The tumultuous risings act imposes penalties for rioting and for interference with the collection of tithes

March 26th , 1787

A series of enactments called the Whiteboy Acts (passed by the Irish and the United Kingdom parliaments between 1775 and 1831) was intended to give additional facilities to the executive for the suppression of tumultuous risings.

In Co Tipperary, where men wearing white smocks over their heads levelled fences and attacked cattle by night. They became known as Whiteboys, and the movement spread into Munster, Leinster and Connaught. As the movement gathered strength they issued threats to landlords over a number of long standing grievances. In particular the payment of Tithes and the levels of rent.

The Whiteboys, though mainly cotters, did include some middle class, and had the support of most of the rural population. They were a difficult group for the government to control. Tipperary landlords tried to control them by forming troops of horse from selected tenants, but were not successful. In other parts of Ireland agrarian movements briefly sparked, but the Whiteboys caused problems over a long period.

Ireland changed little, the Whiteboy revolts continued to kill and burn people and animals. Resentment against Tithes and high rents continued to smoulder. And the population continued to grow rapidly.

The main outbreaks of violence with the Whiteboys were in the years 1760 - 1766, 1770 - 1776, 1785 - 1788 and 1799 - 1803

More From This Day

Related Countries

blog Ireland

bagpipes of ireland

bagpipes of ireland

blog Ireland

great irish warpipes

great irish warpipes

blog Ireland

Pastoral Pipes

Pastoral Pipes

blog Ireland

minstrel boy

minstrel boy

blog Ireland

wearing of the green

wearing of the green

blog Ireland

celtic fiddle

celtic fiddle

blog Ireland

flute

flute

blog Ireland

low whistle

low whistle

blog Ireland

tin whistle

tin whistle

blog Ireland

uilleann pipes

uilleann pipes

No related content found.