Society of United Irishmen & 1798 Rebellion

1. Society of United Irishmen &1798 Rebellion www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

2. Ireland in the 18th Century:Protestant Ascendancy Grattan’s Parliament The Penal Laws Up to 1770, the Penal Laws had severely oppressed the Catholic majority population of Ireland After 1770, Catholics still had to pay tithes (one-tenth of their incomes) to support the Anglican clergy Only Protestants could sit in the Irish Parliament (Grattan’s Paliament) Protestant ‘dissenters’ (Presbyterians) were also oppressed similar to Catholics. Most Irish people were either poor rural labourers or farm tenants. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

3. Land Ownership In Ireland (1790):The Protestant Ascendancy Native Irish Landownership (1641) Land, Law & Politics In 1641 (map), Irish natives were already beginning to lose land ownership, especially in Ulster and East Leinster (due to the Plantations). By the end of the 18th Century, the Catholic Irish majority would own less than 10% of all land in Ireland, even though they constituted over 90% of the population. Similarly, Protestants (who only made up just less than 10% of the population) would own over 90% of the land in Ireland. Together with the severe anti-Catholic laws & the Protestant-only parliament, this is how Protestants in Ireland came to be known as the ‘Protestant Ascendancy’. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

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5. The American & French Revolutions:Cause for Hope? The events and outcomes of both the American & French revolutions showed that armed rebellion could bring about enormous social & political change. The principles of the Enlightenment and the motto of ‘Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite’ inspired many in Ireland to consider a revolt. Revolutionary France also promised to send help to any country fighting oppression from monarchies. Catholics in Ireland lived under incredible restrictions and overwhelming oppression, far greater than the colonists in America or the people of France under the ‘Ancien Regime’. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

6. The Society of United Irishmen www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

7. Theobald Wolfe Tone1763-1798 • Born in Dublin to a Protestant family • While studying Law at Trinity College in Dublin, he became very interested in politics. • Married Matilda Witherington • Supporter of French Revolution • Wrote ‘An Argument on Behalf of Catholics in Ireland’ in which he advocated equality between Catholics & Protestants and complete independence from England, by force, if necessary. • Set up the Society of United Irishmen in October 1791. Initially only Protestants joined but more Catholics began to join as more branches opened up around Ireland. • When the Society was banned, Tone travelled to the USA and then to France seeking help for a revolution. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

8. ‘An Argument on Behalf of Catholics in Ireland’ “…religious division was a tool of the elite to balance the one party by the other, plunder and laugh at the defeat of both” - Theobald Wolfe Tone www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

9. English Anti-French Revolution Propaganda(Late 18th & early 19th Century) www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

10. Britain fears Discontent in Ireland • England feared French Revolutionary interference in Ireland, so they quickly removed many of the Penal Laws to prevent any further discontent. • The British Government also banned the Society of United Irishmen in 1793.It now became an outlawed secret society • However, a few crucial parts of the Penal Law Code were still kept, including….. • Catholics could still not become members of parliament (MPs) • Catholics could still not be appointed to high positions of power www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

11. British Response to Growing Unrest • In the mid-to-late 1790s, the British realised that discontent was growing in Ireland and that plans were being made for a rebellion. • Revolutionary France declared war on Britain in February 1793. • In order to counteract this threat, Britain took steps to prevent a rebellion taking place: • They introduced the death penalty for administering oaths • The army was given enormous powers of search, arrest & punishment • General Lake was one of the most infamous British Army commanders with regard to these new, expanded powers. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

12. Reverend William Jackson • The arrest of a French spy, who had come to Ireland to find out about conditions here, added to Britain’s fear of an impending French invasion. • Jackson was arrested on 28th April 1794 and held in prison for a year before he committed suicide on the morning that he was to be declared guilty. • Tone, a member of the Protestant Ascendancy class, was allowed to go to America. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

