What were ‘the Plantations’ in 16th and 17th century Ireland, and what was planted there?

BRY2K

The Plantations in 16th and 17th century Ireland were established throughout the country by the confiscation of lands occupied by Gaelic clans and Hiberno-Norman dynasties, but principally in the provinces of Munster and Ulster. The lands were then granted by Crown authority to colonists ("planters") from Britain. This process began during the reign of Henry VIII and continued under Mary I and Elizabeth I. It was accelerated under James I, Charles I and Cromwell. The early plantations in the 16th century tended to be based on small "exemplary" colonies. The later plantations were based on mass confiscations of land from Irish landowners and the subsequent importation of large numbers of settlers from England, Scotland and Wales. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantations_of_Ireland Aug 01 08, 8:53 PM

Baloo55th

To continue BRY2K's answer: "what was planted there?" People. They were taken from their homelands (in the case of the Irish Plantations from Scotland). This was to counter the Roman Catholic majority in the population and provide a base for developing Protestantism and loyalty to the Crown. The idea was that the old RC nobility and gentry would be replaced by the new 'planters' and turn Ireland into a quiet and profitable place which was no longer a backdoor for continental RC powers to invade from. http://www.wesleyjohnston.com/users/ireland/past/history/15981629.html Aug 02 08, 7:23 AM