The conduct of the central government was often reactive rather than deliberate. While its lack of a coherent policy was not remarkable, given the period under consideration, the government's failure to develop such a policy was disastrous in dealing with the fundamental issue of Catholic emancipation. The final surrender of Peel and Wellington was bitter and the 1829 Catholic relief act contained insults to Irish Catholics. The nature of the act, coupled with continued Protestant ascendancy and landlordism, and Catholic mass poverty and insecurity, meant that Catholic emancipation was not a prelude to Ireland's assimilation into the United Kingdom but instead, the beginning of the process of modern Irish nationalism.

Brian Jenkins is emeritus professor of history, Bishop's University, and the author of numerous books, including Era of Emancipation and Irish Nationalism and the British State.

Brian Jenkins' profile page

"Jenkins analyses his material with perfect objectivity and his judgements are sound and perceptive. Anyone who wants to understand the nature of Anglo-Irish relations since the Union will find it in this book." Laurence McCaffrie, Department of History, Loyola University, Chicago