1798 Rebellion

The Causes of the 1798 Rebellion

1. The Protestant Ascendency: Following the Irish Plantations, Ireland was under complete control of the British Crown. The Dublin parliament dealt with domestic issues but was controlled by the Protestant Ascendency, the wealthy land-owning minority. Only Anglicans (members of the Church of Ireland) could vote or become MPs, leaving most Irish people without a say in Irish affairs.
2. Irish Catholics: Catholics made up 75% of the population but owned only 15% of the land. The Penal Laws restricted their freedoms, preventing them from voting, sitting in Parliament, or attending school, leading to poverty and poor education.
3. Irish Presbyterians: Presbyterians (dissenters) also couldn't vote or sit in parliament. They made up 10% of the population, mainly in the northeast.
4. Influence of the American and French Revolutions: News of these events inspired many Irish people with ideas of liberty and equality.

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The United Irishmen

• The United Irishmen: Founded in Belfast in October 1791, they aimed for religious equality and removal of British influence through peaceful means.
• Theobald Wolfe Tone: A Protestant barrister and founding member, he was inspired by the French Revolution's ideals of 'liberty, equality, fraternity'.
• Wolfe Tone argued for Catholic rights in his 1791 pamphlet, An Argument on Behalf of the Catholics of Ireland.
  • The United Irishmen published a newspaper, The Northern Star.
  • Rising support led Britain to abolish most Penal Laws and give Catholics voting rights, but they also banned the United Irishmen, causing Wolfe Tone to flee to the US.

• The United Irishmen became a secret society, committed to revolution. Wolfe Tone sought French military support in 1796, but a storm thwarted their landing at Bantry Bay.

Response to the United Irishmen

• British forces used torture (half-hangings, pitch-capping) to extract information about suspected rebels.
• Part-time armies: Militia (loyal Catholics) and yeomanry (loyal Protestants) were established.
• The Orange Order was founded to unite Anglicans and Presbyterians against Catholics.
• Spies led to the capture and execution of several leaders, including Lord Edward Fitzgerald.

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Road to Rebellion

• 1798 saw the emergence of physical force nationalism, with Irish nationalists willing to use violence for independence.

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The 1798 Rebellion

Despite losing key leaders, the rebellion proceeded:

1. Dublin and surrounding counties: Uncoordinated attacks led to British victories in Kildare, Meath, Carlow, and Wicklow.
2. Ulster: Rebels were defeated in Antrim Town and Saintfield.
3. Wexford: Led by Fr John Murphy, saw early successes but ended in defeat at Vinegar Hill. Atrocities by rebels included burning 200 Protestants alive in a barn at Scullabogue.
4. Connacht: Two months later, 1,000 French soldiers landed at Killala, won at Castlebar but were defeated at Ballinamuck.
5. Death of Wolfe Tone: Captured with French troops at Lough Swilly, he attempted suicide and died days later.

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Consequences of the 1798 Rebellion

The United Irishmen aimed for an independent Irish republic where Catholics and Protestants lived peacefully, but their defeat had long-lasting impacts:

5. Growth of Sectarianism: Conflict based on religious divides intensified.
6. The Act of Union (1801): Abolished the Dublin Parliament, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, with governance from Westminster.
7. Legacy of Wolfe Tone: Known as the 'Father of Irish Republicanism', his ideas inspired future rebellions: Robert Emmet (1803), Young Irelanders (1848), Fenians (1867), and the 1916 Easter Rising.

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Key Terms

1. Protestant Ascendency: Protestant Ascendancy was the political, economic, and social dominance of the Anglican Protestant minority in Ireland from the 17th to the early 20th centuries.
2. Penal Laws: harsh laws imposed by the English to restrict the rights and freedoms of Catholics and non-Anglican Protestants in Ireland, aiming to maintain Protestant dominance.
3. American and French Revolutions: late 18th-century revolts that led to the independence of the United States and the overthrow of the French monarchy, respectively, both inspiring democratic and republican movements worldwide.
4. The United Irishmen: a revolutionary group founded in the late 18th century that sought to unite Irish people of all religions to achieve independence from British rule.
5. Theobald Wolfe Tone: an Irish revolutionary leader and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen, considered the father of Irish republicanism.
6. The Northern Star: a newspaper founded by the United Irishmen in 1792 to promote their revolutionary ideas and independence from British rule.
7. Torture**:** the act of inflicting severe pain or suffering on someone, often to extract information or as punishment, and was used by authorities against suspected revolutionaries.
8. The Orange Order: a Protestant fraternal organisation founded in 1795 in Northern Ireland to commemorate the victory of Protestant King William III over Catholic King James II at the Battle of the Boyne.
9. Physical Force Nationalism: Physical Force Nationalism is the belief in achieving political goals, especially independence, through violent uprising and armed struggle rather than peaceful means.
10. Act of Union (1801): legislation that united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, centralising government control in London.

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Revision Questions

1. What was the Protestant Ascendency?
2. True or False: Catholics owned 75% of the land in Ireland during the 1798 Rebellion.
3. Who were the United Irishmen?
4. Fill in the blank: The United Irishmen's newspaper was called _______.
5. What was the Orange Order's purpose?
6. True or False: The 1798 Rebellion was successful in Dublin.
7. Who led the Wexford rebellion?
8. Fill in the blank: Wolfe Tone attempted to commit suicide after being captured at _______.
9. What did the Act of Union (1801) establish?
10. True or False: Wolfe Tone is known as the 'Father of Irish Republicanism'.

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