A night with Ballymena Family History Society
The United Irishmen — Execution, Escape, Exile and Beyond a talk by Dr Ian Hart
Ciara needed a tutor as it seemed did every kid in the area. Well actually not just one, three for Chemistry, Physics, Maths. It was difficult to get a Physics tutor but her mum found Ian. I hadn't met him but I heard he had an interest in Northern Ireland, “What and he is from Stevenage?” A short while later I met him and I could tell that not only did he have an interest he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the place. His main interest was John Nevin who was a Captain of the United Irishmen and a leader in the 1798 rebellion in County Antrim.
I was to learn that Ian had an extensive family tree and knew many of the lines that traced him back to County Antrim. He had been invited to give a lecture on his descendants involvement in the 1798 rebellion to the Ballymena branch of the North of Ireland Family History Society (NIFHS). Given that we are in the days of zoom he asked would I like to attend. Initially, I wasn't sure as it was a little way off and I had planned to be in Northern Ireland (NI) on the date. Of course with lockdowns I wouldn't be so as the date approached I thought to attend would add to my attempt to create a virtual visit to NI.
It was clear that Ian is a master in not only family history but also connecting to the living descendants’ as people joined from England and the United States of America. Family members who hadn't seen each other for years exchanged greetings as we waited for all the expected to join.
I knew of the 1798 rebellion particularly the part of it that was made up of mainly Presbyterians in County Antrim but I hadn’t appreciated the scale of it with an estimated 30,000 people losing their lives. Ian’s talk brought alive a society in 18th century Ulster that I have struggled to imagine. I hear you ask why as I ask myself.
I did find myself imagining what type of Ireland would we have now if the rebellion succeeded. Would Wolfe Tone’s vision of Catholic, Protestant and dissenter being united as Irish men and women have led to a more inclusive Ireland?
The lack of equal rights led to many Presbyterians seeking a new life in a new republic by immigrating to the United States. John Nevin fled there with his life and reignited his business acumen.
The talk also got me thinking again about the term ‘The British’. The term has changed with time though at this time it would have been an Anglican ruling class. When Ian mentioned the famine of 1690 I thought he got his dates wrong only to learn that he was referring to the Scottish famine that led to many of its people taking refuge in Ulster.
I found the below letter from John Nevin on a BBC website from America to his brother back home in Antrim.
Trinity College Dublin has also an informative and well presented lecture on the rebellion.
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