in the 1530s, following the break with the Catholic Church over his divorce and his establishment of the Church of England (the Anglican Church), in other words is rejection of the power of the Pope who could make and break rulers in those days.
Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church marked the beginning of attempts to assert stronger English control over Ireland. His government began confiscating lands from rebellious Irish lords and redistributing them to English settlers in what were called "plantations".
Then under Queen Elizabeth I, the process of colonisation intensified with several plantations being established in the 1560s and 1570s, particularly in Munster and Laois-Offaly. Protestant settlers from England and Scotland were given land confiscated from native Irish Catholics who had rebelled against English rule.
After the defeat of Irish chieftains in the Nine Years’ War (1594–1603), King James I began the Ulster Plantation in 1609, a large-scale colonisation project marking a major demographic and religious shift in the north of Ireland.
The English Crown had embraced Protestantism and sought to weaken Catholic influence in Ireland, seen as a threat to English rule and secure a loyal population in place of the frequent rebellions against English authority. These Protestant settlers were promised land, economic opportunities, and a chance to establish themselves as a ruling class in Ireland, making plantations attractive to many English and Scottish Protestants.
The plantations and the influx of Protestant settlers only led to centuries of tensions between the native Irish Catholics and the new Protestant settlers.
Perhaps the most brutal of repressions, and one that has never been forgotten, was Oliver Cromwell’s campaign, with many of his soldiers receiving land as payment, reinforcing the Protestant presence.
So, the Protestant Reformation in the early 16th century set the stage for the later Protestant settlements - "plantations" - when successive English monarchs sought to consolidate power in Ireland by establishing Protestant settlements. From this history of conflict arose the tradition of great British generals of Protestant Irish extraction.
Great English military leaders
Of course the English when they think of their great military leaders, think of Horatio Nelson, Montgomery, John Churchill Duke of Marlborough (War of Spanish Succession), Robert Clive of India, Douglas Haig, Admiral John Jellicoe (Commander of the British Grand Fleet in World War I).
the Duke of Wellington at WaterlooGreat Protestant Irish military leaders
But interestingly, history records that the greatest of British generals as for some strange reason being of Protestant Irish extraction - Arthur Wellesley the Duke of Wellington, Lord Kitchener, Henry Wilson World War I strategist, Charles Cornwallis who led British forces during the American War of Independence, Frederick Roberts 1st Earl Roberts of Anglo-Afghan War fame, Sir George White of Ladysmith.
That military tradition of Protestant Irish serving in the British Army began in the 17th century, particularly with the Williamite Wars in Ireland (1688–1691). These conflicts pitted Protestant supporters of William of Orange against the Catholic forces of King James II. Many Protestant Irish saw military service as a way to secure land, wealth, and status under the British Crown. Over time, Protestant Irish families continued to serve in British military campaigns, reinforcing this tradition across generations, especially in the context of the British Empire.
Great Irish poets
Let's run through some of the best known...
William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
One of the most celebrated Irish poets, Yeats was a key figure in both Irish literature and politics, winning the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923. His works often reflect Irish mythology, history, and the supernatural.
Jonathan Swift (1667–1745)
Best known for Gulliver’s Travels, Swift was also a talented satirist and poet, writing witty verse that critiqued politics and society in Ireland and England.
Thomas Moore (1779–1852)
Famous for his Irish Melodies, Moore was a poet, songwriter, and lyricist whose work captured the spirit of Irish nationalism and romanticism.
James Clarence Mangan (1803–1849)
A significant figure in Irish literature, Mangan's poetry often focused on themes of Irish history, melancholy, and mysticism.
Patrick Kavanagh (1904–1967)
Kavanagh's poetry is noted for its rural realism and portrayal of ordinary life in Ireland. His most famous works include The Great Hunger and On Raglan Road.
Louis MacNeice (1907–1963)
Part of the generation of poets that included W.H. Auden, MacNeice’s work often dealt with themes of politics, war, and Irish identity. His Autumn Journal is widely acclaimed.
Seamus Heaney (1939–2013)
Widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, Heaney won the Nobel Prize in 1995. His works, such as Death of a Naturalist and North, reflect Irish history, rural life, and the Troubles.
Eavan Boland (1944–2020)
Boland's poetry focused on Irish history, womanhood, and the role of women in Irish society. Her works such as In Her Own Image are celebrated for their feminist themes.
Derek Mahon (1941–2020)
Mahon’s poetry explored Irish history, exile, and the challenges of modern life. His A Disused Shed in Co. Wexford is considered one of the finest poems of contemporary Irish literature.
Paul Muldoon (1951–)
A major figure in contemporary poetry, Muldoon’s work is known for its wit, linguistic playfulness, and deep engagement with Irish history. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2003.
