The Harp and Crown: An Irish AAR

[RossN]

The Harp and Crown: An Irish AAR

'From my tenderest youth I have considered the union of Ireland with Great-Britain as the scourge of the Irish nation. And that the people of this country can have neither happiness nor freedom whilst that connection endures. Every day's experience, and every fact that arose, convinced me of this truth; and I resolved, if I could, to separate the two countries. But as I knew Ireland could not of herself, throw off the yoke, I sought for help wherever I could find it.'

- Theobald Wolfe Tone

***

Hey all. I have finally bought a copy of Ricky and have an urge to try out an AAR. And where better to start than my own homeland?

Well, many places probably, but I'll try it anyway. Hope you guys will enjoy it, and as always I am open to suggestions and advice.

[Pablo Sanchez]

RossN writing another AAR.

Yes.

[RossN]

Prologue Part I

After the final defeat of Irish Jacobitism in 1692 Ireland was to enjoy a century of peace and prosperity. As the calamities of the previous hundred years receded into the soft fog of history a measure of wealth and stability returned to this battered and broken country. In Dublin's stately homes and mansions poets and playwrights produced works the equal of any great capital of Europe. The city docks thronged with the tall ships of a hundred foreign ports and flooded the kingdom with gold and goods from across the globe. Ireland was a kingdom, subordinate to Britain true, but with its own parliament.

Yet amidst the splendour cracks were evident. Of the Irish people fully two thirds were Catholic and second class citizens at best. Of the remainder, more than half were Presbyterians and while better off than their Catholic neighbours still laboured under stern restrictions. In Ireland only the Anglicans truly knew the benefits of prosperity and freedom - the 'Protestant Ascendancy' that ruled Ireland in Britain's name.

Granted, the country was not as oppressive as it had been in earlier years. The old Penal Laws had ceased to be enforced with the old vigour. A slender Catholic middle class was emerging and increasingly there were calls for fairer treatment. The Parliament of Ireland had rolled back the dominance of Westminster and under the leadership of liberal minded patriots like Henry Grattan many hoped that Ireland might become a kingdom in name as well as fact - and a fair one at that.

It was not to be.

The United Irishmen was a secret society founded on the ideals of the Enlightenment and the American and French revolutions. They dreamed of a union of Irish people of all three faiths, free of British dominance. For a while they pinned their hopes on Grattan, but the whole apparatus of the Government was stacked against reform, and as attempts to lessen the restrictions against Catholics were stymied they lost faith in peaceful reform. Radicalised they turned to the cause of separatism - to create an independent Irish republic.

Theobald Wolfe Tone, the young Dublin lawyer who led the United Irishmen was a great believer in the principles of the French Revolution and France was always England’s greatest enemy. So it was natural that Tone found himself in Paris in early 1796 in an attempt to gain help for the cause of Ireland. The French Directory were prepared to send an expedition, and a large one at that - forty-three sail carrying about 14,000 men with a large supply of war material for distribution in Ireland under the command of one of France's finest: General Lazare Hoche.

From the start the expedition seemed blessed with good fortune. The Royal Navy was nowhere in sight and on January 3 1797 the fleet sailed into Bantry Bay, Cork in the calmest winter seas Ireland had seen in a generation. As Hoche and Tone landed on the sand with the soft white swirl of the waves around them the whole future of Ireland lay ahead, a fallow field waiting for any plow.

Everything had changed.

[coz1]

Sweet! Looking forward to this RossN. Love an Irish AAR and your work is always top notch. This ought to be great.

[Hardraade]

I greatly enjoy Irish AARs, and this one looks to be great. Can't wait for more.

[Jestor]

Really looking forward to seeing how this develops

[RossN]

Prologue Part II

1797, January: Hoche and Tone land at Bantry Bay. Isolated risings begin across Munster, savagely put down in most cases by local militia and Yeomanry.

1797, February-March: The French defeat the British at the Battle of Kinsale. Cork falls to Hoche; declaration of the Republic of Munster. United Irishman rise in Mayo, Wicklow and Wexford.

1797, March-June: Battle of Charleville. Limerick falls to Hoche. After heavy fighting the Brish drive the rebels from Wicklow and secure Dublin. General Cornwallis assumes command.

1797, July: Rising spreads to Ulster. United Irishman leader Henry Joy McCracken marches on Belfast.

1797, August: Against expectations Hoche does not march on Galway but instead turns to link up with the Wexford rebels. Thousands of Irish peasants have joined him but they are left behind in Cork (under Tone) to train and drill properly.

1797, November: Hoche is repulsed from Dublin at the Battle of Dunleary. He moves camp to Naas for the winter.

1798: The French make several attempts at landing reinforcements, eventually succeding in landing 3000 soldiers at Youghal under General Humbert.

1798, February: The 'Irish Army' under Tone has finished training and stiffened with French officers advances on Galway.

1798, March: Inconclusive 2nd Battle of Naas between Hoche and Cornwallis. The British are unable to prevent Humbert linking up with Hoche.

1798, April-June: Tone takes Galway. The British position west of the Shannon begins to crumble as large numbers of militiamen desert to the rebel cause.

1798, July: Lord Edward Fitzgerald leads a United Irishman rising in Dublin, having managed to get word to Hoche and Humbert. In the most ferocious fighting of the rebellion so far the British forces rout and Dublin falls to the rebels. Cornwallis is injured in the battle and his second in command General Lake is killed.

The (Ascendancy) Irish Government flees to to Drogheda. Declaration of the Republic of Ireland - with Tone as President.