13. Tone seeks help From France In 1796, Tone travelled from America to France to seek help from the French. He persuaded the French that if they invaded Ireland, Catholics & Presbyterians would rise up and support them. In December 1796, the French decided to send a force of 15,000 men to Ireland under General Hoche in 43 ships along with Wolfe Tone. However, the expedition was doomed by bad weather, with only 6,000 soldiers being able to land in Bantry Bay. General Hoche’s ship was blown off course so the other French commanders decided to return to France. The planned expedition was a failure. Wolfe Tone appeals for help from French Government General Hoche www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

14. General Hoche’s expedition blown off-course1796 www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

15. Theobald Wolfe Tone1763-1798 • When Tone went to France, he persuaded them to send an invasion force of 15,000 troops, commanded by General Hoche, to Ireland. • In December 1796, he travelled with this invasion force to Bantry Bay. However, bad weather blew most of the ships off course. • Shortly after the 1798 Rising, Tone travelled with a small expedition force to Lough Swilly in Co. Donegal. • He was captured by the English and quickly sentenced to death. He committed suicide before he could be executed. • He was the first to argue that Ireland should be an independent Republic. • Therefore, he is remembered as the ‘Father of Irish Republicanism.’ www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

16. Lord Edward Fitzgerald • Another member of the Protestant Ascendancy, Lord Edward Fitzgerald would also become a leading member of Revolutionary activity in Ireland. • Travelled to France in October 1792 and quickly converted to the ideals of the French Revolution, dismissing his own hereditary titles. • Joined the Society of United Irishmen in 1796 • His plans to stage a rising in Kildare were found out by spies and he was captured by authorities. The British Government were anxious to avoid executing one of the Protestant Ascendancy class in Ireland, reportedly conveying this message to him: "For God's sake get this young man out of the country; the ports shall be thrown open, and no hindrance whatever offered” • Fitzgerald refused this escape, preferring to stay and fight, with or without French help. Fitzgerald was severely wounded during his arrest, which he resisted and died on 4th June 1798 from lack of medical attention. He was 34. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

17. Arrest of Edward Fitzgerald1798 www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

18. British Response to Growing Unrest • General Lake issued orders for all civilians in Ulster to hand over their weapons. This crippled the Society of United Irishmen’s plans for rebellion. • Lake burnt houses, flogged and tortured rebels who were found with weapons. • Pitch-capping, flogging and other torture were General Lake’s methods of punishing rebels. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

19. Brutal Suppression of Rebellion (1798) www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

20. 1798 Rising: Wexford – Ulster – Kildare www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

21. Preparations for Rebellion • With many of their leaders either dead, imprisoned or exiled, the Society of United Irishmen decided to continue with plans for the rising. • They had 300,000 members in 1798. However, these men were poorly armed and trained. • Leaders like Edward Fitzgerald and William Jackson had already died before the rebellion could take place. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

22. The Rising in Leinster • On 23rd May 1798, the rebels attempted a rebellion in Leinster. • They were defeated at the Curragh, Co. Kildare. • They were also defeated in Carlow & Tara, Co. Meath. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

23. The Rising in Wexford Fr. John Murphy www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

24. The Rising in Wexford • In Late May 1798, Wexford rebels defeated Government forces at:- Battle of Oulart Hill, (27th May)- Enniscorthy (28th May) - Wexford Town (Battle of Three Rocks) – 30th May • However, the rebels were then defeated at New Ross & Arklow. • The final battle took place at Vinegar Hill on 21st June, 1798. Thousands of rebels were executed after the defeat of Vinegar Hill, including Fr. John Murphy & other leaders. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

25. The Battle of Vinegar Hill • Rebel forces defeated at Vinegar Hill on 21st June, 1798 • This was a decisive loss for the United Irishmen and effectively ended the rebellion in Wexford & Leinster www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

26. The Rising in Ulster:Antrim & Ballinahinch, Co. Down Henry Joy McCracken:Antrim City Henry Monroe:Ballinahinch www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

