"To Hell or to Connaught"

After the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland and Act of Settlement in 1652, Irish Catholics had most of their lands confiscated and were banned from living in towns for a short period

As many as 100,000 Irish men, women and children were forcibly taken to the colonies in the West Indies and North America as indentured servants or slaves

four fifths of Ireland's population was removed or killed and that whole counties were empty

The remaining native Irish were confined to Connaught only and were immediately killed if found east of the River Shannon

The death toll could have been over 1 million

The reputation of Irish troops as fierce fighting men made them desirable recruits for armies in continental Europe

Between 1651 and 1655, 40,000 young Irish men left their homeland never to return

Their lands were forfeited

land which Cromwell needed to settle Ireland was taken from landowners who       “... had not manifested constant good affection to the interest ... of England .”