General chaos across the parts of Ireland that are still controlled by the British.

1798, July-October: Further risings and massacres. By October the only areas left under direct British control are the towns of Drogheda, Dundalk and Londonderry, supplied by sea.

There are now 20,000 French and 100,000 Irish troops in Ireland.

Hoche dies. Humbert assumes control of the French forces in Ireland.

1799 - 1802: The Irish consolidate the republic and seek recognition abroad. Only France and the United States of America recognise them.

1802: Treaty of Amiens. The British refuse to recognise the Irish Republic, but accept the temporary peace.

Henry Joy McCracken travels in America recruiting Ulster-Scot volunteers for the defence of Ireland. He will eventually return with 2,000 soldiers.

1803, May: War breaks out again. Limited fighting in Ireland at first.

1803, July: The Duke of York makes a major landing in Down. The British are eventually driven off after very heavy fighting. Wolfe Tone is mortally wounded in the battle.

Lord Edward Fitzgerald becomes President.

1804, March: Humbert dies. Napoleon sends 10,000 French soldiers to Ireland under his brother Lucien Bonaparte.

1804, December: Napoleon becomes Emperor of the French.

[RossN]

Pablo Sanchez, coz1, Hardraade and Jestor: Thank you for the support. I only hope I don't dissapoint you too much!

[Hardraade]

Nice update. In addition to sending troops to back up the Irish, are the French battling the English elsewhere?

[Cinéad IV]

Fantastic RossN! Your last AAR was one of the best in the whole forum, I'm looking forward to this eagerly.

[Hardstuff]

RossN, I thought you had died you've been gone for so long. Nice AAR, looks quite good.




Though a Republic? Hmm, it'll have to do, I would've expected a return of the High Kingdom! Now that would've been interesting!

[RossN]

Lucien Bonaparte

Prologue Part III

1805, January: In response to demands by Napoleon Lucien Bonaparte leads a Franco-Irish force to seize the Isle of Man and land troops in Scotland. At the Battle of Luce the Royal Navy turns the French ships back before they reach the mainland.

1805, October: Battle of the Minquiers. Nelson decisively defeats the French and Spanish navies but looses life in the process. After this Ireland is effectively cut off from the larger war.

1805, December: Lord Edward is assassinated by an ex-Yeoman while riding with his wife through the streets of Dublin - the enraged mob tears the assassin to pieces before it can be determined if a conspiracy was involved.

Lucien Bonaparte is in de facto control of the country and using his popularity with the public and political skills has the Irish Directory appoint him head of state.

1806: Joseph Bonaparte becomes king of Naples; Louis Bonaparte becomes king of Holland.

Napoleon offers Lucien the throne of Ireland.

Lucien, in secret talks with the Irish Catholic Church manages to confirm their support for the establishment of an Irish Catholic monarchy. The Archbishop of Dublin refuses to recognise Lucien, but the Archbishop of Armagh overrules him.

The Directory is officially abolished. The Catholic Church openly preaches in favour of Lucien assuming the throne and delivering Ireland from the radicalism of the rebels.

In October the restored Parliament of Ireland votes to offer the crown to Lucien Bonaparte.

1807, January: On New Year's Day Lucien Bonaparte is crowned 'King of the Irish' in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin by the Archbishop of Armagh.

1807, February-April: A republican revolt begins in Antrim led by Henry Joy McCracken. King Lucien is able to portray it as solely a Presbyterian affair, increasing his support amongst the Catholics and even some Anglicans.

The rebellion is soon quashed and Lucien, wary of creating martyrs is merciful. McCracken and the other ringleaders are exiled.

John Moore, a Catholic and a moderate United Irishman from Mayo is appointed Prime Minister of Ireland.

1807, August: The last real British attempt at retaking Ireland. British General John Moore (not to be confused with John Moore the Irish politician) lands 20,000 men at Waterford. Lucien's army proves too strong and the British depart.

1807-1809: Ireland reluctantly participates in the Continental System blockade against Britain. The Irish economy suffers greatly.

1809, January-May: Lucien sends out tentative feelers to the Duke of Portland seeking a separate peace with Britain. Henry Grattan and the Duke of Leinster are sent to London, but talks are inconclusive.

Napoleon hears of the talks. Relations between the brothers, always strained are stretched to breaking point.

1809, October: Talleyrand informs the Irish minister in Paris that Napoleon has been considering seeking peace with Britain - and using Ireland as a bargaining chip.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Given RossN's track record for republics that never were, eventually becoming empires I'm not expecting the Crown mentioned to be absent for very long. Then again this is an Irish AAR, so maybe RossN will be kind to his own Republic. Maybe.

EDIT: Talk about timing

[RossN]

Hardraade: Yes. Unless otherwise stated the Napoleonic Wars are going as they did in OTL.

Cinéad IV: Thank you very much.

Hardstuff: Well... not quite a Republic.

Dr. Gonzo: Republics are a fine thing in fact, but in fiction...

[robou]

This looks to be good, following!

[Eams]

Read later, subscribe now!

[Sematary]

Good start. Can't wait to see more.

[Hardraade]

Oh my, a Bonaparte on the Irish throne. But will his brother sell him out? I will be eagerly awaiting the next update.

[TheDave]

Excellent AAR RossN, I love your style, can't wait for more.

[Masked Pickle]

Aaaaaaaaah! An alternate history where the Hoche Expedition succeeded, and where Lucien, the most political but independant brother of Napoleon, is king of Ireland. Good luck!