Theobald Wolfe Tone was born in 1763 in Ireland and studied law, but was interested in politics and supported Catholic Emancipation. In 1791, he helped found the United Irishmen who wanted Irish independence from Britain and were willing to use violence. Tone sought support from France for an Irish rebellion against Britain. In 1796, the French sent ships with troops to help, but they were unable to land due to weather. Tone was later captured aboard a French ship and sentenced to death for treason, but he cut his own throat before the execution.

1. Theobald Wolfe Tone was born into a
protestant family in 1763. He went on
to study law at Trinity College but
always had a keen interest in politics.
He wrote a pamphlet supporting the
idea of Catholic Emancipation. This
stated that Catholics should be allowed
sit in parliament.
He followed the events of the French
revolution closely and believed in its
ideals of liberty for all men. In 1791 he
helped to found the United Irishmen in
Belfast. The United Irishmen wanted
Ireland to be independent of Britain
and they were willing to use violence
to achieve this goal.

2. Tone wanted all Irishmen regardless of
their religion to work together to
achieve independence. When Britain
and France went to war the British
government became worried about the
United Irishmen and declared them
illegal. Tone was found to be in contact
with a French agent and was as a result
exiled to America. It was from here in
1796 that he went to France looking
for support for a rebellion in Ireland.
The French agreed to help him and
sent a fleet of ships in December of
1796. The fleet was commanded by
General Hoche and had 15000 troops
with it. They arrived off the coast of

3. Cork in Bantry Bay but were unable to
land due to extreme weather
conditions. They were forced to return
home.
This scared the British who started to
violently suppress anyone suspected of
being a member of the United
Irishmen. Weapons were seized and
leaders arrested. Tone had also
returned to France and missed most of
the 1798 rebellion. He was unable to
get a French force to Wexford to help
the rebellion there.
He did however convince the French to
once again send a fleet. He was once
again aboard this fleet. As they sailed
into Lough Swilly in county Donegal

4. they were met by British battle ships.
The French force was captured and
Tone was immediately recognised and
sent to trial in Dublin.
He was found guilty of treason and was
sentenced to death. He asked for a
soldier’s execution as he was an officer
in the French army. This would be
death by firing squad. This was refused
and instead he was sentenced to hang.
Before this could happen Tone cut his
own throat. It took him a week to die
suffering great pain all of the time.
Tone went on to inspire future leaders
of rebellions in Ireland. As he was the
one who had brought the ideals of the
French revolution to Ireland he became

5. known as the Father of Irish
Republicanism.