5 - 1761–69: Reform Debated and Attempted

Summary

The landing of Thurot at Carrickfergus allowed the King's Irish subjects to exhibit their implacable loyalty. In particular Ulster's Protestants could both demonstrate their unswerving fidelity and bathe in the afterglow of their own supposed martial prowess. It also provided an issue around which parliamentary Patriotism could crystallise, in opposition to the alleged incompetence of the Dublin administration. Debates concerning the militia in Ireland became central to this. In the meantime the Seven Years War continued to be fought in its many theatres, and the Irish militia continued to carry out its accepted tasks. The death of George II and the accession of his son brought a re-issuing of militia commissions, and a new birthday to commemorate. It also necessitated an election. Notably, the issue of the militia did not appear to be an important one at the hustings, such as they were. However the reappearance of organised agrarian protest, together with the entry of Spain into the war in 1762 provided a new, twofold impetus to action both in parliament and on the ground.

The emergence of Whiteboyism in the province of Munster in 1761 brought new duties for the militia there. Protests by small farmers and labourers against enclosures of common land, the shift from labour-intensive tillage farming to pasturage, and eventually also the payment of tithes, developed into a series of intimidating nocturnal attacks and threats. In April 1762 a Dublin writer called for the ‘forming of independent companies’ across the country to ‘give a confidence and firmness to the Protestant interest’ and to counter the threat of the Whiteboys.