James Dickey (United Irishmen) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Dickey
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| Born | 1775/1776 |
| Died | 26 June 1798 Corn Market, Belfast
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| Occupation | Barrister |
| Political party | United Irishmen  |
James Dickey (born 1775 or 1776 – died June 26, 1798) was a young lawyer from a Presbyterian family. He grew up in Crumlin, in the north of Ireland. James Dickey was an important member of the Society of the United Irishmen. He was executed for his role in leading rebels during the Battle of Antrim.
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Who Were the United Irishmen?
The Society of United Irishmen started in October 1791 in Belfast. Important citizens formed this group. They wanted a government in Ireland where people had a say. They were inspired by ideas from the American Revolution and the French Revolution.
At their first meeting, they agreed with Theobald Wolfe Tone. He believed that all Irish people should be united. Tone said that the powerful Anglican leaders and the English government tried to keep Protestants and Catholics divided. He thought they did this to control both groups.
The 1798 Rebellion
The United Irishmen hoped for changes in Ireland. When these changes did not happen, they decided to fight. In May 1798, they started a rebellion against the government in Dublin and the British Crown. They also hoped France would help them.
The rebellion began in Kildare. It then spread to other counties. Finally, it reached the Presbyterian areas around Belfast.
The Battle of Antrim
On June 5, 1798, the United Irishmen groups in Antrim met. They chose Henry Joy McCracken, a textile maker, as their General. The next day, McCracken called for the "United Army of Ulster" to rise up.
Their first plan worked well. They took control of towns like Larne, Ballymena, Maghera, and Randalstown. They also damaged the bridge at Toome. This stopped government soldiers from getting into Antrim quickly.
James Burns, who was also a rebel, wrote about the rebellion. He said that James Dickey led the rebels in Randalstown. He also mentioned that Dickey killed a "traitor" there.
McCracken led about 6,000 rebels to attack Antrim town. Some Catholic fighters joined them as promised. But during the march, there might have been problems between the Presbyterian and Catholic rebels. This might have caused some fighters to leave. It also delayed McCracken's attack.
McCracken's army was defeated in Antrim town. His forces scattered. On June 15, Dickey, McCracken, James Hope, James Orr, and about 50 other rebels from Antrim reached Slemish. They stayed there for three weeks. They left when a British army officer, Colonel Green, threatened to attack them.
Capture and Execution
James Dickey was captured by soldiers on Divis Mountain, where he was hiding. He was put on trial by a military court. He was then executed by hanging in Corn Market, Belfast, on June 26, 1798.
Before he was hanged, Dickey famously refused to wear a black hood. He told the hangman, "Sir, don't cover my face!" It is said that he shouted, "Don't think gentlemen, I am ashamed to show my face among you, I am dying for my country!"
However, a newspaper at the time, the Belfast News Letter, gave a different account. This newspaper was against the United Irishmen. It claimed that Dickey changed his mind on the scaffold. It said he warned that if the Presbyterians had won, they would have ended up fighting the Catholics. This idea later made many people in the north forget about the sacrifices made by Dickey and McCracken.
James Dickey was only 22 years old when he died. After his execution, his head was placed on a spike. This was outside the Market House on Belfast's High Street.
James's Brother, John Dickey
James Dickey's brother, John Dickey, also from Crumlin, was involved in the rebellion. Neighbors reported him to the authorities. They had seen him making pikes, which are weapons, and attending secret meetings of the United Irishmen at night.
John was arrested and tried by a military court. He refused a deal offered by the government to other rebel leaders. Instead, he was sent to the West Indies to do hard labor. However, he managed to escape. He then made his way to the United States.
