An unmitigated blessing: the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland
BREXIT isn’t an obvious pattern (yet) for historical study. But what happened to the Irish Church 150 years ago resonates with the contemporary turmoils over Britain leaving the EU. A long and entwined union was suddenly undone by a political upheaval in Britain. A determined prime minister soldiered on in the face of all sorts and conditions of opposition, eventually emerging with a result. The process was complex, taking some 2½ years from initial thrust to completion.
* Full article available in printed copies.
Ian d’Alton
is Visiting Research Fellow, Centre for Contemporary Irish History, Trinity College Dublin.