Orders, Decorations and Medals

Ireland, Wolfe Tone and the Irish Rebellion of 1798 Commemorative Medal, by R. C. Oldfield, obverse: bust of Wolfe Tone in uniform, reverse: a setting sun with Celtic Cross, Irish Harp and Irish Wolfhound etc., 37mm., bronze, suspension slack with a fragment of ribbon, good very fine £60-80

The Irish Rebellion of 1798, also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion, was an uprising, with French support, against British rule in Ireland. The rebellion was mainly organised by members of the Society of United Irishmen - a republican revolutionary group strongly influenced by the former revolution in America and the then ongoing revolution in France. Leader of the United Irishmen was Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763-98). Tone was present in the abortive French expedition under General Hoche that arrived off Bantry Bay, Ireland, in December 1796.

The rebellion of 1798 began in May of that year and resulted in a number of clashes with British forces around the country. It was not until 22 August, nearly two months after the main rebellion had been largely contained, that the first French forces arrived, General Humbert landing at Kilcummin, Co. Mayo with 1,000 French troops was joined by an equal number of rebels. He defeated British forces at Castlebar, 27 August and Colooney, 5 September but was himself defeated and surrendered at Ballinamuck, 8 September. Whereas Humbert and his captured French troops were treated as prisoners-of-war and eventually repatriated, the captured Irish rebels were executed.

On 12 October 1798, a larger French force, commanded by Admiral Bompart and General Hardy, consisting of 3,000 men, and including Wolfe Tone himself, attempted to land in Co. Donegal near Lough Swilly. They were intercepted before they could land by a larger Royal Navy squadron, and after a three hour battle off Tory Island they were forced to surrender. Although ranked as a French Adjutant-General, Tone was tried by court-martial in Dublin and found guilty of treason. Sentenced to hang, he cheated the hangman by cutting his own throat.