History of County Wexford - The 1798 Rebellion

The 1798 Rebellion

Main article: Irish Rebellion of 1798 See also: Wexford Rebellion

County Wexford saw the heaviest fighting of 1798 rebellion was fought, with significant battles at Enniscorthy and New Ross and numerous 1798 memorials are scattered throughout the county. The famous ballad Boolavogue was written in remembrance of the Wexford Rising. Numerous 1798 memorials are scattered throughout the county. The French Revolution was a big influence on many of the rebels who took part and many were also United Irishmen. A common weapon used by the Wexford rebels was the pike, made by local blacksmiths – one modification usually included was a hook, used primarily to cut a horse's reins. The Iron or Steel spearhead was attached to a long wooden shaft – made of Ash. Blacksmiths were especially targeted as suspected United Irishmen prior to the rebellion and type of torture known as Pitchcapping was widely employed by British troops in Wexford to obtain information.

The Rebellion in Wexford began on the evening of 26 May 1798. All through that night and the morning of 27 May 1798 several incidents took place, the first of which occurred just north of Scarawalsh Bridge, on the River Slaney. The area of countryside around Ferns and Camolin was principally involved in the initial outbreak. Fires were lit on nearby hills (including Carrigrew Hill) this night to signal to those in the surrounding countryside that the Rebellion had commenced. The famous John Murphy, a Catholic Priest, emerged as an important Rebel leader at this early stage of the Rebellion.

The Rebels were victorious at the Battle of Oulart Hill on 27 May 1798 and took Enniscorthy the next day, establishing one of their main camps at Vinegar Hill, adjacent to the town where thousands flocked to join the rebellion. On 30 May 1798 the rebels defeated a British force on its way to reinforce the garrison at Wexford town at the Battle of Three Rocks.. The Government and Loyalist forces at Wexford town panicked and almost the entire garrison fled by a circuitous route, avoiding the rebels, towards Duncannon Fort. The Rebels entered the town in triumph – now almost all of the county was theirs.

An attempt to spread the rebellion into Carlow led to defeat on 1 June 1798 at the Bunclody (or Newtownbarry) but on 4 June 1798 a British counterattack was repulsed at Battle of Tubberneering and Gorey was taken the same day.

On 5 June 1798, the Rebels fought for ten hours at the Battle of New Ross, but failed to take the town. There was huge loss of life and blood literally ran in the streets. Later that day about 120 loyalist prisoners, were killed at Scullabogue, near the Rebel Camp on Carrigbyrne Hill.

On 9 June 1798, Wexford Rebels, joined by Rebels from County Wicklow, were defeated at the Battle of Arklow, County Wicklow. On 20 June 1798 a number of loyalists were piked to death on Wexford bridge. Also on 20 June 1798 the Rebels were defeated at the Battle of Foulksmills (or Goff's Bridge). At this stage, Government and Loyalist troops were now closing in on the Rebels from all sides.

The Rebels were defeated at the Battle of Vinegar Hill, 21 June 1798. That was the last major action in County Wexford. However, a detachment of Government and Loyalist forces, consisting of Ancient Britons, Fifth Dragoon Guards, Gorey Yeoman Cavalry, Ballaghkeen Yeoman Cavalry, and some supplementary mounted Yeomen, was ambushed and defeated at Ballyellis, County Wexford (near the border with County Wicklow), on 30 June 1798. The number killed was probably around 60 – of whom 25 were Ancient Britons. A number of others were wounded. There were no Rebel casualties. This engagement became known as the Battle of Ballyellis.

On the morning of 5 July 1798 the Rebels fought the Army (under James Duff) for two hours at the Battle of Ballygullen (near Craanford), where a large number of Rebels were killed and wounded. This was the last pitched battle of the rebellion in Wexford as the surviving active rebels sought to spread the rebellion by marching towards Ulster and Munster until their defeat on 14 July. Some groups stayed in Wexford carrying on guerilla warfare with the last faction, led by James Corcoran, surviving until their eventual destruction in February 1804. Others, like Miles Byrne fought on in a different way. After Emmet's failed Rebellion of 1803, in which Byrne was involved, he escaped to France. There he enlisted in the French Army and fought the British in this guise on many subsequent occasions.