The Harp and Crown: An Irish AAR

[ComradeOm]

Now it will be interesting to see just how the Irish imperialists manage in governing a large and restive population in Argentina. Clearly they've learnt nothing from their own history... even recent events suggest that stationing 40k men in S America will stretch the empire to its limits

 

[unmerged(74032)]

Huge gains in South Amrerica but now you have a nine province border with Argentina which won't be easy to defend.
I guess Argentina will come knocking again after the peace treaty expires, do you have any defence plans?

 

[stnylan]

Great to see this AAR back up and running.

And a very large gain frm Argentina, definitely making Irish holdings more substantial.

 

[KanaX]

I'm guessing co-operation with the former Argentinians in the newly gained territories is a must.

 

[Supreme Emporer]

Glad to see Ireland claiming much of the 'New World" for itself, albeit late.

 

[unmerged(96639)]

Now it will be interesting to see just how the Irish imperialists manage in governing a large and restive population in Argentina. Clearly they've learnt nothing from their own history... even recent events suggest that stationing 40k men in S America will stretch the empire to its limits

Yes, that too is an interesting point. The oppressed have become the oppressors.

Vaya en el hogar, soldados irlandeses, vaya en hogar
¿Tiene usted ningunos hogares sus los propios?
Coja su tricolor, la Argentina es nuestro amor!
Vaya tan en el hogar, soldados irlandeses, nos dejan sea!

(revolutionary anthem courtesy of babelfish, so egregious errors are probable)

 

[RossN]

Michael Davitt, "The Father of Patagonia"

¡Viva Patagonia!
(1891 - 1894)​

“I, [name], swear that I will duly and impartially serve His Majesty King Patrick the Second, His heirs and successors, in the office of Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over His Dominion of Patagonia. So help me God.”
- Oath of Allegiance of the Governor General of Patagonia.

The addition of the former Argentinean provinces increased the size and population of Patagonia by almost a third. In many cases the land was richer than much of Patagonia proper and the wealth of the colony increased substantially. Viedma ceased to be a border city and now found itself near the middle of the country.

On 20 April 1891, three weeks after the end of the war a conference took place in Viedma to determine the future course of Patagonia. Patrick Joseph Dillon, the clerical leader of the autonomist 'Southern Cross Party' had passed away during the war so leadership fell into the worthy hands of Michael Davitt. Davitt had been born in Mayo in 1846, but had emigrated with his parents to Patagonia in 1856 with the first Irish settlers. He was a passionate advocate for his adopted homeland and tirelessly attempted to bridge the gap between the Irish settlers and the Spanish speaking natives, despite the unpopularity of this cause.

One of the first proposals of the conference had been the expulsion of the 21% of the Patagonian population (which stood at 1.2 million in 1894) that was Spanish speaking; the European-Argentineans and the native Patagon Indians. It is a measure of how rattled the Patagonian Irish had been by the recent war than many wished to exile a quarter of a million souls. Davitt refused to even contemplate the measure, threatening to resign if the SCP adopted such a course. In the end the expulsionists reluctantly backed down, though it was a close run thing.

Feeling that old Luby was not up to the task, Parnell had dispatched John Redmond as the new Governor to deal with the negotiations. Redmond, a low key and conciliatory figure established a good working rapport with Davitt, sharing with him the desire to protect the Patagonian minorities from some of the more hard-line settlers.

Hard-line settlers demanding expulsion of the 'Spaniards', 1891​

The other big question was Defence. Would Patagonia herself raise, equip and pay military forces or would those powers and responsibilities remain solely with the Imperial Parliament in Dublin?

Feelings were divided in both camps; some autonomists winced at cost while some Dublin politicians were earnestly hoping for a solution that would relieve them of having fund more troops. Also if Patagonia did have its own armed forces what about recruitment for the Irish Army and Navy in Patagonia? In the end a compromise was reached that the Imperial Government would maintain defence responsibilities for ten years at which time the issue would come up for reconsideration.

Not publicly stated, but a big reason in this decision was to safeguard the minorities, just in case some Patagonians got a little over enthusiastic...