27. DateLocationBattleResult 24 MayBallymore Eustace, County KildareBattle of Ballymore-EustaceUnited Irishmen repulsed 24 MayNaas, County KildareBattle of NaasUnited Irishmen repulsed 24–28 MayRathangan, County KildareBattle of RathanganUnited Irish victory, rebels repulsed 28 May 24 MayProsperous, County KildareBattle of ProsperousUnited Irish victory 24 MayOld Kilcullen, County KildareBattle of Old KilcullenUnited Irish defeat Cavalry force and advance on Kilcullen 24 MayKilcullen, County KildareBattle of KilcullenBritish victory 25 MayCarnew, County WicklowCarnew massacreBritish execute 38 prisoners 25 MayDunlavin, County WicklowDunlavin Green massacreBritish execute 36 prisoners 25 MayCarlow, County CarlowBattle of CarlowBritish victory, rising in Carlow crushed 26 MayThe Harrow, County WexfordBattle of the HarrowUnited Irish victory 26 MayHill of Tara, County MeathBattle of Tara HillBritish victory, Rising in Meath defeated 27 MayOulart, County WexfordBattle of Oulart HillUnited Irish victory 28 MayEnniscorthy, County WexfordBattle of EnniscorthyUnited Irish victory 29 MayCurragh, County KildareGibbet Rath massacreBritish execute 300–500 rebels 30 MayNewtownmountkennedy, County WicklowBattle of NewtownmountkennedyBritish victory 30 MayForth Mountain, County WexfordBattle of Three RocksUnited Irish victory, Wexford taken See also www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

28. 1 JuneBunclody, County WexfordBattle of BunclodyBritish victory 4 JuneTuberneering, County WexfordBattle of TuberneeringUnited Irish victory, British counter-attack repulsed 5 JuneNew Ross, County WexfordBattle of New RossBritish victory 5 JuneScullabogue, County WexfordScullabogue massacreIrish rebels kill 100–200 loyalists 7 JuneAntrim, County AntrimBattle of AntrimUnited Irishmen repulsed 9 JuneArklow, County WicklowBattle of ArklowUnited Irishmen repulsed 9 JuneSaintfield, County DownBattle of SaintfieldUnited Irish victory 12–13 JuneBallynahinch, County DownBattle of BallynahinchBritish victory 19 JuneShannonvale, County CorkBattle of the Big Cross[27]British victory 19 Junenear Kilcock, County KildareBattle of OvidstownBritish victory 20 JuneFoulkesmill, County WexfordBattle of FoulksmillsBritish victory 21 JuneEnniscorthy, County WexfordBattle of Vinegar HillBritish victory 30 Junenear Carnew, County WicklowBattle of BallyellisUnited Irish victory 27 AugustCastlebar, County MayoBattle of CastlebarUnited Irish/French victory 5 SeptemberCollooney, County SligoBattle of CollooneyUnited Irish/French victory 8 SeptemberBallinamuck, County LongfordBattle of BallinamuckBritish victory 23 SeptemberKillala, County MayoBattle of KillalaBritish victory 12 Octobernear Tory Island, County DonegalBattle of Tory IslandBritish victory www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

29. The Rising in Connaught • In August 1798, a small French force landed in Kallala, Co. Mayo and together with local rebels routed the British forces in the Battle of Castlebar – so called ‘The Castlebar Races’. • However, in September 1798, rebel forces were defeated at the Battle of Ballinamuck. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

30. The Capture & Arrest of Wolfe Tone • Shortly after the 1798 Rising, Tone travelled with a small expedition force to Lough Swilly in Co. Donegal. • He was captured by the English and quickly sentenced to death. • He committed suicide on 19th September 1798 in his prison cell before he could be executed. www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

31. Death of Wolfe Tone www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney

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34. The Legacies & Effects of the 1798 Rising Act of Union Republicanism Wolfe Tone & the United Irishmen introduced a new concept to Ireland’s struggle for independence: Republicanism, a political ideal that is still current today and formed the ideology of all later rebellions:- Robert Emmet Rising (1803) - Young Irelanders Rebellion (1848)- Fenian Uprising (1867) - IRB – Easter Rising (1916) • Under the Act of Union (1800), the British Government abolished the parliament in Ireland and ‘direct rule’ was implemented in Ireland from Westminster Parliament in London. • What had changed? www.historyvault.ie - B.McSweeney