Wolfe Tone

Wolfe Tone was the founder of Irish republicanism. A unique figure within Irish nationalism, as an English-speaking Protestant of settler colonial origin, Tone underwent a dramatic political transformation in his relatively short life: from an elite playboy with colonial fantasies, into a radical Jacobin who advocated the unity of Catholics, Protestants, and Dissenters.Inspired by the French Revolution, he helped to build the United Irishmen into one of the largest revolutionary movements in Europe. Their rebellion of 1798 was crushed only through systematic terror, with more people murdered in Ireland than all of France during the 'Reign of Terror'.This political biography of Wolfe Tone dispels the many myths—produced and reinforced by both nationalist and colonial accounts—surrounding his life and politics. The book charts Tone’s political development as a revolutionary who, despite religious differences, placed trust in the 'men of no property' to break connections with England. His pioneering anti-sectarian vision remains as relevant as ever for today.

Kieran Allen is an Emeritus Associate Professor of Sociology at University College Dublin. He is the author of numerous books, including 1916: Ireland's Revolutionary Tradition and 32 Counties: The Failure of Partition and the Case for a United Ireland. He has made regular appearances in the Irish media, both on television and newspapers, and is a regular contributor to Rebel news.