A History of Ireland in Song

Wolfe Tone

Theobald Wolfe Tone (1763-1798). Born in Dublin. Founding member of the United Irishmen in 1791. Enlisted French help for the 1798 Rising. Captured at Buncrana, sentenced to be hanged but cheated the gallows by cutting his throat.

In his speech from dock, he summed up his life's work clearly and succinctly:

To subvert the tyranny of our execrable government, to break the connection with England, the never-ending source of all our political evils, and to assert the independence of my country—these were my objects. To unite the whole people of Ireland, to abolish the memory of all past dissentions, and to substitute the common name of Irishman in place of the denominations of protestant, catholic and dissenter. These were my means."

[Home] [A History of Ireland in Song] [Links] [Support] [Contact]