The Union William Pitt the great English prime minister had long resolved upon a legislative union between England and Ireland : he believed the proper time had now come; and made very careiul preparations for his purpose. At the opening of 1799 the marquis of Corn- ,walhs was lord lieutenant and lord Castlereagh was chief secretary. The Union was indirectly referred to in the Irish parliament in the speech from the throne on the 22nd January 1799. The opposition at once took the ... Read More

Above: Robert Emmets In 1802, Robert Emmet, a gifted, earnest, noble minded young man of twenty-four, younger brother of Thomas Addis Emmet, attempted to reorganise the United Irishmen. He had just returned from France and had hopes of aid from Napoleon. He employed all his private fortune in the secret manufacture of pikes and other arms. His plan was to attack Dublin Castle and Pigeon House fort; and he had intended to rise in August 1803, by which time he expected invasion from ... Read More