1.1.1.3 The 1798 Uprising

• The United Irishmen were able to attract large numbers by advocating for Catholic rights. By 1797 there were more than 200,000 of them
• Despite having 15,000 fighting men, Tone's rebellion was poorly coordinated and unable to take important towns such as Belfast or Dublin
• During the rebellion, France failed to provide immediate support, and when 1,100 troops arrived later, their numbers proved insufficient to reignite the uprising
• Armed conflict in Ireland, at a time when Britain was vulnerable, made it clear that the Irish Parliament could not be relied upon. As a result, William Pitt passed the 1801 Act of Union