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The Personnel of the Dublin Society of United Irishmen, 1791-4

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 July 2017

R. B. McDowell
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Extract

One of the most noticeable features of Irish political life in the 'later eighteenth century, is, that though political power was :oncentrated in comparatively few hands, there was a very large leasure of political freedom. One could in fact sum up the system by saying that it was oligarchy tempered by discussion. As a result, voluntary and unofficial societies and clubs arose for the purpose of educating and influencing public opinion, and were the nuclei of much political thought and action. There [were Whig Clubs, Constitutional Clubs, Societies for the [Preservation of Liberty and Peace and Associations of Independent Voters. Thus there was nothing very strange in the Iformation, in November 1791, of a Dublin branch of the newly bounded Society of United Irishmen. But this group was to prove unique in at least one respect.

Type
Articles
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 2 , Issue 5 , March 1940 , pp. 12 - 53
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 1940

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References

Page 13 note 1 In the Irish State Paper Office, Dublin Castle. They are the most important collections of archive-material relating to the radical movement from 1790 to 1803, and include all the known communications from Collins to the government.

Page 13 note 2 Lauzun to Nepean, 3 Dec. 1793 (PRO, H.O. 100/34).

Page 13 note 3 Rebellion Papers, 620/54/12, 13, 18, 20.

Page 14 note 1 Dr. Drennan's subscription as given in the list is the same sum as he stated to his sister that he had given to the fund for Butler and Bond (Drennan Letters, p. 142). From notes on the side it is possible that the list was later used in connection with a contemplated purge of the society.

Page 14 note 2 See below, p. 19.

Page 14 note 3 Cooke to Nepean, 26 May 1794 (PRO, H.O. 100/52).

Page 16 note 1 An appeal to the people of Ireland (Dublin, 1794).

Page 17 note 1 Polunteers Journal (Dublin), 12 Apr. 1784.

Page 17 note 2 Ibid., 16 July 1784.

Page 17 note 3 Ibid., 7 July 1784.

Page 17 note 4 Ibid., 19 July 1784.

Page 17 note 5 Rabellion Papers, 620/20/49, and notes on Samuel Otway and James O'Bryan the appendix.

Page 18 note 1 Drennan Letters, p. 122, and note on James Tandy in the appendix.

Page 18 note 2 J. W. [i.e. Leonard McNally] to, [undated, probably June 1798] (Rebellion Papers, 620/10).