1798 Irish Rebellion

The 1798 Rebellion in Ireland was one of the largest in the island's turbulent history. Inspired by the recent American and French Revolutions, a group calling themselves the United Irishmen, led by a firebrand named Wolf Tone, planned to throw off English rule which they felt was thwarting true democracy in Ireland.

In December 1796, Tone secured from France 15,000 veteran troops to spearhead the rebel forces, but storms prevented the landing and the invasion force returned to France. The government was shaken by this near catastrophe and immediately started a campaign of terror and intimidation to shatter the United Irishmen and arrest many of their leaders.

By early 1798 pressure mounted for the rebellion to start and after the arrest of many rebel leaders, those who had managed to escape set the date for the rising. The key was seizing the capital Dublin. There plan was to rise, take Dublin then have the various counties rise and pin down the local military battalians. A limited uprising occurred in Dublin but was quicked suppressed. The British forces followed up with the burning of homes in the southern-eastern County Wexford and the execution of over 50 prisoners.

Following on these attempts to quell the locals, more and more flocked to the Wexford rebels hilltop encampments. Soon there were hundreds, then thousands of rebels and after several pitched battles and at least 30,000 killed, the superior training, arms and tactics of the British forces won out.