The greatest gerrymander in Irish history? James I’s 40 boroughs of 1612–13

In 1603 two events—the establishment of a united Ireland under English rule for the first time, and the accession of James I—set the scene for a major reorganisation of Ireland’s urban network. The new monarch pursued a two-pronged urban policy in his Irish kingdom: first, the autonomy of the existing urban network was greatly reduced; … Read more

The new boroughs and the Ulster Plantation

It is sometimes asserted that the 40 boroughs were established as part of the Ulster Plantation, but in fact only 45% (eighteen) were in Ulster, while 22% (nine) were in Munster, 18% (seven) in Leinster and 15% (six) in Connacht. The best-represented counties were Down and Cork, with four each; Donegal and Tyrone with three … Read more

Irish municipal boroughs

Since the Norman invasion, a chain of self-governing municipal boroughs had been established in Ireland, chiefly in the more heavily settled provinces of Munster and Leinster. A municipal borough or borough corporation was a self-governing town and the granting of this privilege was known as incorporation, which involved receiving a charter or written constitution (generally … Read more

Compensating for the Rising: the papers of the Property Losses (Ireland) Committee, 1916

Several hundred uncatalogued claims made by householders and business-owners between May and August 1916 have recently been discovered in the National Archives. Typically, each claim is organised into a pro-forma and a schedule of losses, followed by correspondence between insurers, solicitors and other parties. In some instances architectural drawings or contractors’ receipts are included. For … Read more