Ireland

French fleet abandons attempted Jacobite invasion of Scotland

On March 13, 1708, the French fleet, which had intended to launch a Jacobite invasion of Scotland to restore James Francis Edward Stuart (the “Old Pretender”) to the British throne, abandoned its attempt. This failure was a significant setback for the Jacobite cause, which sought to reclaim the throne after James II of England (and VII of Scotland) was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.

First meeting of the Parliament of Great Britain.

Thomas Erle, MP for Cork city, commands the centre at the Battle of Alamanza

At the Battle of Almansa (April 25, 1707), during the War of the Spanish Succession, Thomas Erle, Member of Parliament for Cork City, commands the centre of the allied army and loses his right hand in the fighting. In the same battle, David Dunbar, who would later become MP for Blessington, is wounded and captured, while John Upton, future MP for County Antrim, distinguishes himself for bravery. The battle ends in a decisive Bourbon victory, dealing a significant blow to the Anglo-Portuguese alliance in Spain.

Sir Henry Cavendish, MP and incompetent Teller of the Exchequer, born

Last Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh before the Union with Westminster.

Francis Flood, grandfather of Henry Flood, is expelled from the House of Commons

Francis Flood, grandfather of the later prominent statesman Henry Flood, is expelled from the Irish House of Commons for abuses committed against Agmondisham Cuffe, MP, as well as Cuffe’s tenants and others in County Kilkenny.

The town of Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh is virtually destroyed by an accidental fire

An accidental fire devastates the town of Enniskillen, destroying a significant portion of the settlement:

May Eustace Sherlock, gentleman, petitions the Commons for relief from the great oppressions he lies under

On this date, Eustace Sherlock, gentleman, petitions the Irish House of Commons for relief from what he describes as “great oppressions” inflicted by Maurice Annesley, a sitting Member of Parliament and Justice of the Peace.

An English act permits direct export of Irish linen to American colonies

The English act that permitted the direct export of Irish linen to the American colonies was passed in 1705. This legislation, known as the “Act to Encourage the Trade to America” (also sometimes referred to as the Irish Linen Act), was significant for the economy of Ireland, particularly for the linen industry, which was one of the country’s most important sectors.

The Registration Act comes into force requiring all Catholic priests in Ireland to register in court

The Registration Act comes into force, requiring all Catholic priests in Ireland to: