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Stephen Dunford: The Journey of The IrIsh
Of the Irish Volunteers.
By arms we’ve got the rights we sought Through long and wretched years: Hurrah! ‘tis done - our freedom’s won - Hurrah for the Volunteers!
(Note: Air: Boyne Water)
So, as we have seen, the example of the American colonies, in revolt as they were against the legislation of the British Parliament, was not lost on the Irish and particularly the Vol- unteers, who as we now know, were a political as well as a military body, determined to make greater use of the power they possessed. In the autumn of 1781, Lord Cornwallis at the head of a massive British force was hemmed in at Yorktown, Virginia, by an American army supported by a French fleet and left with no alternative but to surrender. On Februray 15, 1782, with the devastating defeat in America still fresh in the popular mindsight, and a perception that the old British empire was on the verge of collapse, two hundred and fifty- two delegates, representing one hundred and forty-three Ulster corps, met in Dungannon, in what is since called The Dungannon Convention, during which they passed several reso- lutions, many of which were afterwards endorsed by the King.
Of the resolutions passed, the most important were:-
1. That the Irish Parliament must be an independent Parliament, unrestricted in any way by English Parliament or English Government.
2. That the powers exercised by the Privy Councils of both kingdoms under the law of Poynings are unconstitutional and a grievance.
3.That the ports of this country are by right open to all foreign countries not at war with the King; and that any burden thereupon, or obstruction thereto, save only by the Parliament of Ireland, are unconstitutional, illegal, and a grievance.
4. That a permanent Mutiny Bill is unconstitutional.
5. That as men and Irishmen, as Christians and as Protestants, we rejoice in the re- laxation of the Penal Laws against our Roman Catholic fellow subjects. (This resolu- tion was passed at Henry Grattan’s suggestion).
Ireland as a whole appeared pleased with the passing of the resolutions and also with the tenacity with which the Volunteers went about their business. In the face of popular clam-
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