Wolfe Tone visited Belfast for the first time on this day in 1791 and established the Society of the United Irishmen. Tone founded the United Irishmen with the help of other famous nationalists like Henry Joy McCracken, Thomas Russell and Samuel Neilson. The United Irishmen was inspired by both the French and American revolutions and tried to achieve parliamentary reform. … [Read more...] about October 14, 1791
July 27, 1782
The third Catholic Relief Act came into effect on this day in 1782. This act follows the second which was issued on May 4, 1782. Combined, the two Relief acts allow Catholics to own land outside of parliamentary boundaries, allow Catholics to become teachers, and allow them to act as guardians. These acts are part of the movement for Catholic emancipation and the removal of … [Read more...] about July 27, 1782
December 18, 1781
Barry Yelverton introduced the bill that will become Yelverton's Act on this day in 1781. The bill was a modification to Poyning's Law, which was already in place, and stated that all laws passed by both houses of the Irish parliament should be forwarded to England to become law by royal assent. This took the power to amend laws away from the Irish privy councils. … [Read more...] about December 18, 1781
December 13, 1779
The demand for the removal of restrictions on Irish free trade through out the colonies is satisfied on this day in 1779. After boycotting British goods and parading on College Green in Dublin in November, the Irish Volunteers, who had been armed and marched under a slogan of 'free trade or else' are granted their demands by the British government. … [Read more...] about December 13, 1779
March 4, 1778
Robert Emmet, one of Ireland's most famous revolutionaries, was born in Dublin on this day in 1778. Though he was born a wealthy Protestant, his family sympathized with the Irish Catholics and the American Revolution, and they became friendly with Irish nationalist revolutionaries. Emmet entered Trinity College, Dublin, at age fifteen, where he became involved with political … [Read more...] about March 4, 1778