On 20 April 1892 Davitt and Redmond arrived in Dublin to meet with Parnell and the King. Cheering crowds stood along the streets as the 'Father of Patagonia' rode in state to Dublin Castle to kiss the monarchs hand. Though the days since they had been a subject people had long passed the Irish liked to think of themselves as standing for the values of freedoms. As the Irish Times expressed it:

"The Patagonians are no radical separatists, but our own brothers and sisters seeking an equal role in the future of the Irish people."

The meeting was a great success, but not everyone was so pleased. Meagher (who had been made a Marquess in 1887) was vocally angered by what he saw as the dismantlement of his legacy and bitterly attacked Parnell in the press, much to the embarrassment of the current leader of Clann Éireann, William Martin Murphy. Lord Meagher was not having a happy retirement. In truth he was dying, though few knew it at the time.

The birth of a new country...​

On 13 May 1893 the fortieth anniversary of the end of the First Argentinean War the King sent a personal telegram of congratulations to Davitt, which was later published in the Patagonian press.

What with one thing and another it took until late 1894 for the appropriate legislation to go through parliament. Finally on 9 November the Government of Patagonia Bill passed into law. The Crown Colony of Patagonia ceased to exist, and in its place stood the new Dominion.

 

[RossN]

RGB: Well, not quite that bad but they are certainly no longer a power now. Chile has probably become the greater threat to Patagonia.

Nikolai: Ok, that is impressive.

robou: True. I'm really hoping for a proper naval battle at some point - I'm a fan of turn of the century/First World War navies and a Tsushima
would be nice (so long as I was in the Japanese position anyway!)

Morsky: Heh, very well done. I hope the Patagonian Irish decide to go down the Davitt route of toleration or there will be plenty of problems later, especially in the comparatively well off Patagonia becomes a beacon for immigrants.

Eams: Deirdre is a fine name for an Irish warship.

Enewald: Heh. They do, but sheep is still the big thing in Patagonia. It's like New Zealand, except with Argentineans.

ComradeOm: Optimistically I'm sure they hope this will help matters.

Treppe: Well there will be a garrison.

stnylan: Thanks, glad to see you are still reading.

KanaX: Yes. A fifth of the population is Hispanic and that might well increase over the decades as immigration from the rest of South America becomes a factor.

Supreme Emporer: Thanks. Amazing how time flies when you are a Great Power!

 

[unmerged(59077)]

Aha, so a dominion.

Didn't think you'd want to bother that closely with it, and it makes sense. It's in the spirit of the time.

 

[robou]

A good choice; I'm guessing Patagonia and its surrounding regions didn't equate to much profit. As long as Patagonia can protect herself, (the map seems to show that it has an army, a small navy and plenty of fortifications if I am correct?) you should have no problems. One wonders where Irish Empire building will go next... Ethiopia?

 

[hyme]

good update.

 

[stnylan]

Dominions now? A very proper empire that makes you

 

[KanaX]

The Irish "Canada" is born!

 

[Enewald]

What is the hymn of Patagonia?
'God bless our sheeps'?

Have you thought of putting all irish prisons into Patagonia?
What about a new culture, patogonian-irish, or something which has a better name?

 

[robou]

What is the hymn of Patagonia?
'God bless our sheeps'?

'God Bless our Capibaras'... didn't you know

 

[unmerged(87106)]

I was expecting a more violent transition...

In fact, that was rather pleasant

 

[unmerged(59077)]

'God Bless our Capibaras'... didn't you know

No, that one is for Irish Venezuela ruled Hugh O'Ceaves.

"God bless our Penguins" for Patagonia, probably.

 

[unmerged(81979)]

This is crazy! Great stuff, love the Irish dominion!

 

[RossN]

Hey guys. I'll be in London for a for a few days, so probably no updates till Thursday. Happy Easter.

 

[hyme]

No, that one is for Irish Venezuela ruled Hugh O'Ceaves.

"God bless our Penguins" for Patagonia, probably.

it should be "God save our Penguins".