The Rising of 1798 was brutally put down so that the Irish might never think of rising again. Although it succeeded in putting an end to the larger organized rebel societies like the Defenders and United Irishmen, the spirit of opposition to rents, tithes and taxes still prevailed among the oppressed Irish tenantry and smaller, clandestine societies continued to operate against the landlords. These local societies were called by many names such as Whiteboys, for the means they chose to identify themselves on night raids, to Levelers, for their tactic of filling in the ditches used by … [Read more...] about Origins