clare contest father John murphy leading his tenants poll Irish Rebellion Wexford
Father John Murphy (1753–c. 2 July 1798) was one of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 in Wexford which became known as the Wexford rebellion. Ironically he was at first against it, and in fact actively encouraged his parishioners to give up their arms and sign an oath of allegiance to the British Crown. After the defeat at Vinegar Hill he was executed and his body mutilated. He has gone down in the history of Ireland as a great hero of the rebellion in 1798, for his sincerity and his willingness to die for his people and country. On the evening of 26 May 1798, a group of some 40 men gathered under the tutelage of Fr Murphy, obstensibly to cut turf, but probably for safety against the regular yeomanry patrols at a townland called the Harrow. At about eight o'clock that evening, a mounted patrol of some 20 Camolin cavalry spotted the group and approached them demanding to know their business. They left after a brief confrontation having burned the cabin of a missing suspected rebel who they had been tasked to arrest. As the patrol returned they passed by Fr Murphy's group who were by now incensed by the sight of the burning cabin. As the cavalry passed by the men insults were hurled, followed by stones and then an all out attack on the troops. The bulk of the cavalry quickly fled but 2 of the yeomen including the lieutenant in command were killed. The rebellion in Wexford had begun and emissaries were organized and sent by Fr Murphy to rouse the district and attacks were made upon loyalist strongholds to seize the arms collected and stored there. Reprisals on the part of the Crown forces quickly followed and much of the county was scorched, many houses burnt and the countyside was soon filled with masses of people on the move to escape, or join in, the fighting. One group on on Kilthomas Hill was attacked and defeated on the morning of May 28th. Fr Murphy and his men, now outlaws, numbering upwards of a thousand, camped at Oulart Hill. They were badly armed,
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