Act of Union Timeline

Eighteenth Century

• 1703 Union is proposed in the Irish Parliament following the Union between England and Scotland.
• 1737 First issue of the Belfast Newsletter, the oldest newspaper in continual print.
• 1759 Unrest against a union between Great Britain and Ireland in Dublin.
• 1780 Macartney’s clandestine visit to Ireland seeking opinion a Union.
• 1782 Irish Parliament secures increased independence from Westminster.
• 1793 Limited Catholic emancipation.
• 1795 Orange Order formed.
• 1798 United Irish Rebellion.
• 1798

  • 28 May  British Prime Minister William Pitt frames a policy proposing a Union.
  • November Pamphlet debate starts
  • 12 November   Draft Union bill is sent from the London Parliament to  the Dublin Parliament.
  • 9 December The Irish Bar opposes Union
  • 17 December Dublin Corporation opposes Union

• 1799

  • 22 January 21-hour debate on Union in the Irish House of Commons
  • October Charles, Marquess Cornwallis, the Irish Viceroy, tours Munster and Ulster to promote Union

Nineteenth Century

• 1800

  • 15 January 18-hour debate on Union in the Irish House of Commons.
  • 9 May Address for Union is presented by the House of  Commons to the House of Lords in London.
  • 21 May  Union bill is introduced into the Irish House of Commons.
  • 2 July Act of Union receives assent in London.
  • 1 August Act of Union receives assent in Dublin.
  • 2 August The Irish Parliament is dissolved.

• 1801

  • 1 January Act of Union creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland takes formal effect.
  • 22 January First sitting of the United Kingdom in London.
  • 31 January William Pitt writes to George III advocating emancipation.
  • 1 February George III adheres to the coronation oath, and rejects emancipation.
  • 14 March William Pitt resigns as Prime Minister.

• 1803 Uprising by Robert Emmet is crushed.