1798 Rebellion & Society Of United Irishmen

Today's topic is about the Irish rebellion, this is part one of the three other revolution in which only two were really revolutions, these were the American and French Revolutions. Pay close attention to what you're about to learn.

Background 

Ireland was once controlled by a specific group of British Protestants known as the Protestant Ascendancy(only 15% of population), they owned 90% of Irish land and discriminated against Irish Catholics by creating Penal Laws. The Penal Laws stated that Catholics could not vote or sit in the Parliament and that they had to pay high taxes called tithes to the clergy of the Church Of Ireland.

Causes of Protest

What caused the Irish people to want to revolt against British rule? there were numerous factors. 

1. French and American Revolution: The Catholics and Presbyterians were inspired by the ideals of liberty and equality that were spread by the American and French revolutions.

2. Tithes: The poor Irish were upset that they had to pay taxes to a church that they didn't belong to and began to protest.

3. The Anglicans were annoyed that they could not have a say in the parliament and the unfair trading by the British Government.

Society Of United Irishmen

Wolf Tone, a barrister born in Dublin was a protestant who didn't believe that the British were being fair to the Irish. In 1791 Wolf Tone founded the 'Society Of United Irishmen' along with Neilson, McCracken and Russell, the goal of the society was to reform, not revolt against the British. The society aimed to include all religions, give the irish people a say in the parliament and end British control over Irish affairs.

In 1793 the British government gave Catholics the right to vote to please them as the British were in the middle of a war with France and could not afford to have anymore trouble with Ireland. However the British were worried that the Society Of United Irishmen would ask the French for help and give them a backdoor to invade Britain, to be assured that this would not happen Britain declared that the Society Of United Irishmen to be banned. The Society of United Irishmen became an illegal, secret society and now had new plans to form a rebellion and change Ireland to a republic.

In 1796 Wolf Tone went to France to seek for assistance against the British, at that time British spies infiltrated the society.

Bantry Bay