At first, Irish Catholics supported the Act of Union; however ... Huge numbers moved from the countryside to Belfast for work. In 1800 its population was under 30,000; by 1850 it was 100,000.

On January 13, 1800, O’Connell began to assert himself politically on the Act of Union, giving his first public speech urging the repeal of the Act. O'Connell was so appalled by the Act of Union ...