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Leaders Of '98: Murphy And Mccracken A Comparison Of The 1798 Rebellion In Wexford And Antrim, David Carton

Graduate Theses

This study examines the relationship between the Irish nationalist risings in Wexford and Antrim in 1798. The Antrim Rising was a largely ideological movement that was influenced by the beliefs of the United Irishmen; in contrast, the Wexford Rising was a reactionary movement that was influenced by the leadership of Fr. John Murphy of Boolavogue. An analysis of the differences and similarities of these two leaders serves as the primary mode of analysis. McCracken restructured the United Irishmen in Belfast into a secret revolutionary society, as Murphy mobilized rebel forces in Wexford and inspired a military uprising. This thesis seeks …