One of the main places where the rebellion of 1798 occurred was in County Wexford. The Catholic peasants were led by two local priests, Father John Murphy and Father Micheal Murphy.
By May 1798 the rebels had taken over the towns of Enniscorthy and Wexford. A republic was declared but it did not last as the rebels were soon beaten back by British forces.
The Battle of New Ross
One of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion was the battle of New Ross in June 1798 when the United Irishmen commanded by a local Protestant landlord, Bagenal Harvey, were defeated. Over 3,000 rebels were killed. The last battle was the battle of Vinegar Hill in Enniscorthy. The rebels were defeated and the towns of Wexford were recaptured by British troops.
Rebellion in Ulster
There was also a rebellion in Ulster. One of the leaders of the United Irishmen in Ulster was a Presbyterian, Henry Joy McCracken. He was one of the founders of the United Irishmen. He captured Antrim town but was soon caught and hanged in Belfast. Henry Munro led the rebels in County Down but he too was defeated and hanged.