Gulliver and Dublin’s Flora
Ireland in 1726 was a separate kingdom sharing George I with Great Britain, but its political autonomy was sharply limited. The Declaratory Act of 1719 had asserted Westminster’s authority to legislate for Ireland and made the British House of Lords the final court of appeal. Poynings’ Law also constrained the Irish parliament’s ability to initiate legislation. Dublin’s parliament nevertheless remained important: it voted supplies, passed Irish statutes and provided the arena in which great landowners, office-holders, bishops and lawyers bargained for influence.