Poyning's Law 1494

The war of the Roses in England came to an end in 1485 with Henry VII, a Lancastrian becoming the first Tudor king. He appointed Sir Edward Poynings as his deputy. The latter arrived in Ireland in 1494 with the intention of reducing the Anglo-Irish Lords to submission and ending the rule as enjoyed by the Yorkist supporters.

He appointed English born officials to various posts in the council and sent Sir Edward Poynings to Ireland as lord deputy, to reduce the country to 'whole and perfect obedience' and to prevent Yorkist pretenders from using it as a base.

He conviened a parliament at Drogheda, which met on the First of December 1494 at the old Tholsel or Castle of Comfort in the Bull Ring(site of Ollies Pub today). The most important act passed was called "Poyning's Law". This stated that no law could be passed by the parliament of Ireland without first having been approved by the King and his council in England and by the deputy and council in Ireland. The law mattered little at the time but became very important later when the Irish Parliament legislated for the entire country. It was not until 1782 that Poyning's Law was partly rescinded by Grattan's Parliament.