Who is a notably contentious personality in Irish history?

Oliver Cromwell remains a highly divisive figure in Irish history due to his brutal military campaign in Ireland during the mid-17th century. In 1649, Cromwell led the English Parliamentarian forces to quell a Royalist uprising. His campaign was marked by sieges, massacres, and the displacement of the Irish Catholic population. The sieges of Drogheda and Wexford, in particular, are remembered for their extreme violence against civilians and soldiers alike. Cromwell's actions led to widespread death, famine, and resentment that continues to shape Irish-English relations. While figures like James Cook, Francis Drake, and Nelson are significant in British history, their actions did not have the same devastating impact on Ireland. Cromwell's name is therefore synonymous with a particularly violent and oppressive period in Irish history, making him a uniquely contentious figure.