| By the end of the thirteenth century, the government in | | | | Scotland gave Richard II the chance to bring a huge |
| Dublin had become alarmed at the way in which the | | | | army to Ireland to prevent the Gaelic revival. He |
| English were assimilating into Gaelic culture, becoming | | | | removed Art MacMurrough entirely out of Leinster, all |
| 'more Irish than the Irish themselves'. It began to pass a | | | | the great Gaelic chieftains made submissions to |
| number of statutes designed to keep the Gaelic Irish | | | | Richard, leaving him with the belief that Ireland would |
| and the English settlers apart. This legislation became | | | | no longer prove problematic. This was not to be, |
| known as the Statues of Kilkenny, were some of it | | | | forcing Richard to return in 1399 to face a wilier Art |
| was passed in 1366. The statutes forbade | | | | MacMurrough. While the king was waging war in |
| inter-marrying between the two 'races', the English | | | | Leinster, Henry of Lancaster seized the throne forcing |
| fostering or adoption of Irish children, the use of Irish | | | | Richard to return to England. The Gaelic revival gained |
| names or dress, the playing of hurling and the playing | | | | momentum and the country was left to its own |
| of Irish music. The prime motivator of the Statues was | | | | devices, the Gaelic and Anglo-Irish learning to co-exist, |
| Edward III's son, Lionel of Antwerp, Earl of Clarence, | | | | until the original colony had shrunk to the Pale. |
| however although the Statues were very | | | | Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring |
| comprehensive, Lionel did not have the resources to | | | | Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private |
| implement them. At the end of the fourteenth century, | | | | escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent |
| however peace with France and a truce with | | | | self drive tours of Ireland. |