Confessionalization and Clan Cohesion: Ireland’s Contribution to Scottish Catholic Renewal in the Seventeenth Century

Abstract

The story of the relationship between Ulster and Scotland during the seventeenth century has long been dominated by the flow of people and ideas from Scotland to the north of Ireland. This, however, belies the prominent role that Ireland had in the social and cultural history of the Western Isles and Highlands of Scotland during that century. This paper argues that of even greater importance to the resurgence of Catholicism in the Scottish Gaidhealtachd than a Rome driven Counter-Reformation were the financial support and personnel provided by Ulster Catholics. In the face of aggressive Stuart policies, Catholicism was rejuvenated and became an ideological justification for asserting traditional rights in the face of government sanctioned, Protestant blessed, incursions in the Western Isles. Moreover, in the face of historiography that has argued for the continual disintegration of ClanDonald throughout the seventeenth century, this article explores the ways the clans and their neighbours inspired, funded and facilitated the revival of Catholicism in the Gaidhealtachd.

Edinoverie and the Concept of Confessionalisation: Discursive Remarks

“…Так, несмотря на некоторую критику (в частности, касающуюся того, что ее взгляд сверху слишком сильно сфокусирован на светских и цер-ковных элитах и игнорирует обычных людей) [Lotz-Heumann, 2001, p. 109-111], концепция конфессионализации остается в историогра-фии актуальной уже довольно продолжительное время. Многие иссле-дователи обращались к ней, анализируя религиозную историю различ-ных стран и регионов, например, Ирландии [Spurlock;Lotz-Heumann, 2000], Голландии [Kaplan], Трансильвании [Keul,, Франции [Benedict], Англии [Marshall] и т. д. или в отношении более позднего времени [Harrington, Smith]. Увлечение концепцией привело одного из историков к утверждению, что XIX в. может рассматриваться в каче-стве «второй эры конфессионализма» [Blaschke].…”

Review of periodical literature published in 2012

“…Spurlock attempts to quantify the contribution made by the Irish to the re‐establishment of Roman Catholicism in Scotland. Ulster Catholics gave support, including financial support, to help revive Catholicism in Scotland and throughout Scottish Gaeldom during the seventeenth century.…”