Watty Graham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Walter (Watty) Graham
Born	1763 Maghera, County Londonderry, Ireland
Died	1798 Maghera
Occupation	Farmer, Reformed Presbyterian Church elder
Organization	National Guard, Maghera
Movement	Society of United Irishmen

Walter (Watty) Graham (1763–1798) was a farmer and a leader in his local Presbyterian Church in northern Ireland. He was executed for his part in the Rebellion of 1798 as a member of the United Irishmen.

Walter Graham: A Leader in the 1798 Rebellion

Early Life and Influences

Walter Graham was born near Maghera, in County Londonderry. Like his father, he was an elder in their local Presbyterian church. In the early 1790s, the church minister, John Glendy, often spoke about why democratic changes were important. He even celebrated the French Revolution.

Graham and others from his church supported Glendy's ideas. They reported his sermons in the United Irish newspaper, the Northern Star. Glendy once praised a French victory in 1792. He called it a sign from heaven for the French people and for everyone's freedom.

Joining the United Irishmen

As a representative at church meetings in Dublin, Graham met the leaders of the United Irishmen. This group wanted Ireland to be a republic, meaning it would be a country ruled by its people, not a king. They hoped France would help them.

With strict new rules being put in place, the United Irishmen began to plan a rebellion. Graham and his church members in Maghera formed a new group. They called themselves the National Guard, like the French.

Planning the Uprising

Their plan was to rise up at the same time as other towns. They would take weapons from local armed groups. Then, they would march to join other rebels. This was all part of a bigger plan to fight for a new government.

However, many United Irish leaders were arrested. Two weeks after the rebellion started in the south, Graham got orders. Henry Joy McCracken, a leader in County Antrim, told him to march to Antrim.

The Battle of Antrim and Its Aftermath

On June 7, 1798, Graham gathered several hundred men. They held Maghera that night. The next morning, they marched to Crewe Hill. But then, news arrived that McCracken had been defeated.

A large government army was also approaching. Graham and other leaders decided they couldn't win. They had few guns and no cannons. Most of their group fled, but some stayed and fought small battles.

In the days that followed, many people were punished. The Maghera Presbyterian Church was burned.

Capture and Legacy

Walter Graham tried to escape by boarding a ship. But he was betrayed by someone he knew. On June 19, Graham was hanged in Maghera. His execution was very harsh, meant to scare others.

Henry Cooke, a later church leader, remembered seeing soldiers burn Graham's house. Graham's wife and daughter later moved to the United States.

Today, the local GAA Club in Maghera is named in Walter Graham's honor. This shows he is still remembered as an important figure in Irish history.

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  Walter Graham