WI: French Invasion of Ireland

What-if Hoche's invasion force did not fail to land in Ireland? Do they defeat the British? What is the fate of Ireland?
 
If the French had landed in Ireland and succeded, it would probably be turned into a French puppet state. The outcome of the war would be the same but having their first taste of freedom, the Irish would probably rise up when the British tried to reinstitute their government and a much quicker Irish Free State and Republic, encompassing all of Ireland.
 
hcallega said:
What-if Hoche's invasion force did not fail to land in Ireland? Do they defeat the British? What is the fate of Ireland?

If the French succeed in landing in Ireland, they will have to fight the British troops there alongside the Irish Patriots. They might succeed in putting Ireland as a Sister Republic of France, but I don't think that Ireland would remain independent for long.

The reason? The Royal Navy.

Britain had by far the best navy of the world during the Revolutionnary and Napoleonic Wars. It wouldn't be hard for the British to blockade Ireland, prevent French reinforcements from landing while landing more British troops. The Irish and the French soldiers helping them might hold the British for a while, but they would ultimately loose to the might of the Royal Navy.

On the other hand, an Irish Republic allied to France might be of more concerned to Britain than the events of the Continent. The British might still help the coalition, but they will probably focus on reclaiming Ireland.
 
You know, with my 'WI Ireland stays independant' TL I've been thinking of this one as the POD is right around there.

The French will lose. I think that much is a given. They're too few in number and the British can cut them off from reinforcements.
However...the long term ramifications of a serious republican uprising and a foreign invasion are interesting.
I would see Ireland going the opposite way. Turning back from progress and catholic rights and withdrawing into a anglican dictatorship- clearly the catholics still cannot be trusted! (yes. Many of the rebels were protestants but its far more convenient to paint it as a evil papist plot)
 
I would see Ireland going the opposite way. Turning back from progress and catholic rights and withdrawing into a anglican dictatorship- clearly the catholics still cannot be trusted! (yes. Many of the rebels were protestants but its far more convenient to paint it as a evil papist plot)

We could go the opposite way, however. The United Irishmen's leaders did envision a united, religiously pluralistic Ireland. And religious dissidents (nonanglican Protestants) in Antrim rose in 1798.
 
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