1798 Rebellion and the O'Byrnes p3 of 3
The atmosphere was different in Kilkenny, no insurgent rebels joined the Wexford camp. John Murphy and Miles Byrne rode at the head of the column and when the militia quit Doonane
for Castlecomer without a fight the colliers all joined the rebels and a nationwide revolt was on the cards - the plan was now to take Castlecomer by trapping the Waterford militia and more importantly their arms and supplies.
Miles Byrne was launched in pursuit of the militia. Murphy and Byrne besieged Castle- comer and offered surrender terms to the garrison but not before fierce fighting and some heavy rebel losses. After clearing the garrison and securing supplies and more insurgents joining the fray they set out for Athy and then
Kilkenny where hopefully the local populace wouldjoin after hearing of their renewed successes but instead of recruits flocking to their standard there were no welcoming shouts or liberty talk, the rebels were on their own with a middle
aged priest and a young second in command Miles Byrne, even the colliers saw the writing on the wall and began to desert. Government forces began to reorganise in the area coming from Laois and Kilkenny and Fr. Murphy began for the first
time to entertain thoughts of defeat - they decided to link up with their comrades who had vacated Wexford town for the vast natural fortress of Wicklow under Garret Byrne and so yet another long march was undertaken by the rebel
army. Miles Byrne fought with considerable success from the Scullogue Gap to the Wicklow Mountains, and home at last. Here another disagrement over tactics led to Garret Byrne electing to leave the mountains and head north over flat country
in the hope 1000's would join their standard, Garret Byrne led them to the Boyne while Miles Byrne remained battling on in the Wicklow mountains convinced of imminent French aid, Lord Cornwallis, the government campaigh leader offered all
rebels protection if they returned home and discontinued the fight. The chiefs would be dealt with differently, hostilities began to end by July 1798 long before the French landed in Killala in August with an advance force which
despite early success was easily contained. The surviving rebels returned home or to safe houses.
The leaders were hanged or deported as Fitzgerald and Garret Byrne went to Hamburg. Miles Byrne hid among relatives and sympathisers in Dublin and was involved heavily in Robert Emmets aborted rebellion in 1803 - he was sent to France to brief the French government and to seek military aid. He would never return to Ireland and embarked on a distinguished military career in the French army.
The memoirs of Miles Byrne written with the support of his wife Fanny Byrne were written in Paris between 1854 and 1862 and published in 1863 when Miles was 83 years of age - they are a remarkable account of the 1798 period by a rebel. Miles Byrne was buried in Montmarte Paris but before he left for France he had one other important piece of work to do.
A great many people did not realise or want to know that Fr John Murphy had been executed in Tullow. They believed he was well and in hiding. Martin Byrne and a committee of patriots worked and collected money toreorganise"Fr. Johns" escape. They had interviewed the priest who claimed to be Fr. John and as none of the committee knew what he looked like they asked Miles Byrne, hiding in Dublin to identify him. Delighted to do so he was shocked to see an imposter and soon after left for France.
Hugh O'Byrne of Aughrim
< Back to 1798
for Castlecomer without a fight the colliers all joined the rebels and a nationwide revolt was on the cards - the plan was now to take Castlecomer by trapping the Waterford militia and more importantly their arms and supplies.
Miles Byrne was launched in pursuit of the militia. Murphy and Byrne besieged Castle- comer and offered surrender terms to the garrison but not before fierce fighting and some heavy rebel losses. After clearing the garrison and securing supplies and more insurgents joining the fray they set out for Athy and then
Kilkenny where hopefully the local populace wouldjoin after hearing of their renewed successes but instead of recruits flocking to their standard there were no welcoming shouts or liberty talk, the rebels were on their own with a middle
aged priest and a young second in command Miles Byrne, even the colliers saw the writing on the wall and began to desert. Government forces began to reorganise in the area coming from Laois and Kilkenny and Fr. Murphy began for the first
time to entertain thoughts of defeat - they decided to link up with their comrades who had vacated Wexford town for the vast natural fortress of Wicklow under Garret Byrne and so yet another long march was undertaken by the rebel
army. Miles Byrne fought with considerable success from the Scullogue Gap to the Wicklow Mountains, and home at last. Here another disagrement over tactics led to Garret Byrne electing to leave the mountains and head north over flat country
in the hope 1000's would join their standard, Garret Byrne led them to the Boyne while Miles Byrne remained battling on in the Wicklow mountains convinced of imminent French aid, Lord Cornwallis, the government campaigh leader offered all
rebels protection if they returned home and discontinued the fight. The chiefs would be dealt with differently, hostilities began to end by July 1798 long before the French landed in Killala in August with an advance force which
despite early success was easily contained. The surviving rebels returned home or to safe houses.
The leaders were hanged or deported as Fitzgerald and Garret Byrne went to Hamburg. Miles Byrne hid among relatives and sympathisers in Dublin and was involved heavily in Robert Emmets aborted rebellion in 1803 - he was sent to France to brief the French government and to seek military aid. He would never return to Ireland and embarked on a distinguished military career in the French army.
The memoirs of Miles Byrne written with the support of his wife Fanny Byrne were written in Paris between 1854 and 1862 and published in 1863 when Miles was 83 years of age - they are a remarkable account of the 1798 period by a rebel. Miles Byrne was buried in Montmarte Paris but before he left for France he had one other important piece of work to do.
A great many people did not realise or want to know that Fr John Murphy had been executed in Tullow. They believed he was well and in hiding. Martin Byrne and a committee of patriots worked and collected money toreorganise"Fr. Johns" escape. They had interviewed the priest who claimed to be Fr. John and as none of the committee knew what he looked like they asked Miles Byrne, hiding in Dublin to identify him. Delighted to do so he was shocked to see an imposter and soon after left for France.
Hugh O'Byrne of Aughrim
< Back to 1798