Why this tradition in the British military
There are several possible factors at work here, within this hiztory of colonisation:
1. Social Mobility: Protestant Irish often found military careers to be one of the few avenues for upward social mobility within the British Empire.
2. Cultural Identity: As Protestants, they were more integrated into British institutions, allowing them to rise in the ranks.
3. Geopolitical Ties: With Ireland being a part of the British Empire, ambitious Irish Protestants often aligned their loyalties with the British Crown.
4. Military Tradition: There was as we have seens, a long history of Protestant Irish serving in the British Army, which became a tradition across generations.
5. The Irish Perspective
Historically, many Irish people, like others facing hardship, were concerned with survival, their future, and their prospects for wealth. Over time, some may have developed a feeling of inferiority when comparing themselves to the English, and would have sought to distance themselves from their Irish identity once they'd picked up an English dialect.
This phenomenon was common in many Irish families. While some embraced their heritage with pride, others were eager to align themselves with Scottish or English roots, sometimes downplaying their Irish background.
6. Mercenary Spirit
The stereotype of the Irish being impoverished, resentful, and aggressive has fed into the notion that they made ideal mercenaries. There’s an unkind view that the brightest Irish left for America, the UK, or other places to find prosperity, leaving behind those who perpetuated the stereotype of the "dim-witted Paddy." This perspective, while popular, is deeply unfair and overlooks the complexities of Ireland’s history and the resilience of its people.
Final Thoughts
The history of the Irish diaspora and the experiences of those who remained in Ireland is complex, with many individuals navigating their identity and circumstances in different ways. Simplistic stereotypes fail to capture the diversity and depth of these experiences.
This article has discussed the significance of Irish Protestant leaders in British military history, emphasising their historical role within the British Empire.
Following the colonisation of Ireland by England, the Protestant Anglo-Irish population gained substantial political and military opportunities, becoming integral to British imperial expansion.
Their military prominence stemmed from their Protestant status, which aligned them with British colonial interests, providing paths to leadership. Military service became a family tradition among the Anglo-Irish elite, often starting with education in military schools, leading to significant roles in British military campaigns across Europe and beyond. This social and political alignment helped cement a long tradition of Anglo-Irish contributions to British military success.
Leaders like the Duke of Wellington and Lord Kitchener exemplify this trend. This military culture became a point of pride and identity for many Anglo-Irish families, passing from generation to generation, and continuing to influence British military circles for centuries. Ultimately, this history reflects the broader colonial relationship between Ireland and Britain, where Protestant Irish leaders found their place in the British Empire's power structure.
Now let's turn to a parallel understanding of what makes Irish literature so appreciated on the world stage.
Why this literary tradition?
Take Mahon for an example. Mahon’s (1941–2020) poetry explores Irish history, exile, and the challenges of modern life. His 'A Disused Shed in Co. Wexford' is a bit weird, but is considered one of the finest poems of contemporary Irish literature apparently.
Or Paul Muldoon (1951–). A major figure in contemporary poetry, his work is known for its wit, linguistic playfulness "Life is a misprint in the sentence of death", and deep engagement with Irish history. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 2003.
So same question as for military success - how to explain the success of the Irish on the world literary stage?
From the stories of goblins etc I imagine there is a rich oral story telling tradition and as the best are selected and refined this is going to create a lot of rich mythical material for publication.
To anyone who used to teach English or speak two languages, there is a tendency to see things in language terms and what better medium than poetry. For example, there's a huge Irish diaspora, so presumably Irish writers have a world audience for their ideas, a world public that includes impressionable students. A world English-speaking audience.
Most of the Catholic Irish are bilingual and if you've always got words fighting for attention then this tends to bring out puns and in general a sense of humour, as opposite ideas meet and clash and surprise; plus the influence of a second language on the first tends to give a recognisably different linguistic style, an all-Irish style in this case, to the writing.
But beyond the linguistics is the content. As the first people to be colonised, not just do the Irish have a world English-speaking audience for a peculiar style, but also they've got something to talk about that much of the colonised can warm to - the Irish are best placed to develop and understand and talk about themes of exile, rebellion, oppression and identity...we're all interested in this subject: "who am I?", "where am I from?", " what am I doing here?".
The depth of religious faith too, until recently at least, must also provoke deep thinking and philosophical points of view on subjects like existence and morality and universal connection. There's yet another rendering of "waiting for godot" opening on the West End. Hundreds of years of oppression, famine and internal and external unrest, must give the Irish a sense of "the eternal outsider" to muse on the meaning of existence, going back to Beckett and the 1950s.
So anyway, the success of Irish writers on the world literary scene needs explaining and what makes them different seems to come from their linguistics, history and culture. It gives them the ability to capture a world audience with themes we can all relate to.
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