1798 Re enactment

[euryalus]

This is background information, rather than re-enactment news, but we have discovered the strangest thing in the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Museum - or rather, in a cupboard in Slade Park Barracks. It is supposed to be a lock of Lord Edward Fitzgerald's hair, and I believe it to be genuine, because it was listed in an old accession book, and it seems that Edward Fitzgerald's son later served with the regiment!

[Billy]

Cloning anyone?

[lordedward]

Recently I had the good fortune to meet a brother and sister who are direct decendents of Lord Edward and I can tell you theres no need for cloning as the young man is the spitting image of the Citizen Lord himself. This was in St. Wereburgs (beside the Lord Edward pud behind Christchurch in Dublin).

[Irish-American]

I would suggest The Summer Soldiers. I have not reenacted this period (would like too) but I have dug me nose into because the main character in ACW novel's father killed himself after Vinegar Hill.
http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Soldiers-1 ... 0856405582

[rinuccini]

Back in 2005 our group 'The Minstrel Boys' was involved in a film project centred around the battle of Saintfield, Co. Down.

http://www.minstrelboys.org.uk/index_files/Page1462.htm

A fact often forgotten is that the areas of Antrim and Down strongly supported the United Irish movement, these people were mainly Presbyterians, many of whom were led to battle by their Ministers. In my area (East Antrim, there are numerous gravestones with United Irish inscriptions).

[lordedward]

Thats a very important point Rinuccini, something we stress whenever we do a living history portrayal of the period and all the more remarkable considering how hard the Dragooning of Ulster was. Kildare was first, Ulster second and Wexford was a late entry

[Irish-American]

The book I mentioned pretty much gives a minute by minute account of the events '98. Also as gussing you know The Year of The French is a decent novel as well.

[lordedward]

Year of the French was also made into a TV mini series in the 60's ? by RTE

Incidentally does anyone know where I can get a copy of same.

[Irish-American]

I know of a classic movie site I once bought The History of The World: Part One off of. Can’t think of the name right now, but I’l�M it to you when I do. Other then that, I’d s�est looking at Amazon.uk or Ebay (Frankly I would just google Year of the French mini-series and see if it turns up.) I don’t kno�ou can take much stock in this website: http://www.iol.ie/~fagann/1798/ but seems to have a lot of essays on the Rising,

But now I have a question for you fine people:
As I briefly mentioned I’m writi�a American Civil War novel about an Irishman. But need details about the Rising in Co. Wicklow and the battle of Vinegar Hill because the main characters’ father k�ed himself shortly after. But more importantly what sort of industry was thriving in Wicklow at the time? I want his family to be sort of well to do (But not part of the Acendcy) I guess what we would call “middle clas�today. My bu� who moved from Ireland suggested I consider the cattle trade, I can’t find much inf�n this. (like methods and such) Would it be safe to compare them to American Cowboys in the West?

[lordedward]

I think by cattle trade your friend might be thinking of the live export trade across the Irish Sea to Britain but I think this is a feature of later times.

If your character was involved at Vinegar Hill maybe he's from south county Wicklow which is good sheep country. Fine Chevit ewes But were sheep introduced later in the 19th century? Ah the hazards of historical novels.

Are you considering making your characters people "Mountainy Men" or coastal types.

I'll pull out some trade directories of the period and have a think.