In 1495, a parliament held in Drogheda, known as Poynings' Parliament, passed legislation that reaffirmed the English king's authority over Ireland and restricted the powers of the Irish Parliament. The most significant act was Poynings' Law, which required that all Irish legislation be approved by the English Privy Council before being submitted to the Irish Parliament. This effectively made the Irish Parliament subordinate to Westminster, a grievance that would fuel demands for legislative independence for centuries.

Poynings' Law is a recurring symbol of Irish subjugation in nationalist poetry, representing the denial of Ireland's right to self-governance. Poets from the 18th-century Patriot Parliament to the 19th-century Repeal movement invoked the law as an emblem of English overreach. Its legacy is explored in the works of writers like Thomas Moore, who lamented Ireland's legislative impotence, and it remains a touchstone for discussions of Irish sovereignty.