Niamh Garvey<p>I've been researching <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/Connemara" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Connemara</span></a> in the <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/1800s" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>1800s</span></a> lately, and am amazed to learn that it was seen as its own kingdown and it escaped the Penal laws. The Irish people there were amazingly able to educate their kids and practice their religion, and also had very safe and secure tenacies, so very different to the rest of Ireland under <a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/BritishRule" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>BritishRule</span></a>.<br>(<a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/PenalLaws" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>PenalLaws</span></a> were british laws that Irish people were not allowed speak irish, practice catholicism, own land, have a profession etc).</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.ie/tags/IrishHistory" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>IrishHistory</span></a></p>