Ireland "Too Optimistic"


On Saturday October 8th, 1881, The London Illustrated News published an article about some of the different political occurrences throughout the British Empire. The author begins by describing the British war effort against the Sudanese for the majority of the article before discussing the events that were transpiring in Ireland. It had been slightly more than ten years since the first Irish land act was passed, and very minimal change had occurred over that decade. The article then shifts its focus to the newly appointed Irish Lord Chancellor, Thomas O’Hagan, a man who had held the same position six years earlier, and a speech that he had made regarding the Irish Land Acts. In his speech O’Hagan is described as being “too optimistic” when discussing the Irish and their prospects moving forward. Of course anything written during this period regarding the prospect of the Irish obtaining political agency from the British could be considered “too optimistic” given the oppressive nature of their relationship. The author highlights the progress that Ireland has made by improving both its education and legal systems, though the author’s tone signifies that British’s initial attitude towards the Irish, that the Irish needed to make even more substantial progress to be viewed as equals in their eyes. 
The author even attempts to imply that the progress made by the Irish was only made possible because the British allowed them to progress in such a way. Rather than focus on the improvements that the Irish had made over the last decade the author again decides to incorporate Irish stereotypes in the article. Rather than describe how specifically the Irish had improved their country the author elects to attack them by stating that the policies put into effect by the British lawmakers were responsible for the “diminution of drunkenness” and that many Irish citizens engage in “secret agencies of violence and intimidation.” It appears to be impossible for the British to write something unbiased about the Irish and the progress towards political agency and independence that they made over this period of time. The article and the British’s tone towards the article is summed up perfectly when the author writes that the Lord Chancellor is being “too optimistic” because it demonstrates the resentment of the Irish held by the British, and it reaffirms the stunted development of an Irish free state under British rule. 

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