Clearances

Submitted by Ron Irvine (United Kingdom), Apr 12, 2005 at 07:40

Going back further than many of your correspondents, the British government allowed 'clearances' of Scottish crofters (peasant tenant farmers) from Highland areas in 18th and early 19th centuries by aristocratic landlords.

In 17th century many native Irish were driven out of North East Ireland by 'planters' who had been given land grants by the British government. Irish republican activists still like to bring this up as evidence of 'British interference' in Ireland.

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