English oppression stoked Irish resentment. The last straw was the abolition of suffrage for Catholics. Revolutionary unions began to form in Ireland with the goal of driving the English and Protestants off the island and establishing an independent state. These unions were the Whiteboys, Rightboys, Defenders, and Hearts of Oak, who rebelled against brutal English landlords, Protestant priests, and unjust laws.
Soon the Irish were able to use the external world situation to their advantage. The War of Independence had begun in the United States, and the British government was preoccupied with problems with the Americans. Ireland forced the British to make several concessions.
France at the same time threatened to attack Britain, particularly on Irish shores. The Irish took advantage of this and declared that they needed their own army for defense and created a volunteer corps. The English Parliament sensed the approach of rebellion and relaxed many laws.
The French Revolution made a great impression on the Irish. As a result, in 1791 a new union, the “United Irishmen,” was formed in Ireland. It included not only Catholics, but also Protestants who wanted independence for the island. The British Parliament had to repeal many unjust laws and measures oppressing the Irish, but Catholics were still not allowed to be elected to Parliament or to work in the administration.
The Union began to act more decisively, intending to foment revolution. The English parliament could not allow this to happen and suppressed the revolutionary movement by force. The British took troops into Irish towns and disarmed the Union. But this did not stop the rebellion from taking place: in 1798 a riot broke out in several places at the same time. England managed to suppress the rebellion and prevented the French from coming to the rescue.