Defenders (Ireland) facts for kids

The Defenders were a secret group of Catholic people in Ireland during the 1700s. They started in County Armagh. At first, they were local groups formed to protect themselves from another group called the Peep o' Day Boys. These Protestant groups would raid Catholic homes.

By 1790, the Defenders became a larger, secret society with different local branches called "lodges." Members had to swear an oath. Later, around 1796, the Defenders joined forces with the Society of United Irishmen. They took part in the Irish Rebellion of 1798. In the 1800s, this group changed and became known as the Ribbonmen.

Even today, some people still use the term "Defenderism" to talk about certain types of political violence in Ireland.

How the Defenders Started

The Defenders began in the mid-1780s. Catholic people formed them because the authorities were not stopping the Peep o' Day Boys. This Protestant group would attack Catholic homes at night. They claimed they were looking for weapons, which Catholics were not allowed to have under old laws called the Penal Laws.

After seeing fights between groups like the Nappach Fleet and Bunker's Hill Defenders go unpunished, people decided to form their own defense groups. One such group started in Grangemore, near Ballymacnab, County Armagh. This area had been attacked by the Peep o' Day Boys before. This new group became known as the Defenders. They bought weapons from a Protestant shopkeeper in Armagh. Then, they started night-watches and patrols to look out for the Peep o' Day Boys.

At first, the Defenders were independent local groups focused on defense. But by 1790, they had joined together into a larger, secret organization. It had local "lodges" and a main "head-lodge" led by a Grand Master. The Defenders were influenced by groups like Freemasonry. Most of their members were poorer Catholics. Each member had to swear an oath. Even though they faced strict laws, their oath included loyalty to King George the Third and the government. The oath changed a few times, but it always focused on loyalty and sticking together.

By 1786, the Peep o' Day Boys and Defenders were fighting each other.

Conflict Grows

The fighting between the two groups spread. It moved from nighttime raids to daytime clashes at fairs, markets, and races. Throughout the late 1780s, fierce fighting happened in parts of County Armagh. Judges, who were mostly anti-Catholic, and Protestant juries often found Peep o' Day Boys innocent. But they would convict and punish Defenders. The government eventually sent the military to try and stop the trouble. The soldiers helped stop daytime fights, but they couldn't stop the nighttime disturbances. More troops were sent to the most troubled areas.

In 1788, the Volunteer companies in County Armagh became involved. Many Peep o' Day Boys joined them. These Volunteers were supposed to help end the trouble fairly. Instead, they often made things worse by taking sides. Several clashes happened between the Defenders and the Peep o' Day Boys, sometimes with the Volunteers helping. By 1789, the disturbances became more about religion itself. Both sides committed violent acts against each other.

The Militia Act of 1793

From 1778 onwards, some of the strict penal restrictions against Catholics had been removed. Catholics were now allowed to vote and join juries. However, in February 1793, revolutionary France declared war on Great Britain. This led to a new law called the Militia Act. This act was a form of partial conscription, meaning some men had to join the military. Wealthier Catholics, like the young Daniel O'Connell, joined the Militia. This showed they were slowly being accepted into society. But it was much harder for poorer Catholic farmers. Their families needed their help on the farm.

Even though the law said conscripts would serve only in Ireland, many people believed they would be sent abroad. This led to strong opposition, and thousands of people took the Defender oath. Members often swore their oaths using religious books. One oath said: "The French Defenders will uphold the cause. The Irish Defenders will pull down British laws."

The Defenders did not have one central leader. They were organized in small, local groups that were loosely connected. They also lacked many firearms. To get weapons, they raided the homes of wealthy Protestants. In January 1793, a newspaper reported that forty farms near Dundalk, County Louth, had been raided for weapons. County Leitrim saw the most Defender activity. They raided Carrick-on-Shannon and Manorhamilton. They were eventually defeated at Drumkeerin in May 1793. Despite the government's efforts to stop them, the Leitrim Defenders rose up again in 1795. Hundreds of soldiers had to be sent to the county to defeat them.

Battle of the Diamond

In September 1795, the Peep o' Day Boys, supported by some Volunteer companies, clashed with the Defenders. This short fight, known as the Battle of the Diamond, happened near Loughgall in County Armagh. About 30 Defenders were killed. After the battle, the Peep o' Day Boys gathered at James Sloan's inn in Loughgall. There, they founded the Orange Order.

Working with the United Irishmen

The Society of United Irishmen quickly saw the Defenders as possible allies. Important members, like James Hope, traveled around the country. They helped organize Defender groups and shared their newspaper, the Northern Star. Defender groups were often easily changed into United Irish groups. People who belonged to both groups were sometimes called "up and up."

It's hard to know exactly how big a role the Defenders played as a group during the 1798 rebellion. However, Colonel Foote, a British commander, called the victorious rebels "Defenders" after the Battle of Oulart Hill. This shows how important they were.

The Defenders from County Down pulled back their support before the United Irishmen were defeated at the Battle of Ballynahinch on June 12, 1798. Their leader, John Magennis, had good information about the size and location of the British forces. Magennis had also suggested a night attack, but Munro would not allow it. The Defenders were also not present as a group at the earlier Battle of Antrim.

Some people believed the Defenders were very Catholic and held strong anti-Protestant views. They thought the Defenders only pretended to agree with the United Irishmen's idea of uniting people of all religions. While some Defenders might have felt this way, they also sometimes disagreed with Catholic priests. For example, in Athlone in 1793, a priest who spoke in favor of the Militia Act was almost harmed by Defenders.

See also

• Agrarian society
• Croppy
• Hearts of Oak (Ireland)
• Hearts of Steel
• Irish Volunteers (18th century)
• Molly Maguires
• Orange Order
• Peep o' Day Boys
• Ribbonism
• Secret society
• United Irishmen
• Whiteboys
• Captain Rock

Sources

• Thomas Bartlett, Kevin Dawson, Daire Keogh, "Rebellion", Dublin 1998
• Liam Kelly "A Flame now Quenched: Rebels and Frenchmen in Leitrim 1793–98", Dublin 1998
• David Miller "Peep O' Day Boys and Defenders", Belfast 1990