Some members of the congregation will have heard me speak of the links between our congregation and the Society of United Irishmen. In September 2003 I gave an address dealing with the Unitarian links with Robert Emmett
Since then I have been looking at the Unitarian involvement with radical politics of the late eighteenth century. I have been amazed by what I have discovered. I am examining the role of Radical Protestant Dissenters in the broad democratic and revolutionary movement of the English speaking world i.e. America, Great Britain and Ireland. The ruler of this world was the Hanoverian tyrant George111, the enemy of political reform and democracy and the upholder of penal laws against Catholics and Dissenters.
In America the kings critics included Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson the author of the American Declaration of Independence, In England amongst the group of leading radical reformers and democrats was Dr Richard Price, Dr Joseph Priestly, William Godwin and Mary Woolstonecroft and Thomas Muir in Scotland.
In Ireland the Society of United Irishmen was led by such as Archibald Hamilton Rowan, William Drennan, Samuel Neilson, Henry Joy Mcracken and Jemmy Hope. These individuals were all connected to the liberal wing of Protestant Dissent that today would be described as Non-subscribing Presbyterianism and or Unitarianism.
Hamilton Rowan was the most important leader of the United Irishmen [he was senior to Wolfe Tone and brought Tone into the conspiracy]. Rowan was a member of our congregation then based at Strand Street. William Drennan the founder of the United Irishmen was also a member of our congregation. If there are intellectual snobs in our congregation they will be pleased to learn that William Rowan Hamilton the mathematician was a son of Archibald and therefore also has Unitarian roots. Rowan’s biographer was William Drummond who was our Minister and you may see his portrait in the vestry. Music lovers in the congregation will be pleased to know that Drummond was a close friend of Edward Bunting who organised the Belfast harpers festival in 1791.Drummond brought Bunting to live in Dublin presumably to play for our congregation and Drummond is believed to have introduced the organ into Presbyterian worship.
The political ideas of leading United Irishmen such as Arthur O’Conner, the Emmett brothers and Thomas Russell were strongly influenced by personal and family contacts and by corresponding with and the writings of the Non-Subscribers and the Unitarians
The views of the great advocate of liberty and democracy Tom Paine were deeply influenced by his contacts with Benjamin Franklin and by Dr Price whom he described as “one of the best hearted men that lives [The Rights of Man p7].
I am at present writing and researching these matters. I hope to produce a work to explain why Unitarians secularised religious ideas of freedom equality and democracy and thereby became the first advocates of democratic accountable and representative Government. I also hope to give short biographies of the more interesting people involved examining their Unitarianism, their political activism and their interconnections.
The following are some of those who may be included
• Dr Richard Price Unitarian Minister political philosopher and supporter of the American and French Revolutions. He was the target of Burke’s invective in “Reflections on the Revolution in France” and defended by Tom Paine in the “Rights of Man”
• Arthur O’Conner United Irish leader, the son on a Unitarian mother and uncle to Fergus O’Conner leader of the Chartists.
• Thomas Drennan Minister of Rosemary St Belfast and founder of Dublin Dissenter academy with the great Francis Hutcheson the “Father of the Scottish Enlightenment”
• William Drennan the son of a Unitarian Minister and founder of the Society of United Irishmen a close friend to the Emmetts.
• Martha McTier sister to William Drennan and great chronicler of her era through her correspondence with her brother.
• Mary Ann McCracken hero of anti-slavery movement, sister of Henry Joy and admirer of the Thomas Russell
• William Orr devout Non Subscribing Presbyterian and first United Irish martyr.
• Rev William Drummond Unitarian Minister to our congregation patron of Edward Bunting and biographer of Archibald Hamilton Rowan.
• Edward Bunting United Irishman, musician and organiser of the Belfast harpers festival of 1790 [possibly the organist to our congregation]
• Benjamin Franklin hero of American Independence.
• Tomas Addis Emmett leader of United Irishmen and husband of Jean Patten daughter of Unitarian Minister |Rev John Patten Clonmel
• Samuel Neilson editor of the Northern Star newspaper of the Belfast United Irishmen
• Thomas Muir Unitarian and friend of Rowan leader of the Scottish radicals transported for sedition in 1792
• Thomas Russell the most socially radical of the United Irish leaders, the loyal comrade of Robert Emmett immortalised as the “Man From God Knows Where” An Anglican he attended Non-Subscriber services in Belfast and corresponded with Dr Price
• Robert Emmett executed leader of United Irish rebellion of 1803
• William Godwin the “Father of Philosophical Anarchism” and husband of Mary Woolstonecroft father of Mary Shelley the author of Frankenstein. Godwin and Woolstonecroft were dear friends of Rowan and Dr Price
• Colonel Marcus Despard United Irishman and one time comrade to Horatio Nelson executed in London in 1803 for treason. A collaborator with Robert Emmett
• Dr Joseph Priestley, Unitarian Minister political radical and scientist. He discovered oxygen. He was awarded honorary membership of the Dublin Society of United Irishmen in 1792 after his house was burnt down by the Church and King mob.
• William Blake poet, engraver and religious Dissenter author of the great radical hymn Jerusalem
• Thomas Paine author of “The Rights of Man” and “The Age of Reason” He was awarded honorary membership of the Dublin Society of United Irish at the same time as his friend Dr Priestley. A self declared Deist he began his classic “The Age of Reason” with the words “I believe in one God and no more”
• Mary Woolstonescroft member of Price’s congregation, the first feminist, author of the “Rights of Woman” and mother of Mary Shelley
• Michael Quigley bricklayer who built Rowan’s house at Rathcoffey. Second in command to Robert Emmett in 1803.
• Jemmy Hope working class leader of United Irishmen, trade union organizer Non Subscribing Presbyterian and loyal comrade to Russell and Emmett
• William Hazlett senior father of the writer and one time Minister to the Bandon Unitarian congregation and champion of the cause of American prisoners of war.
• Lady Mountcashell [Margaret King daughter of the Earl of Kingston], pupil of Mary Woolstonecroft and comrade of Lord Edward Commander in- Chief of the Army of United Irishmen1798.

This work will take some time to complete but I am having great fun. If any members of the congregation have any knowledge of the era or books or sources that may be relevant I would be very grateful for any assistance.

Fergus Whelan
October 2005