The United Irishmen

The 1790s, coloured by revolutions in France and North America, were to see the birth of republicanism in Ireland and the emergence of radical Presbyterianism in the north. This decade is increasingly being considered as one of the most formative in modern Irish history. This book includes fresh interpretations of the period by 22 distinguished international historians, all contributors to the 1991 conference marking the bicentenary of the founding of the Societies of United Irishmen in Belfast and Dublin. These scholarly evaluations give a fascinating composite portrait of 1790s Ireland, a crucible of nationalism, nascent 19th century democratic politics and social and cultural change. They make a significant contribution to the study and understanding of Irish history. -- Publisher description.

The United Irish Movement of the 1790s began a tradition of revolutionary republicanism in Ireland which continues to this day. This book examines the origin, context, nature and practices of the republican movement from 1791 to 1798.

"The Belfast Jacobin is the first-ever biography of Samuel Neilson, a founding member of the Society of United Irishmen whose profound influence on this radical movement was to alter the course of Irish history. Samuel Neilson joined Wolfe Tone and Thomas Russell at the inaugural meeting of the United Irishmen in 1791, forming a radical front that would challenge the political realities of the day in increasingly strident ways. As editor of the Northern Star, Neilson was to be a principal figure in shaping the United Irishmen's ideology before the newspaper was suppressed by the military. He brought the excitement caused by the French Revolution into Irish focus, putting public dissatisfaction into words and, later, gathering the forces necessary for revolt. Kenneth Dawson, conducting original research and drawing upon innumerable archive sources, reveals Neilson's formidable strength as an organiser of radical politics, his incessant run-ins with the authorities, and his central role in planning the United Irish Rebellion of 1798. Samuel Neilson brought talk of revolution to the street - The Belfast Jacobin is a pivotal history that illuminates the true import of his deeds and writing, sorely obscured in many accounts of the 1790s"--Back cover.

Among the thousands of political refugees who flooded into the United States during the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, none had a greater impact on the early republic than the United Irishmen. They were, according to one Federalist, "the most God-provoking Democrats on this side of Hell." "Every United Irishman," insisted another, "ought to be hunted from the country, as much as a wolf or a tyger." David A. Wilson's lively book is the first to focus specifically on the experiences, attitudes, and ideas of the United Irishmen in the United States.Wilson argues that America served a powerful symbolic and psychological function for the United Irishmen as a place of wish-fulfillment, where the broken dreams of the failed Irish revolution could be realized. The United Irishmen established themselves on the radical wing of the Republican Party, and contributed to Jefferson's "second American Revolution" of 1800; John Adams counted them among the "foreigners and degraded characters" whom he blamed for his defeat.After Jefferson's victory, the United Irishmen set out to destroy the Federalists and democratize the Republicans. Some of them believed that their work was preparing the way for the millennium in America. Convinced that the example of America could ultimately inspire the movement for a democratic republic back home, they never lost sight of the struggle for Irish independence. It was the United Irishmen, writes Wilson, who originated the persistent and powerful tradition of Irish-American nationalism.

This book explores the lives and times of The United Irishmen who played a pivotal role in Irish history. Richard Robert Madden's work provides readers with a glimpse into the social and political forces that shaped modern Ireland. For history buffs and those interested in Irish history, this is a must-read. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Provides a lavishly illustrated overview of the 1798 rebellion as well as an exciting historical analysis written by one of Ireland's leading specialists on 1798 and its effects.