Irish Rebellion of 1798

The Irish Rebellion of 1798 or 1798 rebellion as it is known locally, was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against the British establishment in Ireland. The United Irishmen, a republican revolutionary group influenced by the ideas of the French Revolution, were the main organizing force behind the rebellion.

The Rebellion Spreads

In the north-east, Presbyterian rebels under Henry Joy McCracken briefly occupied Antrim town on 7 June before being defeated on 13 June. The rebels had more success in the south-eastern county of Wexford, where a rebel army up to 15,000 strong led by a Catholic priest Father John Murphy captured Enniscorthy on 29 May and Wexford the following day. Further victories at Three Rocks and Tuberneering gave the rebels control of the county but a series of bloody defeats at New Ross, Arklow, and Newtownbarry prevented the spread of the rebellion and 20,000 troops poured into Wexford inflicting defeat at the battle of Vinegar Hill on 21 June. The dispersed rebels spread in three columns through the midlands, Kilkenny and towards Ulster not meeting final defeat until 14th July at Ballyboghill, North County Dublin.

Related Topics:
Presbyterian - Henry Joy McCracken - Antrim - 7 June - 13 June - Wexford - Catholic - Priest - Enniscorthy - 29 May - Wexford - Three Rocks - New Ross - Arklow - Newtownbarry - Battle of Vinegar Hill - 21 June - Kilkenny - Ulster - County Dublin

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The prelude to and suppression of the rebellion throughout Ireland was characterised by the vicious brutality of Crown forces who were responsible for several massacres of civilians as well as rebels, but the Wexford rebels brought shame on their movement, by killing many loyalist civilians at Scullabogue and Wexford bridge.

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