the early stages of the Munster Plantation it was argued that much of Ireland was res nullius as the Gaelic Irish were "not thrifty, and civil and human creatures, but rather savage and brute beasts." (Anthony Trollope) Much of the native population had been killed during the Desmond Rebellions, and Irish land use was seen as inefficient, based mostly on pastoralism; thus, land could be claimed as res nullius and planted with English, Welsh and Scottish colonists. It was also used with regard to plantation of the Ards Peninsula. See also Unowned property References Roman law International law Property law Legal rules with Latin names