Tudor policy in Ireland was one of degradation
with an aim to completely anglicise that nation.
The English were invited by a grievance in 1169,
now a total takeover was the Tudor line.

It wasn’t only cultural destruction,
but also slaughter and starvation.
The trouble with dominating the Irish is –
that a Gaelic chief knows what is his.

As well as English owners as a means of suppression,
they undermined them by banning Celtic tradition.
To beat them into some kind of submission,
Ormond helped as an agent in the Queen’s commission.

His family had been there for generations.
Ireland was home for Tom Butler’s own emotions.
He refused Burghley’s advice to ignore protection
that Tom had given in negotiation.

Because the Tudors were originally Welsh Celts,
it was hard to believe the cruelty the Irish were dealt.
With a brutal pursuit of plantation policy,
they designated Ireland as an English colony.

Ormond was considered to be a traitor,
even though he was the negotiator.
Something which he had to take in his stride
was that he was hated by both sides.

If his conscience he ever paused to examine;
it said Ireland was taken by “fire, sword and famine.”
They were forced into – “surrender and regrant”,
and not allowed their own parliament.