In 1609, King James I initiated the official Plantation of Ulster, a systematic colonization of the confiscated lands of the departed Gaelic chiefs in Ulster. The plantation involved the settlement of thousands of Scottish and English Protestant colonists, fundamentally altering the demographic and religious composition of the province. This colonization created a lasting sectarian divide that would define Irish politics for centuries.

The Plantation of Ulster became a central theme in the Ulster-Scots poetic tradition, reflecting the experiences of the new settlers, while also fueling Irish nationalist poetry that lamented the loss of native lands. The plantation's legacy of division is explored in the works of poets from both communities, from the folk ballads of the 17th century to the Troubles-era poetry of Seamus Heaney. It remains a foundational event in understanding the literary culture of Northern Ireland.