1798 Rebellion notes • Ireland during 1700s: Georgian Era (after the 4 King Georges) • 3 main religious denominations in Irl. • Roman Catholic (75%) • Anglican (Church of Ireland) (15%) • Presbyterian (10%) • Many landlords, wealthy people, politicians, government officials, judges were Anglican • The 'ruling class' were called the 'Ascendancy' • In the 1780s: Parliament in Dublin (House of Commons) • But to vote you had to be: Church of Ireland, Male, Wealthy • Theobald Wolfe Tone felt Catholics and Presbyterians should be treated equally • Wrote 'An Argument on Behalf of the Catholics of Ireland' • Got involved with the 'Society of United Irishmen' which was set up in Belfast • Tone was influenced by the ideas of the French Revolution • United Irishmen wanted (a) religious equality (b) more power for the Irish Parliament • British government was at war with France and suspicious of the United Irishmen and banned them • United Irishmen changed: became a secret revolutionary group looking for an independent republic • French sent General Hoche with ships and troops to Bantry Bay to help UI but ships wrecked and mission failed • British sent General Lake to find and punish UI in Ireland • Used brutal tactics: flogging, 'pitchcapping', half-hanging, shooting etc... • United Irishmen in Leinster began rebellion • Later United Irishmen in Ulster and Wexford also began to rebel • British sent more troops to Ireland • French sent General Humbert to Mayo with 1,000 troops • 1798 the 'Year of the French' • Humbert's troops defeated • United Irishmen very strong in Wexford but forced to retreat to Vinegar Hill • Defeated at Battle of Vinegar Hill • Wolfe Tone captured (and commits suicide in prison) • British passed the 'Act of Union' in 1800 and shut down the parliament in Dublin • Politicians elected in Ireland travelled to House of Commons in Westminster, Dublin • Robert Emmet organised rebellion in Dublin in 1803 • Rebellion failed, Emmet put on trial, later executed on Thomas Street in Dublin